Sita
Sita, in Hinduism, the consort of the deity Rama and the principal female character of the Sanskrit epic Ramayana (“Rama’s Journey”), which is generally attributed to the Indian sage Valmiki. In some Hindu traditions, she is believed to be an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Rama, her husband, is similarly regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu, Lakshmi’s consort. Sita is most often remembered together with Rama. In Hindu religious tradition, Sita is widely regarded as an epitome of a pativrata, or a devoted and virtuous wife. She is celebrated for her fidelity, moral resolve, purity, and adherence to dharma. Sita’s abduction by the demon king Ravana and subsequent rescue are the central incidents in the Ramayana.
Etymology
The Sanskrit word sita means “furrow,” specifically the linear pit or depression made by a plow. In Vedic literature, a cultivated furrow is personified as a goddess or deity associated with agricultural fertility. While the name directly reflects the circumstances of Sita’s birth, it was used with religious connotations before the Ramayana. In the ancient Hindu scripture Rig Veda, sita is an auspicious and fertile furrow. Similarly, the Atharva Veda talks of a deity called Sita as a furrow in verses related to agriculture.
Early life and marriage
The circumstances of Sita’s birth are discussed in Book I of the Ramayana. King Janaka, the ruler of the Videha kingdom, whose capital was Mithila (present-day Bihar), narrates how, while plowing the field for a sacrificial ritual, he finds an infant girl in the furrow. He names her Sita, after the furrow in which she was found, and raises her as his daughter. In the Valmiki Ramayana, Sita is known by several names, such as Janaki (identifying her as the daughter of Janaka), Vaidehi (associating her with Videha), and Maithili (associating her with Mithila).
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When Sita is to be wedded, Janaka asserts a condition: Sita’s “bride-price is great strength,” meaning that Janaka will only marry Sita to the suitor who can lift and string a sacred bow belonging to the Hindu deity Shiva. The bow, preserved by Janaka’s royal dynasty, is so unyielding that no suitor has succeeded in stringing it. Rama, the prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya, is then urged by the sage Vishvamitra to test his strength. He agrees, and 5,000 men bring it out. Janaka, skeptical of Rama’s strength, wonders how a man would be able to pick it up when gods, asuras (a class of beings defined by their opposition to the gods), rakshasas (demons), gandharvas (semidivine celestial musicians), kinnaras (celestial half-human, half-animal beings), and other celestial beings had failed to do so. However, Rama not only lifts and strings the bow, but also bends it with such force that it breaks, thus demonstrating his exceptional strength. After this spectacular feat, Janaka offers Sita’s hand to him in marriage. As part of the marriage alliance, the other three sons of Dasharatha (Rama’s father and the king of Ayodhya) also marry into Janaka’s family. Janaka’s second daughter, Urmila, marries Lakshmana, and Janaka’s nieces Mandavi and Shrutakirti (daughters of his brother Kushadhwaja) marry Bharata and Shatrughna, respectively.
Exile and abduction
Upon returning to Ayodhya, Rama is set to be coronated as king. On the eve of his coronation, Queen Kaikeyi, one of the three wives of Dasharatha, demands that Dasharatha honor the two unconditional boons he owes her. She asks that their son Bharata be made king instead of Rama, who is the eldest of the four brothers and the heir to the kingdom, and that Rama be exiled to the forest for 14 years. Bound by his promise, Dasharatha grants her wishes despite his anguish, and Rama is banished from his position as heir. Rama honors the decision and tells Sita to remain in Ayodhya until his return. She does not consent to this arrangement, insisting that her place is with him. Thus, she joins Rama and his half-brother Lakshmana for their vanavasa (time spent living in a forest). Their life in the forest is eventful, marked by encounters and clashes with rakshasas and other supernatural beings.
During their exile in the Dandaka forest, they encounter Shurpanakha, sister of the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. Shurpanakha is described as being deplorably old and having a potbelly, coppery hair, ugly features, and a brassy voice, a sharp contrast to Sita, who is described as being pleasant-faced, slim-waisted, broad-eyed, charming-featured, gentle-voiced, and amiable. Attracted to Rama, Shurpanakha threatens to kill Sita. Rama and Lakshmana tease her, and Lakshmana disfigures Shurpanakha by cutting off her nose and ears. The incident leads to further conflict with the rakshasas and helps set in motion the events that culminate in Ravana’s abduction of Sita.
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Shurpanakha flees to her brother Khara, who is eventually killed by Rama. Enticed by Shurpanakha’s descriptions of Sita’s beauty and seeking revenge for his siblings, Ravana devises a plan to abduct Sita with the help of the rakshasa Maricha. Maricha assumes the form of a golden deer near Rama’s hermitage to catch Sita’s attention. Enchanted by the deer, Sita asks Rama to capture it, and Rama pursues it, leaving Lakshmana to guard Sita. When Maricha later cries out in Rama’s voice, Sita becomes alarmed and urges Lakshmana to go to Rama’s aid. Lakshmana doubts that the cries are actually from Rama, but as Sita insists, he eventually leaves, allowing Ravana to approach Sita disguised as a religious mendicant while she is alone.
