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The Abduction of Sita
473
“But my dear brother! I never roared. I wonder how you heard the roar. Surely someone must have played a trick upon us."
"Do you say that you did not roar ? Then someone has deceived us."
“Noble brother! I believe that someone has adopted this plan to send you away from Sita and to abduct her. I am sure that she has been abducted. Therefore, at once you go back and protect Sita."
"But brother! You are here fighting.”
"Do not worry about me. I will rout these enemies and I will come there soon.”
Shri Ram was naturally worried. He was horrified at the thought of Sita's abduction. He went back hurriedly. His heart began palpitating with fear. When he came to the cave, he found that Sita was not there. He was greatly agitated. He swooned at the door of the cave.
Shri Ram had not experienced such grief even when he discarded his vast kingdom, and the throne of Ayodhya. He had not swooned at the time of his going to forests; nor did he swoon at any time while experiencing those terrible hardships in the forests but on this occasion he swooned. He had never even imagined that he would thus be separated from Sita. He remained petrified for a while. Sometime later, he regained his consciousness. He sat up and carefully looked everywhere for Sita. Just then, he noticed Jatayu lying there in a pool of blood.
He thought, "Some wicked fellow must have come to abduct Sita. Jatayu must have opposed his action and must have tried to safeguard Sita and that wicked fellow must have killed Jatayu."
Jatayu was not dead. It was breathing. Shri Ram gave Jatayu the provision for its spiritual journey. He recited Shri Namaskar Mahamantra. Jatayu died after hearing the mantra.
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