“Markandeya said, ’Beholding Ravana come, Maricha received him with a respectful welcome, and offered him fruits and roots.  And after Ravana had taken his seat, and rested himself a while, Maricha skilled in speech, sat beside Ravana and addressed him who was himself as eloquent in speech, saying, ’Thy complexion hath assumed an unnatural hue; is it all right with thy kingdom, O king of the Rakshasas?  What hath brought thee here?  Do thy subjects continue to pay thee the same allegiance that they used to pay thee before?  What business hath brought thee here?  Know that it is already fulfilled, even if it be very difficult of fulfilment!  Ravana, whose heart was agitated with wrath and humiliation informed him briefly of the acts of Rama and the measures that were to be taken.’  And on hearing his story, Maricha briefly replied to him, saying, ’Thou must not provoke Rama, for I know his strength!  Is there a person who is capable of withstanding the impetus of his arrows?  That great man hath been the cause of my assuming my present ascetic life.  What evil-minded creature hath put thee up to this course calculated to bring ruin and destruction on thee?’ To this Ravana indignantly replied, reproaching him thus, ’If thou dost not obey my orders, thou shall surely die at my hands.’  Maricha then thought within himself, ’When death is inevitable, I shall do his biddings; for it is better to die at the hands of one that is superior.’  Then he replied to the lord of the Rakshasas saying, ’I shall surely render thee whatever help I can!’ Then the Ten-headed Ravana said unto him, ’Go and tempt Sita, assuming the shape of a deer with golden horns and a golden skin!  When Sita will observe thee thus, she will surely send away Rama to hunt thee.  And then Sita will surely come within my power, and I shall forcibly carry her away.  And then that wicked Rama will surely die of grief at the loss of his wife.  Do thou help me in this way!’

“Thus addressed, Maricha performed his obsequies (in anticipation) and with a sorrowful heart, followed Ravana who was in advance of him.  And having reached the hermitage of Rama of difficult achievements, they both did as arranged beforehand.  And Ravana appeared in the guise of an ascetic with head shaven, and adorned with a Kamandala, and a treble staff.  And Maricha appeared in the shape of a deer.  And Maricha appeared before the princess of Videha in that guise.  And impelled by Fate, she sent away Rama after that deer.  And Rama, with the object of pleasing her, quickly took up his bow, and leaving Lakshmana behind to protect her, went in pursuit of that deer.  And armed with his bow and quiver and scimitar, and his fingers encased in gloves of Guana skin, Rama went in pursuit of that deer, after the manner of Rudra following the stellar deer[90] in days of yore.  And that Rakshasa enticed away Rama to a great distance by appearing before him at one time and disappearing from his view at another.  And when Rama at last knew who and what that deer was,