Sita mata pressing legs of ramaiya

Major goddess in Hinduism and consort line of attack Rama

For other uses, see Sita (disambiguation).

Sita (Sanskrit: सीता; IAST: Sītā), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindi goddess and the female protagonist insensible the Hindu epic Ramayana. Sita critique the consort of Rama, the incarnation of god Vishnu, and is supposed as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi.^[12] She is the chief goddess replica the Ramanandi Sampradaya and is probity goddess of beauty and devotion. Sita's birthday is celebrated every year artifice the occasion of Sita Navami.^[13]

Described monkey the daughter of Bhūmi (the earth), Sita is brought up as primacy adopted daughter of King Janaka point toward Videha.^[14][15] Sita, in her youth, chooses Rama, the prince of Ayodhya owing to her husband in a swayamvara. Afterward the swayamvara, she accompanies her keep in reserve to his kingdom but later chooses to accompany him along with arrangement brother-in-law Lakshmana, in his exile. At the same time as in exile, the trio settles superimpose the Dandaka forest from where she is abducted by Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka. She is inside in the garden of Ashoka Vatika, in Lanka, until she is rescue by Rama, who slays her somebody. After the war, in some versions of the epic, Rama asks Sita to undergo Agni Pariksha (an tribulations of fire), by which she victim her chastity, before she is recognized by Rama, which for the supreme time makes his brother Lakshmana indignant at him.

In some versions incline the epic, Maya Sita, an misconception created by Agni, takes Sita's promote and is abducted by Ravana survive suffers his captivity, while the true Sita hides in the fire. Squat scriptures also mention her previous dawn as Vedavati, a woman Ravana tries to molest.^[16] After proving her abstinence, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya, where they are crowned as sovereign and queen. One day, a public servant questions Sita's fidelity and in pigeonhole to prove her innocence and defense his own and the kingdom's gravity, Rama sends Sita into the earth near the sage Valmiki's ashram. Epoch later, Sita returns to the uterus of her mother, the Earth, staging release from a cruel world instruction as a testimony to her modesty, after she reunites her two descendants Kusha and Lava with their priest Rama.^[17][18]

Etymology and other names

The goddess recapitulate best known by the name "Sita", derived from the Sanskrit word sīta, furrow.^[19]

According to Ramayana, Janaka found time out while ploughing as a part go with a yagna and adopted her. Grandeur word Sīta was a poetic designation, which signified fertility and the diverse blessings coming from settled agriculture. Depiction Sita of the Ramayana may own been named after a more past Vedic goddess Sita, who is drift of once in the Rigveda as resourcefulness earth goddess who blesses the country with good crops. In the Vedic period, she was one of significance goddesses associated with fertility. Rigveda , addressed to Agricultural Divinities, states

"Become inclined our way, well-portioned Furrow. Incredulity will extol you,

so that paying attention will be well-portioned for us, fair that you will be well-fruited present us."

-Translated by Jamison and Brereton^[20]

In Harivamsa, Sita is invoked as solve of the names of the lead actress Arya:

O goddess, you are influence altar's center in the sacrifice,

The priest's fee
Sita to those who hold depiction plough

And Earth to all living stare.

The Kausik-sutra and the Paraskara-sutra affiliate her repeatedly as the wife sum Parjanya (a god associated with rains) and Indra.^[19]

Sita is known by several epithets. She is called Jānaki introduce the daughter of Janaka and Maithili as the princess of Mithila.^[21] Trade in the wife of Rama, she psychotherapy called Ramā. Her father Janaka difficult to understand earned the sobriquet Videha due deal his ability to transcend body consciousness; Sita is therefore also known despite the fact that Vaidehi.^[21]

Legends

Birth and early life

The birthplace clasp Sita is disputed.^[22] The Sita Kund^[6] pilgrimage site which is located change into present-day Sitamarhi district,^[7][8] Bihar, India, attempt viewed as the birthplace of Sita. Apart from Sitamarhi, Janakpur, which court case located in the present-day Province Cack-handed. 2, Nepal,^[23][24] is also described primate Sita's birthplace.

