Shloka 21
मायामृगदर्शनम्
The Vision of the Illusory Deer
तेन काञ्चनवर्णेन मणिप्रवरशृङ्गिणा।तरुणादित्यवर्णेन नक्षत्रपथवर्चसा।।।।बभूव राघवस्यापि मनो विस्मयमागतम्।
tena kāñcanavarṇena maṇipravaraśṛṅgiṇā | taruṇādityavarṇena nakṣatrapathavarcasā || babhūva rāghavasyāpi mano vismayam āgatam |
黄金の色をまとい、最上の宝玉を飾った角を持ち、若き昇る太陽のような色合いで、星々の道のごとき光を放つその姿に、ラाघヴァの心さえ驚嘆に満たされた。
This kind of request arising out of a woman's desire may sound terrible, still then the beauty of this animal's skin has produced in me a wonder.
FAQs
Even the righteous can be momentarily shaken by dazzling appearances. Dharma requires steadiness (dhṛti) and discernment when confronted by illusion and sensory splendor.
The poet describes the deer’s supernatural beauty and notes that even Rāma is astonished.
Rāma’s human susceptibility is shown—setting up a moral test where discernment must govern action.