Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 43: Sītā Sees the Magical Deer
Text 3.43.21
कामवृत्तमिदं रौद्रं स्त्रीणामसदृशं मतम्।
वपुषा त्वस्य सत्त्वस्य विस्मयो जनितो मम॥
kāma-vṛttam idaṁ raudraṁ strīṇām asadṛśaṁ matam
vapuṣā tv asya sattvasya vismayo janito mama
kāma-vṛttam = [and] whimsical behavior; idam = such; raudram = terrible; strīṇām = for women; asadṛśam = inappropriate; matam = is considered; vapuṣā = the unique form; tu = but; asya = of this; sattvasya = creature; vismayaḥ = extremely curious; janitaḥ = has made; mama = me.
Such terrible [and] whimsical behavior is considered inappropriate for women. But the unique form of this creature has made me extremely curious.1
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: vapuṣā vilakṣaṇa-dehena. mama vismayaḥ janitaḥ mamātyantaṁ kutūhalaṁ vartate.
This statement of Sītā-devī is presented out of humility.
“Such terrible [and] whimsical behavior” refers to her inciting her husband [to do something she wants], like Kaikeyī. She implies that it is inappropriate for her to request Him to bring [the deer] and that if He is also curious [about the deer like her], He should get it. She thus apologizes for having excitedly requested Him to bring [the deer].
Lord Rāmacandra carried out [her request] not merely by the influence of the lady [Sītā], but because He was also astonished [to see that deer]. This is stated in the next verse.
NOTE. Lord Rāmacandra appeared to be under the influence of His wife to show men of this world who are under the influence of their wives the misery that it will naturally lead them to. This is clear from Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s remark in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.10.11.