Ravana Abducts Sita

Rama picked up his bow and arrow and began to chase the deer. The deer would momentarily disappear from Rama's view, reappearing before him the next instant. This game of hide-and-seek angered Rama, but he kept his attention focused on his goal. The deer led Rama into the dense jungle, far away from Panchavati.

Finally, Rama decided to kill the deer and bring its body to Sita instead. He nocked an arrow and shot it. The arrow hissed like a snake and pierced the deer's heart. To Rama's astonishment, the deer transformed into the demon Maricha, who mimicked Rama's voice and cried, "O Sita! O Lakshmana!" He then expired.

Sita was terrified when she heard her husband's cries for help. She thought that Rama was in immediate danger, so she asked Lakshmana to go and help him right away. But Lakshmana suspected the voice was not Rama's because he knew his elder brother could take care of himself. Also, he had promised Rama he would protect Sita come what may. So he refused to leave.

Sita chided Lakshmana and questioned his loyalty to Rama. "You're not going to help your brother because you harbor lustful intentions toward me, don't you?" 

These words burned Lakshmana's ears. He relented and agreed to go find Rama. However, before leaving, he drew a line in the sand with an arrow around the cottage. Anyone who tried to enter the cottage by crossing this line would be burned to ashes.

Ravana had been surreptitiously watching these events. He transformed into a mendicant and appeared at the cottage's entrance, carrying a begging bowl and chanting Vedic mantras. It was the tradition back then for the woman of the house to give a mendicant some food. Accordingly, Sita emerged with a basket of fruits for him. 

When Ravana caught his first glimpse at Sita, he was smitten by her beauty, but he did not dare to cross the line drawn by Lakshmana. Instead, he coaxed Sita to step over the line. The minute she did so, he transformed into his true form and seized her! Without wasting any time, he put her in his Pushpaka Vimana and began flying toward Lanka.