Sita offers Ravana the customary hospitality shown to guests before the demon king reveals his true identity. He urges her to become his wife, which Sita refuses. She contrasts his character and power with Rama’s and warns him that his proposed crime will bring about his destruction. Ravana ignores her warnings and abducts her. The aged vulture Jatayu attempts to rescue her but is mortally wounded in the struggle. While Ravana carries her to Lanka, Sita cries out and drops ornaments and a piece of her garment near a group of vanaras (monkeys) in hopes that it might help Rama trace her. Shortly thereafter, Rama and Lakshmana set out to rescue her.
Rescue and the agnipariksha
In Lanka, Sita is confined in an ashoka (a tree native to India) grove and guarded by rakshasis. She repeatedly resists Ravana’s threats and rejects his promises of wealth and his demands that she marry him. During moments of extreme despair, she considers death rather than submitting to Ravana’s will.
Meanwhile, in their search for Sita, Rama and Lakshmana journey southward to the region of Kishkindha, where they encounter Hanuman, a vanara (monkey) and the commander of a monkey army. Hanuman assumes a leading role in locating Sita. He grows to a massive size and crosses in one leap from India to Lanka, a journey said to be a distance of 100 yojanas (one yojana is estimated to be about 5–9 miles, or 8–15 kilometers). He finds Sita in the ashoka grove, surrounded by rakshasis and grieving over her separation from Rama. He approaches her cautiously and identifies himself as Rama’s messenger. Sita is initially suspicious that Hanuman might be Ravana in another form and questions him about Rama before accepting his identity. He, in turn, presents her with Rama’s signet ring, reassuring her that he has indeed come on Rama’s behalf. Hanuman offers to carry Sita across the ocean and return her immediately to Rama. Sita declines, citing the dangers of attempting an escape while pursued by Ravana’s forces. She insists that Rama himself should come to Lanka, defeat Ravana, and take her back because she does not wish to have physical contact with another man, even if it is Hanuman. Before Hanuman departs, Sita gives him a jewel from her hair as a token for Rama and provides details of an incident from their earlier life that Rama would recognize. She also asks Hanuman to urge Rama and Lakshmana to come quickly to her rescue. Hanuman later delivers the jewel and Sita’s message to Rama.
After numerous adventures Rama and Lakshmana, with the assistance of Hanuman, monkeys, bears, and Ravana’s own brother Vibhishana, attack Lanka. The brothers emerge as formidable warriors in the battles against Ravana’s forces. Lakshmana kills two sons of Ravana—Atikaya and Indrajit. Rama slays Ravana and rescues Sita.
After Ravana’s defeat, Sita is brought before Rama, but Rama publicly rejects her, questioning whether she can remain his wife after having lived in another man’s household and even suggesting that she turn to another man. Deeply hurt by his rejection, she undergoes an agnipariksha, or trial by fire (agni, “fire,” and pariksha, “test”), in order to clear herself of suspicions of infidelity. She declares that if her heart has never strayed from Rama, the god of fire should protect her. She circumambulates the fire and enters the flames. Affirming her purity, she comes out of the fire (agni) unharmed. Shortly thereafter Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita return to Ayodhya with their allies. After some years of Rama’s reign as king, he learns that the people of Ayodhya are raising questions about Sita’s chastity after her captivity in Lanka and criticizing him for taking her back. Although he believes that Sita is innocent, Rama decides to appease them and prioritize the reputation of the royal household. He orders Lakshmana to take the pregnant Sita into the forest and abandon her near Valmiki’s hermitage.
Banishment, motherhood, and return to Earth
Sita’s exile from Ayodhya is carried out by Lakshmana, who is deeply distressed but still loyal to Rama. Lakshmana tells Sita that he is taking her to visit the sages’ hermitages along the River Ganges. Unaware of Rama’s decision to abandon her, Sita accompanies Lakshmana across the river, where he reveals the true purpose of their journey. After directing her toward Valmiki’s hermitage, Lakshmana departs. At Valmiki’s hermitage Sita gives birth to Rama’s twin sons, Lava and Kusha.
Valmiki teaches Rama and Sita’s sons how to recite the Ramayana, the epic poem he had composed, and years later he brings them to Rama’s ashvamedha yajna (horse sacrifice), during which they perform the epic before the court. Rama eventually realizes that the twins are his sons and demands that Sita be brought before the assembly. She is asked once more to affirm her fidelity. After having her character questioned multiple times, Sita calls upon the earth, from whom she was born, to receive her if she has been faithful to Rama. The earth opens up, and the earth goddess rises to carry Sita below. Rama thereafter continues to rule for many years, performing sacrifices with a golden image of Sita in her place.
