Sita, the beloved consort of Ram, the mother of Luv Kush, daughter of the earth and the ideal woman had faced many trials to prove her purity towards Shri Rama. Sita’s trials began after the marriage of her and Rama when he won her Swayamvara (ceremony held by a king for his daughter to choose her husband out of many kings and princes mostly consisting of a challenge) Kaikeyi, one of Ram’s mothers and the 2nd wife of Dhasharatha, had received a promise by her husband that whatever she desires he shall grant it. In the Raghu Kul (Raghu Clan) there is a saying (pran jai quintu vagan na tutai) My life may go but my promise will not brake.
Kaikeyi had asked for Ram to be sent into exile. Rama accepted to go into exile and his wife Sita decided to accompany him, along with one of his brothers Lakshmana, being the ideal woman she is. It was unlikely that women would go into forest exile with their husbands, Sita denied of this as she was devoted towards her husband Rama. For 14 years Ram, Sita and Lakshman had stayed in exile within the forest. This was the first sacrifice she made, to leave all royal luxuries, all lavishing food and royal garments to dress as a Sanyasi and decided on taking the path which was with her husband.
” I shall walk ahead of you crushing under my feet, all the thorns that lie on your way.” By Article of the month in exotic India Sita.
One day a golden dear was passing by and Sita got attracted to it she asked Ram to go after it, he went. The demon King of Lanka, Ravana was assisted by Maricha the golden dear to lure Shri Rama and Lakshmana away from Sita. Ravana was attracted to Sita’s beauty and he wanted to marry her or in another tale, Ravana sister’s nose was cut off by a piercing arrow shot by Lakshmana after the attempted murder of Sita and Ravana wished to avenge that. Rama was gone for some time on the quest of the golden dear, Sita was getting worried so she had sent Lakshmana after him.
Lakshmana used his celestial arrow and he drew a Lakshman rekha (barrier) around the hermitage. “Anyone who would trespass would be incinerated by the barrier.” With Lakshmana looking for Rama, Sita was left vulnerable, Ravana had saw the rekha and took the form of a Brahmin to trick her. Sita was then abducted by Ravana after stepping out of the rekha. He flew her back to Lanka where she was imprisoned for 10 months enduring all the atrocities he threw at her. Another sacrifice Sita had made during her Lanka imprisonment, was that when Hanuman the monkey king had come to rescue her she refused to be rescued by anyone else except by Lord Ram as she wanted to protect his honour and had no intention of stealing it.
In another story Sita was not abducted instead it was Maya/Chaya Sita who was abducted whilst the real Sita hid in the fire. Maya/Chaya Sita was reborn as the legendary heroine, born from fire Draupadi. (Draupadi to be believed as another avatar of Lakshmi) When Sita was rescued by Ram she undertook a fire ordeal, to prove her purity towards Ram and in which Maya Sita had died.
Returning to Ayodhya, Sita Ram became King and Queen, till the subjects of Ayodhya questioned Sita’s purity and requested that Ram should send Sita to exile. Sita was 5 months pregnant and Lakshmana had escorted her to the forest. Upon being told by the sent messenger of Ram, his brother Lakshman, Sita was heartbroken hearing about her second Vanvas when Ram had given her up. The Goddess Queen wanted to end her life at that moment and still wanted to during her long period of exile however she didn’t as she carried the future heir’s of the Ikshvaku Dynasty.
Sita gave birth to her son’s Luv and Kush within Valmiki’s hermitage/ ashram. For 12-14 years she remained in exile and brought up her children without her Ram. When Luv Kush grew up young, they tied up Lord Hanuman, Bharat Shatrugan and Lakshman (Ram’s brothers).
To their rescue Lord Ram had came and fought Luv Kush but Sita had intervened, Ram finally met his sons and requested on Sita to take up another fire ordeal. Sita refused to return and take another ordeal. Sita had confessed her feelings towards Ram,
“I cannot return with you my Ram, it is impossible for me to return to the society which questioned my character, my chaste and my purity, and I Boumicha Sita take the sky, fire, water, air and the earth as my witness that if I have been a good wife and an ideal daughter than heed my call mother Boumi please take your daughter back into your womb, this world does not respect women what can I possibly accomplish whilst being here, mother Earth please take me back for this will be my last trial and will be the proof of my loyalty towards Ram!” The ground split open taking Sita in, giving her the gateway of heaven and with it her return to her abode Vaikunth as Goddess Lakshmi, Where she waited for Lord Vishnu!
After all these sacrifices Sita had gave up her life yes at the end she did not listen to Rama as it was her time, her pain, her sacrifice and her devotion!
Sita was the silent pillar of strength, love, devotion and sacrifice despite being the 7th avatar of Goddess Lakshmi she sacrificed her entire life for Ram. The Ramayana text should not have been on the stories of Narayan avatar Lord Ram but instead of the heroic sacrifices of Goddess Queen Sita. Sita to be remembered not as Rama’s wife but the goddess of self sacrifice, natures daughter, brave and true to her duties. Sita is the ideal woman and a feminist idol to all, may she be remembered throughout the legacy of the Ramayan!
By BloomArcayna
*First Article as it is my opinion*
ON SIYA KE RAM!