Sita's Anguish
(4 min read)
Disclaimer
Rama: The Perfect Man
My previous blog - Rama: The Perfect Man – has been read by many; some have appreciated it, some have been critical of my blog and of Rama’s treatment of Sita, and some others have kept quiet, keeping to themselves their views, if any.
Readers who disagreed with Rama’s
numerous noble qualities listed in the blog (not my list, but enumerated
by Narada, the celestial sage!) highlighted some of Rama’s ‘failings’
– doubting Sita’s character, disowning her, leaving her with no option but to
undergo agni pariksha, banishing a pregnant Sita to the forest, and demanding a
second agni pariksha.
Rama: far from Perfect
No, Rama is far from perfect,
commented a reader. Sita’s agni pariksha after the Lanka war is unacceptable,
and Rama’s subsequent abandonment of a pregnant Sita based on a rumour is
indefensible, said another reader. I may mention here that my readers who
shared their candid views are all devout Hindus.
Instead of debating the merit or
otherwise of Rama’s conduct, it is best to read Valmiki’s Sanskrit Ramayana and
check what Rama said and did. This blog restricts itself to Sita’s appearance
before Rama, after the end of the Lanka war, and on the eve of the traumatic agni
pariksha.
Rama’s Verdict
Ravana has been killed. The war is
over. Rama has won. Ordered by Rama, Lakshmana has installed Vibhishana as the
new king of Lanka. Upon Rama’s command, Vibhishana produces Sita before Rama, who is not delighted to see her since his heart is
filled with rage (hrudayAntargatkrodha).
Rama pronounces his verdict in a
monologue, in an assembly of monkeys and rakshasas.
What does Rama tell Sita?
The Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Ed. P.L. Vaidya (1971), Oriental Institute, Baroda - Yuddha Kanda (Book of War) – Sarga (Chapter) 103, contains Rama’s address to Sita, the gist of which is as follows:
- · Your character is now in doubt (प्राप्तचारित्रसंदेह
)
- · You are tainted from sitting upon Ravana’s lap,
and from Ravana’s lustful look. (rAvanAnka paribhrastA drstva dustena
chakshushA)
- · You are a celestial beauty and very pleasing
to behold (दिव्यरूपां मनोरमाम्),
and hence Ravana must have forced himself upon you during your incarceration in
his premises.
- · I won you back, not for your sake, but to redeem my honour. (तदर्थं निर्जिता मे त्वं यशः प्रत्याहृतं मया)
- · You are of no use to me now. (कार्यमस्ति न मे त्वया)
- · You have my leave to go wherever you like, and
choose to live with Lakshmana, Bharat, Sugriva - Indra among apes, or Vibhishana
- Indra among rakshasas.
Let us consider the merit of Rama’s verdict
based on Valmiki’s original text.
Rama’s verdict was unilateral, and delivered
without giving any opportunity to Sita to explain or defend herself. Sita was humiliated
in a public assembly, and pronounced guilty and convicted. Rama refused to
accept Sita back since he was convinced that she was defiled and tainted. No honourable
man can accept a wife who had lived in another man’s house since that would
cause damage to the reputation of his clan and dynasty, Rama said, while making
a public proclamation of his abandonment of Sita.
Had anyone - man, monkey, rakshasa, or
deva - alleged that Sita was no longer chaste and pure? None. Subsequent
abandonment by King Rama of Ayodhya of a pregnant Sita would at least be based
on a rumour, however frivolous and untenable; but the first abandonment of Sita was Rama’s personal decision as a proud descendant of his famed dynasty, and as Sita’s husband.
Next, consider the grounds upon which Rama
is convinced, as per Valmiki’s text, that Sita is defiled. She sat upon Ravana’s
lap. How did Rama know that? Jatayu was the only eyewitness to Sita’s abduction
by Ravana, and while the dying eagle king conveyed to Rama the name of the
villain, he had never mentioned that Sita was seated upon Ravana’s lap. Valmiki,
the omniscient narrator and kavi, does mention that when Jatayu destroyed
Ravana’s vimaan, the demon fell down on the earth with Sita on his lap; but Rama was not privy to this information. Also, it was not an amorous embrace but a
desperate act by Ravana to retain his hold on Sita.
How could Ravana’s lustful look defile
Sita? That would be a case of the victim suffering from a villain’s malicious intent
even when not followed up by dishonourable action!
Why did Rama conclude that Ravana must
have forced himself upon Sita; merely because she was a celestial beauty and
hence irresistible for her captor? Rama may have reasons to doubt Ravana since
he knew little about the demon king’s character, but he was fully aware of the
unalloyed devotion and steadfast character of Sita, his wife.
Rama’s Cruellest Words
Yet, Rama’s cruellest words were not regarding
his doubt of Sita’s character, but about his ‘leave’ to Sita to live, as she
pleased, with any of four persons - Lakshmana, Bharat, Sugriva, or Vibhishana.
Rama naming the persons whom Sita
could opt to live with is problematic. If Rama could not accept a ‘tainted’ Sita
back as his wife since that would ruin the reputation of his great dynasty, how
could either Lakshmana or Bharat accept Sita as wife and not damage the clan’s honour?
Lakshmana’s veneration for Sita was akin to a son’s regard and affection for
his mother; how could Rama even contemplate a marital liaison between the
innocent Lakshmana and the pure Sita? How could Bharat who had refused to
accept the throne of Ayodhya, accept Sita, the legally-wedded wife of his
venerated elder brother?
No wonder, Rama’s words deeply wounded Sita.
Sita Devastated
How did Rama’s
cruel words impact Sita? Valmiki’s words are eloquent and heart-rending: गजेन्द्रहस्ताभिहतेव वल्लरी - like a tender creeper crushed by a mighty
elephant’s trunk! Vaidehi had never before heard a single harsh word from
anyone, even in private, owing to her immaculate character and conduct; whereas
she was hit by more-precious-than-her-own-life dear-husband-and-god Rama’s
cruel words in a public assembly of monkeys and rakshasas.
Rama’s Noble Qualities
Narada, it may be recalled, had in
Bala Kanda- Sarga 1 enumerated 74 noble qualities of Rama. Does Valmiki’s
narrative and text demand the readers and the listeners to consider if Rama came
good and true to those qualities, especially in this episode?
Narada had mentioned among the noble
qualities of Rama - jitakrodha (one who has conquered anger), and kshamaya pruthivi
samah (forgiving like the Earth); but hrudayantargatakrodha
(rage in his heart), and abandonment of Sita based on her ‘imagined’ taint do not seem to corroborate with those qualities.
***
Resources & References:
1. The Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Ed.
P.L. Vaidya (1971), Oriental Institute, Baroda.
2. Valmiki Ramayana - https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in
3. The Valmiki Ramayana, Bibek Debroy, Penguin Random House India Private Limited. Kindle Edition (English Prose Translation of the Critical Edition)
4. The Ramayana of Valmiki, The Complete English Translation of the Critical Edition, by Robert P. Goldman, Sally J. Sutherland Goldman, Rosalind Lefeber, Sheldon I. Pollock, and Barend A. van Nooten
5. The
Ramayana of Valmiki, English Prose Translation (of non-Critical Edition) by Manmatha Nath Dutt, 1891
6. In Search Of Sita: Revisiting Mythology - Edited by Malashri Lal and Namita Gokhale.
Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.
7. Valmiki Ramayana Recitation with lyrics by Jayashree-Gopal Krishnapriya, You Tube (https://youtu.be/v630jmfcfFA)
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