The bejewelled golden deer

There are times when we are misled by willful cheats or our very own lack of understanding or disillusionment.

Then there are other times when we entangle ourselves into perfectly avoidable problems.

Counsels of well wishers are discounted. Helping hands are rejected. Sometimes we even spike down our better judgement.

At such times, no amount of consolation can give us solace. The future appears to be bleak. It appears that there can be nothing to be looked forward to.

No activity seems to be worth its while. Even as one wonders as to how to deal with the situation, an episode from the Ramayana shows us the way out of the dark tunnel.
When Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were in Chitrakoota, on exile, little did they realise that they would have to face a very mind-boggling and tedious problem to solve.

Sita felt an urgent desire to own the bejewelled golden deer that gamboled in front of her hermitage.

Though the trio had never seen the enchanting creature ever before, they were not able to see through Ravana’s plan.

The king of Lanka used Maricha’s skills to morph into a golden deer to divert the attention of Rama and Lakshmana so that he could abduct Sita and avenge his sister’s insult.

Rama felt compelled to capture the deer for her. The deer led Rama away and cried out for Lakshmana and Sita simulating the voice of Rama when it was struck down by his arrow.

Maricha achieved his goal in his death, for Sita insisted on Lakshmana to rush to the aid of Rama against his better counsel.

The saga of miseries unfolded. Sita was abducted by Ravana in the guise of a mendicant leaving the brothers mystified and desolate.

Lesser people would have wallowed in self pity, indulged in the blame game or in self reproach.

Initially, the trio did the same, but almost immediately; all the three of them approached the problem practically.

Sita cried out her messages and spangled the path by throwing pieces of her jewellery as a clue to the brothers who would eventually come in search of her.

Rama and Lakshmana launched a methodical search, garnered help and waged a war which eventually led them to Sita.

True, the square thing to do would be to nip the problem in the bud.

Yet, if one has not done so, for whatever reason, the next best option is to face the problem and cross the bridges as they come with hope and determination.

The lessons learned in the process of the problem solving journey can prove to be uncannily handy sometime or the other during one’s lifetime.