Sita is PURE!

(4 min read)

Sita: Bhumisuta (Daughter of Earth)

Sita means a furrow. She was so named because she sprung from a furrow as Janaka, King of Videha, ploughed a field to prepare for a sacrifice to obtain a progeny. She is also called Bhumisuta, and A-yoni-ja (not womb-born). In Rig Veda, Sita is invoked as the deity for agriculture and all the fruits of the earth.

Sita Ashtottarashatanama (108 Names) Stotram: 

(From Shrimad Ananda Ramayana)

        श्रीसीता जानकीदेवी वैदेही राघवप्रिया ।

        रमाऽवनिसुता रामा राक्षसान्तप्रकारिणी ॥

        रामार्पितमना रामवन्दिता रामवल्लभा ।

        श्रीरामपदचिह्नाङ्गा रामरामेति भाषिणी ॥

Shree Sita, also known as Janaki, Vaidehi, Raghava’s beloved, Ramaa (Lakshmi), Daughter of Earth, and Rama’s consort was the agency which destroyed the rakshasas.

Her mind was devoted to Rama, she worshipped Rama, and was Rama’s beloved. She dutifully followed Rama’s footsteps (to the exile in forest) and always chanted Rama’s name.

What did Sita do BEFORE entering the Fire?

She circumambulated Rama, whose face was downcast; paid her regards to the gods; and prayed to Agni:

यथा मे हृदयं नित्यं नापसर्पति राघवात् |
तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः || (6-104-24)*

“Since my heart has never once strayed from Raghava, so may Agni, the purifier, witness of all the world, protect me in every way.” (Translated by Robert P. Goldman, 2021)

Thereafter, Vaidehi reverently circumambulated the fire. Then, calm, and serene, with complete detachment, she entered the blazing flames.

What happened AFTER Sita entered the Fire?

In Valmiki Ramayana (Critical Edition), Sarga 103, Rama announced abandonment of Sita; in Sarga 104, Sita entered the Fire, but not before proclaiming her chastity with dignity and defiance; in Sargas 105 to 108, Valmiki narrates what happened thereafter.

If Agni Pariksha is seen as a Three-Act Play, Sarga 103 is Act I which presents Rama’s point of view; Sarga 104 is Act II, the counter-point presenting Sita’s argument; Sargas 105-108 constitute Act III presenting the resolution of the poetic tension that began with Rama’s abandonment of Sita.

Sita is ‘proven’ to be chaste, Rama accepts her, and there is a happy reunion of the separated couple who had suffered much trauma and anguish. This was a befitting run up to Rama’s triumphant return to Ayodhya and his coronation. Rama would rule for 11000 years over Rama Rajya, the most idyllic, just, and prosperous kingdom on earth.

A brief summary of Sargas 104 to 108

·      Sita enters the fire.

·      The foremost among the gods – Brahma, Shiva, Indra, Yama, Varuna and Kubera - arrive, and reveal to Rama his divine identity. They admonish Rama:

        कर्ता सर्वस्य लोकस्य श्रेष्ठो ज्ञानवतां प्रभुः |
        उपेक्षसे कथं सीतां पतन्तीं हव्यवाहने || (6-105-5)

        You are the Supreme Lord of the world and the Wisest, how could You             ignore Sita while she fell into the Fire?

They further add:

          उपेक्षसे च वैदेहीं मानुषः प्राकृतो यथा | (6-105-8)

Why do you ignore Vaidehi like a common man?

Brahma tells Rama:

        सीता लक्ष्मीर्भवान् विष्णु: (6-105-25)

        Sita is Lakshmi and You are Vishnu.

·      Yet Rama says: 

            आत्मानं मानुषं मन्ये (6-105-10)- I consider myself a human.

        Please tell me who I am, and why I am here.

·      Agni tells Rama:

विशुद्धभावां निष्पापां प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मैथिलीम् |
न किंचिरभिधातव्या अहमाज्ञापयामि ते || (6-106-9)

"Take back Seetha, who is sinless, with a pure character. She should not be told anything harsh. I hereby command you." (Debroy, 2017)

·      Rama explains: I know Sita is pure, but it was necessary for her to get ‘purified’ for the sake of the world, or else people would have said – Rama, son of Dasharatha is foolish, and was blinded by his desire for a woman.

प्रत्ययार्थं तु लोकानां त्रयाणाम् सत्यसंश्रयः |
उपेक्षे चापि वैदेहीं प्रविशन्तीं हुताशनम् || (6-106-14)

To convince the three worlds, I, whose ultimate recourse is truth, ignored Sita while she entered the fire.

Sita’s agni pariksha: Suicidal or Sacrificial?

Sita contemplated ending her own life. Abandoned and humiliated by Rama, she tells Lakshmana: Since my husband is not satisfied with my virtue, I do not wish to live; prepare a pyre for me. Even earlier, when Hanuman had met her at Lanka, and had offered to carry her on his back to Rama, Sita had refused. She told Hanuman: Rama must kill Ravana and rescue me. That would be the right and honourable course. But if Rama is unable to rescue me before Ravana’s twelve-month deadline expires, then I’ll give up my life.

