Shloka 13

Sāvitrī’s Trirātra-Vrata and Departure with Satyavān (सावित्रीव्रतनिश्चयः सहगमनं च)

Devanagari script

एवं हतायां वैदेह्यां रामो हत्वा महामृगम्‌ । निवृत्तों ददृशे धीमान्‌ भ्रातरं लक्ष्मणं तथा,इस प्रकार सीताका अपहरण हो जानेपर बुद्धिमान्‌ श्रीरामचन्द्रजी उस महामृगरूप मारीचको मारकर लौटे; उस समय मार्गमें उन्हें लक्ष्मण दिखायी दिये

Transliteration

evaṁ hatāyāṁ vaidehyāṁ rāmo hatvā mahāmṛgam | nivṛtto dadṛśe dhīmān bhrātaraṁ lakṣmaṇaṁ tathā ||

Translation

かくしてヴァイデーヒー（シーター）が奪い去られたのち、賢きラーマは大鹿を討ち、引き返した。戻る途中、彼は弟ラクシュマナの姿をも見た。

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

हतायाम्when (she) was slain/struck (locative absolute element)

वैदेह्याम्in/with Vaidehī (Sītā) (locative absolute element)

रामःRāma

हत्वाhaving slain

महामृगम्the great deer

निवृत्तःreturned, having turned back

ददृशेsaw

धीमान्wise, intelligent

भ्रातरम्brother

लक्ष्मणम्Lakṣmaṇa

तथाalso, likewise

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Vaidehī (Sītā)

Rāma

Mahāmṛga (Mārīca in deer-form)

Lakṣmaṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical danger of being misled by deceptive appearances: even a capable and righteous person can be drawn into a trap if discernment is momentarily eclipsed. It also points to the cascading consequences of a single misjudgment within a web of duties and relationships.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Sītā has been abducted, Rāma kills the great deer (Mārīca in disguise) and returns; on the way back he encounters Lakṣmaṇa. This moment marks the transition from the deceptive lure to the realization of loss and the unfolding search and response.