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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.40.28

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 40: The golden deer appears. Mārīca yields to Rāvaṇa, travels to the hermitage and assumes a jewelled deer’s form that attracts Sītā while frightening the real deer

In the sequence: Sītā comes out gathering flowers and sees him → his extraordinary appearance holds her attention while he continues moving within view.

3.40.28

kusumāpacaye vyagrā pādapān atyavartata
karṇikārān aśokāṃś ca cūṭāṃś ca madirekṣaṇā

intent on gathering flowers, passed among the trees—karṇikāras, aśokas, and mango trees—she of intoxicating eyes,

Words: kusumāpacaye — in the gathering of flowers; vyagrā — intent, absorbed; pādapān — the trees; atyavartata — passed by, moved among; karṇikārān — karṇikāra trees; aśokāṃś ca — and aśoka trees; cūṭāṃś ca — and mango trees; madirekṣaṇā — with intoxicating eyes

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.