However, before entering the pyre, Sita addresses Agni: O Witness of the world, and Purifier; since my heart has never swayed from Rama, keep me safe from all sides.

‘Keep me safe’ need not be literal, Sita may not have meant – keep me from burning; she may have meant – safeguard my honour by incinerating these false accusations! It is not clear why and when Sita’s suicidal thoughts transformed to test-by-fire.

Audience know that Sita is pure, would be returned by Agni, and there would be a happy reunion; but the Adikavi provided the high drama to create and maintain the poetic tension and the suspense, and to immerse his audience in karunya rasa, the dominant rasa in the epic, which would reach its apogee later in Uttara Kanda when Sita disappears into a chasm in the earth, to return to her mother after vindicating her innocence.

Sita’s Character: Doubtful or Pure?

Is Sita pure? As summarised below, most personages in Valmiki’s Ramayana are convinced and vocal about her purity, but a few are not:

·      Rama to Sita: Your character is in doubt.

·      Sita: I AM pure!

·      Seven gods – Brahma, Shiva, Indra, Varuna, Yama, Kubera, and Agni; and Dasharatha, who came down from heaven to impart parental instruction to Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita; attested Sita’s purity.

·      Sita’s agni pariksha proved it beyond doubt for the three lokas.

·      After agni pariksha, Rama explained: I know Sita is pure, yet the fire-ordeal was required to demonstrate her purity for all the lokas.

·      In Uttara Kanda, Rama, scared of bad-mouthing of Sita by the public, banished Sita and the innocent, unborn sons. In Yuddha Kanda, Rama had made a public announcement of his abandonment of Sita, and Sita had protested; but in Uttara Kanda, she was not even informed about Rama’s orders for her banishment. Rama said to Lakshmana, Bharat, and Shatrughna: People are talking about Sita’s evil conduct (7-44). I know that the illustrious Sita is pure, but I have decided to banish her to protect my reputation and that of our great dynasty; and none of you must appeal to me to reconsider my decision.

·      Several years later, after recognising Lava and Kush as his sons, Rama sent message to Valmiki to bring Vaidehi for a further public test of her character.

“If she is pure in conduct and if the great sage (Valmiki) imagines her to be devoid of sin, then let her establish her purity.” (7-86) (Debroy, 2017)

·      Valmiki declares that Sita is pure in conduct and sinless; but he concurs with Rama’s proposal for test-of-purity (7-87). The gods from the heavens, the rishis and ascetics, Rama’s mothers and brothers, and ministers and advisers, assemble to witness the spectacle. No one protests or objects. Surprisingly, the gods who had eloquently certified Sita’s character in Yuddha Kanda keep mum.

·      Sita reiterates her innocence. She prays, not to Agni this time but to her mother, goddess Earth:

“If I have not thought of anyone other than Raghava in my mind, then let the goddess earth open up a chasm for me.” (7-88-10) (Debroy, 2017)

(Image Credit: Sita Bhum Pravesh - Raja Ravi Varma, 19th Century CE; Source: Wikimediacommons, Public Domain.)

She takes the test-of-purity, but politely spurning Rama’s offer to take her back as his wife and queen, she publicly abandons the noble king who would rule long over a golden Rama Rajya, sad, heart-broken, without Sita who is Lakshmi, with only a life-less golden murti as ‘wife’ for the ritual requirements of the many glorious yagyas he performed thereafter.

References

Debroy, B. (2017). The Valmiki Ramayana: Volume III. Penguin Books.

Translated by Robert P. Goldman, S. J. (2021). The Ramayana of Valmiki – Critical Edition: The Complete English Translation. Princeton University.

 

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Note:

(6-104-24) *: Valmiki Ramayana – Critical Edition - Book 6 – Yuddha Kanda – Sarga: 104 – Shloka: 24

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Books by the Author

P.K. Dash has published the following books:

Short story collections:

Tell A Tale and Other Stories

Invisible Poet and Other Stories

The Mysterious Ladies and Other Stories

Fiction

Kathapur Tales

Essays

Pink Diamond and Other Essays

Self-Help

How To Be an Author in 7 Days: A Beginner’s Guide to Self- Publishing

Story books for children:

Cave of Joy: Anand Gufa

Two Tales, Three Tellers: A Fairytale & A Fable

Poetry

RIVER SONG and Other Poems

Songs of Soil: Selected Poems of an Unschooled Bard: Padma Shri Haladhar Nag

O Krishna, O Son! Yashoda’s Sublime Song of Sorrow

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Note: Print copies of these books, except Pink Diamond and Other Essays, are available at amazon.in, notionpress.com, and flipkart.com. Ebooks are available at Amazon Kindle.