THE RAMAYANAM : (Delivered at the Shakespeare Club, Pasadena, California, January 31, 1900)-17.

Part-17.

So, Rama, at last, fell in with these monkeys.

They told him that they had seen flying through the sky a chariot, in which was seated a demon who was carrying away a most beautiful lady, and that she was weeping bitterly, and as the chariot passed over their heads she dropped one of her ornaments to attract their attention.

Then they showed Rama the ornament.

Lakshmana took up the ornament, and said, "I do not know whose ornament this is."

Rama took it from him and recognised it at once, saying, "Yes, it is Sita's."

Lakshmana could not recognise the ornament, because in India the wife of the elder brother was held in so much reverence that he had never looked upon the arms and the neck of Sita.

So you see, as it was a necklace, he did not know whose it was.

There is in this episode a touch of the old Indian custom.

Then, the monkeys told Rama who this demon king was and where he lived, and then they all went to seek for him.

Swami Vivekananda

To be continued  ...