batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l31978-l32077
---
record_id: batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l31978-l32077
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
passage_locator:
label: Canto XXIV. The Host In Sight. / Canto XXV. The Battle. / Canto XXVIII. Khara
Dismounted. / Canto XLIII. The Wondrous Deer.; lines 31978-32077
start: '31978'
end: '32077'
translation: The Ramayan of Valmiki
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Sítá sees a wondrous deer with gold, silver, jewel-like colors, and sapphire-tipped
horns. She calls Ráma and Lakshmaṇ to view it. Lakshmaṇ warns that the deer may
be the fiend Márícha using magic guile in deer form, but Sítá asks Ráma to capture
it alive, or else to bring its golden skin. Ráma, moved by Sítá’s request and
beguiled by the deer’s beauty, prepares to respond to Lakshmaṇ.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Sítá sees a wondrous deer while gathering flowers and calls Ráma and Lakshmaṇ
to come view it.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The deer is described with sparkling sides, silver and golden hues, jewel-like
colors, golden hair, and sapphire-tipped branching horns.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: obs:3
text: Lakshmaṇ expresses doubt and says the deer may be the fiend Márícha in deer
form, using magic guile.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Lakshmaṇ says kings have previously been defeated and slain by similar deceit
while hunting in the region.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Sítá rejects Lakshmaṇ’s warning and asks Ráma to bring the deer for her delight.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Sítá imagines the deer later adorning her dwelling and being admired by Bharat,
the queens, and herself.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: Sítá says that if the deer cannot be captured alive, Ráma should strike it
and bring its skin as a treasure.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Ráma hears Sítá’s request, looks again at the deer, and is beguiled by its
lovely shape.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Sítá
description: A woman who sees the wondrous deer, is delighted and fascinated by
it, and asks Ráma to obtain it.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Ráma
description: Sítá’s husband, addressed as a bow-armed chief, who comes to view the
deer and is moved by Sítá’s request.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Lakshmaṇ
description: Ráma’s brother, bow-armed, who comes to see the deer and warns that
it may be a deceptive magical form of Márícha.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Márícha
description: A fiend named by Lakshmaṇ as the possible true identity of the wondrous
deer.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: The wondrous deer
description: A beautiful deer-like creature with gold, silver, jewel-like radiance,
golden hair, and sapphire-tipped horns; possibly a magical form of Márícha according
to Lakshmaṇ.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: fascinated requester
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Sítá is captivated by the deer’s beauty and asks Ráma to obtain it for her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:2
label: husband and prospective pursuer
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Ráma is called by Sítá, hears her request, and is moved to act for her pleasure.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: cautious counselor
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Lakshmaṇ warns that the deer may be a magical deception by Márícha.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: suspected magical deceiver
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Lakshmaṇ identifies the deer as possibly Márícha using a deer form and magic
guile.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: marvelous lure or desired prize
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The deer’s extraordinary beauty fascinates Sítá and beguiles Ráma; Sítá wants
it captured or its skin obtained.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: wondrous golden deer
literal_form: A deer with silver and golden hues, jewel-like radiance, golden hair,
and sapphire-tipped horns.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:2
label: golden skin or fell
literal_form: The deer’s soft skin or fell, bright with golden-thread-like hair,
desired by Sítá if the deer cannot be taken alive.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: sapphire-tipped horns
literal_form: The deer’s branching horns are described as tipped with sapphires.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: magic deer form
literal_form: A deer shape that Lakshmaṇ says may be worn by the fiend Márícha through
magic guile.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Sítá beholds the wondrous deer
summary: While gathering flowers, Sítá gazes at an extraordinary deer and calls
Ráma and Lakshmaṇ to see it.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Lakshmaṇ’s warning
summary: Lakshmaṇ warns that the deer may be Márícha in a magical deer shape and
recalls deadly deceit against earlier kings.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Sítá requests the deer
summary: Sítá dismisses Lakshmaṇ’s caution and asks Ráma to capture the deer alive
as a beautiful prize.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: The alternate request for the skin
summary: Sítá says that if the deer cannot be captured alive, Ráma should kill it
and bring its golden skin.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Ráma is beguiled
summary: Ráma hears Sítá, looks again at the deer, and is beguiled by its form before
turning to Lakshmaṇ.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: shapeshifting deceiver in animal form
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: Lakshmaṇ explicitly says the wondrous deer may be the fiend Márícha wearing
a deer form through magic guile.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents this as Lakshmaṇ’s suspicion rather than confirmed
narration within the excerpt.
- id: motif:2
label: marvelous animal lure
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The extraordinary deer fascinates Sítá, causes her to ask Ráma to obtain
it, and then beguiles Ráma when he looks again.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The broader consequences of the lure are not included in this excerpt.
- id: motif:3
label: counsel ignored before pursuit
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Lakshmaṇ warns that the deer is magical deceit, but Sítá turns his prudent
speech aside and urges Ráma to obtain it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: Ráma’s final decision is only beginning to be narrated at the end of the
passage.
- id: motif:4
label: desire for radiant treasure from the wilderness
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Sítá desires the deer as a living wonder for her home or, failing that, its
golden skin as a treasure.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a descriptive motif candidate without a supplied taxonomy reference.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage supports comparison with the shapeshifter motif family because
a named fiend is suspected of assuming a deer form through magic guile.
claim_level: same_motif
target: motif_family:shapeshifter
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: Within this excerpt, the identification of the deer as Márícha is voiced
by Lakshmaṇ and is not independently confirmed by the narrator.
- id: claim:2
claim: 'The deer functions as a marvelous lure: its beauty draws attention, desire,
and prospective pursuit despite an explicit warning.'
claim_level: same_function
target: deceptive or marvelous animal lure pattern
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The excerpt ends before the pursuit is narrated, so the full lure sequence
lies outside the supplied passage.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 31978-31994
quote_or_summary: Sítá, while gathering flowers, gazes at a marvelous deer with
silver and golden hues and calls Ráma and Lakshmaṇ to come see it; the brothers
come and see the deer.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 31995-32012
quote_or_summary: Lakshmaṇ warns that the wondrous deer may be the fiend Márícha,
who uses magic guile and deer form; he says earlier kings were slain by similar
deceit and that no natural deer has such gold and jewel-like beauty.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 32013-32048
quote_or_summary: Sítá turns aside Lakshmaṇ’s warning, says the deer enraptures
her, asks Ráma to bring it for her delight, and imagines it later adorning her
dwelling and being admired.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 32049-32068
quote_or_summary: Sítá says that if the deer cannot be captured alive, Ráma should
strike it and bring its skin; she describes the fell as soft and golden-haired
and notes the deer’s golden flank hair and sapphire-tipped horns.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 32069-32077
quote_or_summary: Ráma hears Sítá’s speech, looks again at the deer, is beguiled
by its lovely shape, and turns to Lakshmaṇ because he is moved by Sítá’s request.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied lines. Motif confidence is strongest
for the suspected magical animal form; broader narrative implications are not
included in the excerpt.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No external comparisons or unsupplied narrative outcomes were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg__l31978-l32077
passage_sha256=7eb04568014ff07867492893527f997028f461e8d7773fe61431ed9847ad40f3