To Desire or not to..

Acrylic and oil pastels on canvas 24 by 48 inches

This is a scene from the story of Ramayan, the great Hindu epic. "Sita desired for the dazzling golden deer that showed up near their hermitage not knowing that it would become the root cause of all the trauma that was in store for her.She urged her husband Rama to get it for her"
I do understand and have experienced what Buddha stated, that desire is the cause for misery. But I want to as well believe in the following quote by Napolean Hill.

"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything".

Sita and the baby deer

Acrylic on wrapped canvas 24 by 32 inches

When you have nothing to do sometimes mind wanders and mine reverted back to years and years ago when I was a little girl who was very close to my grand dad. He had given me a book of the great Hindu epic Ramayana and it soon became part and parcel of me. I never left it for a minute, read and re read it countless number of times. It was a priceless possession. But later on someone borrowed it and never returned it to me.I don't remember who, but I still have a small hope that this book will return to me one day!

As the thoughts about the book got stronger I decided to put some of them  on my canvas and the result is what you see here. Hope you enjoy!

 "During their days in the Dandaka forests, Sita along with her husband Rama and brother in law Lakshmana lived in Panchavati, near the river Godavari,  an enchanting place with flowered  trees  beautified with birds and deer. Sita was delightful with this place."