मायामृगदर्शनम्
The Vision of the Illusory Deer
अहो रूपमहो लक्ष्मीस्स्वरसम्पच्च शोभना।मृगोऽद्भुतो विचित्राङ्गो हृदयं हरतीव मे।।।।
aho rūpam aho lakṣmīḥ svara-sampac ca śobhanā |
mṛgo 'dbhuto vicitrāṅgo hṛdayaṃ haratīva me ||
Ôi, dung mạo biết bao! Ôi, vẻ đẹp và phúc tướng rạng ngời—lại thêm tiếng nói ngọt lành, phong phú! Con nai kỳ diệu này, với thân hình lạ lùng tuyệt mỹ, dường như đang cướp lấy trái tim ta.
Oh what a beauty, Oh what rich call ! what delightful, wonderful, graceful limbs ! This deer captivates my heart.
The verse demonstrates how attachment can arise suddenly through the senses. Dharma emphasizes mastery over impulse so that desire does not override safety, duty, and discernment.
Sītā openly expresses enchantment with the deer’s beauty and call, emotionally motivating the request that Rāma pursue it.
The scene implicitly calls for the virtue of self-restraint (dama): the capacity to admire without being compelled.