When Sita and Laxman heard Rama’s screaming voice, they got alarmed. Sita begged Laxman to go and help Rama. Laxman was in a dilemma as he had promised Rama to protect Sita but he was worried about Rama’s well being too. So he drew a demarcation line around the cottage with his arrow and told Sita not to step out of the demarcation line so that no harm might come to her. Soon after Laxman had left, Ravana turned into an old hermit and approached the cottage. He wanted Sita to step out of the demarcation line drawn by Laxman. He begged for some food. Ravana requested Sita to step forward and give it to him. Sita thought that he was a harmless hermit, so she stepped out of the cottage. As soon as she had done so, Ravana grabbed her and revealed his true identity. Sita was terrified and told Ravana that Rama and Laxman would find her and punish him for abducting her. She struggled hard, but in vain. Ravana was very strong and quickly overpowered her. He laughed at her and mercilessly dragged her into his flying chariot and took her away to Lanka.
SITA’S ABDUCTION
