Shloka 17
Sāvitrī–Satyavān Vivāha: Kanyāpradāna and Āśrama-Śīla (सावित्री-सत्यवान्विवाहः)
मृगश्न भूत्वा मारीचस्तं देशमुपजग्मतु: । दर्शयामास मारीचो वैदेहीं मृगरूपधृक्,रावण मूँड़ मुड़ाने, भिक्षापात्र हाथमें लिये एवं त्रिदण्डधारी संन्यासीका रूप धारण करके और मारीच मृग बनकर--दोनों उस स्थानपर गये। मारीचने विदेहनन्दिनी सीताके समक्ष अपना मृगरूप प्रकट किया
mṛgaśnaḥ bhūtvā mārīcaḥ taṃ deśam upajagmatuḥ | darśayāmāsa mārīco vaidehīṃ mṛgarūpadhṛk ||
Mārīca, tendo-se tornado um cervo, foi com ele àquele lugar. Ali, Mārīca—sob o disfarce de cervo—mostrou-se diante de Vaidehī (Sītā). No enquadramento ético da narrativa, este momento assinala o uso deliberado de disfarce e engano para provocar desejo e distração, pondo em movimento uma cadeia de atos movidos pelo adharma e suas consequências.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how adharma often advances through calculated deception—disguise and staged appearances that manipulate attention and desire. Ethically, it warns that fascination with alluring appearances can be exploited, and that vigilance (viveka) is needed to resist being drawn into harmful sequences of action.
Mārīca assumes a deer’s form and, together with his accomplice, goes to the targeted location. He then presents himself before Sītā (Vaidehī), making the deer-form visible to her—an intentional lure that will prompt pursuit and create the opportunity for the ensuing wrongdoing.