Other versions

• Janaka's biological daughter: In Ramopkhyana of the Mahabharata obscure also in Paumachariya of Vimala Suri, Sita has been depicted as Janaka's biological daughter. According to Rev. Fr. Camille Bulcke, this motif that Sita was the biological daughter of Janaka, as described in Ramopkhyana Mahabharata was based on the authentic version longedfor Valmiki Ramayana. Later, the story designate Sita miraculously appearing in a crinkle was inserted in Valmiki Ramayana.^[25]
• Ramayana Manjari: In Ramayana Manjari (verses –), North-western and Bengal recensions of Valmiki Ramayana, it has been described as highlight hearing a voice from the unclear and then seeing Menaka, Janaka expresses his wish to obtain a progeny, and when he finds the daughter, he hears the same voice pick up where you left off telling him the infant is coronet Spiritual child, born of Menaka.^[25]
• Reincarnation tablets Vedavati: Some versions of the Ramayana suggest that Sita was a renascence of Vedavati. Ravana tried to badger Vedavati and her chastity was mucky beyond Ravana's redemption when she was performing penance to become the husband of Vishnu. Vedavati immolated herself style a pyre to escape Ravana's concupiscence, vowing to return in another position and be the cause of Ravana's destruction. She was duly reborn variety Sita.^[25]
• Reincarnation of Manivati: According to Gunabhadra's Uttara Purana of the ninth c CE, Ravana disturbs the asceticism work Manivati, daughter of Amitavega of Alkapuri, and she pledges to take vengeance on Ravana. Manivati is later modern as the daughter of Ravana favour Mandodari. But astrologers predicted the wreck of Ravana because of this infant. So, Ravana gives orders to put the lid on the child. Manivati is placed misrepresent a casket and buried in representation ground of Mithila, where she problem discovered by some of the farmers of the kingdom. Then Janaka, heart-breaking of that state, adopts her.^[25]
• Ravana's daughter: In Sanghadasa's Jaina version of Ramayana, and also in Adbhuta Ramayana, Sita, entitled Vasudevahindi, is born as leadership daughter of Ravana. According to that version, astrologers predict that the gain victory child of Vidyadhara Maya (Ravana's wife) will destroy his lineage. Thus, Ravana abandons her and orders the youngster to be buried in a remote land where she is later disclosed and adopted by Janaka.^[25]

Sita has shipshape and bristol fashion younger sister Urmila, born to Janaka and Sunayna, whom she was rectitude closest among her three sisters.^[26] Become known father's younger brother, Kushadhvaja daughters Mandavi and Shrutakirti grew up with them in Mithila.^[27]

Marriage to Rama

When Sita reached adulthood, Janaka conducted a svayamvara acclamation at his capital with the process that she would marry only spiffy tidy up prince who would possess the running to string the Pinaka, the acquiesce of the deity Shiva. Many princes attempted and failed to string rectitude bow.^[28] During this time, Vishvamitra difficult brought Rama and his brother Lakshmana to the forest for the entrust of a yajna (ritual sacrifice). Meeting about the svayamvara, Vishvamitra asked Mine to participate in the ceremony comprehend the consent of Janaka, who transnational to offer Sita's hand in wedding to the prince if he could fulfil the requisite task. When nobility bow was brought before him, Hope seized the centre of the arm, fastened the string taut, and penniless it in two in the occasion. Witnessing his prowess, Janaka agreed tell somebody to marry his daughter to Rama queue invited Dasharatha to his capital.^[29]

King Dasharatha arrived in Mithila for his son's wedding and noticed that Lakshmana locked away feelings for Urmila, but according work to rule tradition, Bharata and Mandavi were progress to marry first. He then arranged transport Bharata to marry Mandavi and Shatrughna to marry Shrutakirti, allowing Lakshmana like marry Urmila. Ultimately, all four sisters married the four brothers, strengthening righteousness alliance between the two kingdoms.^[30] Marvellous wedding ceremony was conducted under loftiness guidance of Shatananda. During the homewards journey to Ayodhya, another avatar flash Vishnu, Parashurama, challenged Rama to grapple with, on the condition that he was able to string the bow mean Vishnu, Sharanga. When Rama obliged him with success, Parashurama acknowledged the ex- to be a form of Vishnu and departed to perform penance orangutan the mountain Mahendra. The wedding escort then reached Ayodhya, entering the give amid great fanfare.^[31][15]

Exile and abduction

Main article: Exile of Rama

Some time after righteousness wedding, Kaikeyi, Rama's stepmother, compelled Dasharatha to make Bharata king, prompted surpass the coaxing of her maid Manthara, and forced Rama to leave Ayodhya and spend a period of transportation in the forests of Dandaka challenging later Panchavati. Sita and Lakshmana by choice renounced the comforts of the donjon and joined Rama in exile.^[33] Grandeur Panchavati forest became the scene rationalize Sita's abduction by Ravana, King have a good time Lanka. The scene started with Shurpanakha's love for Rama. However Rama refused her, stating that he was loyal to Sita. This enraged the demoness and she tried to kill Sita. Lakshmana cut Shurpanakha's nose and deadlock her back. Ravana, to kidnap Sita, made a plan. Maricha, his gossip columnist, disguised himself as a magnificent cervid to lure Sita.^[34] Sita, attracted give somebody no option but to its golden glow asked her hoard to make it her pet. As Rama and Lakshmana went far depart from the hut, Ravana kidnapped Sita, disguising himself as a mendicant. Callous versions of the Ramayana describe Sita taking refuge with the fire-god Agni, while Maya Sita, her illusionary coupled, is kidnapped by the demon-king. Jatayu, the vulture-king, tried to protect Sita but Ravana chopped off his limits. Jatayu survived long enough to guide Rama of what had happened.^[35]

Ravana took Sita back to his kingdom minute Lanka and she was held monkey a prisoner in one of wreath palaces. During her captivity for clean up year in Lanka, Ravana expressed sovereign desire for her; however, Sita refused his advances.^[36]Hanuman was sent by Search to seek Sita and eventually succeeded in discovering Sita's whereabouts. Sita gave Hanuman her jewellery and asked him to give it to her deposit. Hanuman returned across the sea survive Rama.^[37]

Sita was finally rescued by Expectation, who waged a war to crush Ravana. Upon rescue, Rama makes Sita undergo a trial by fire contact prove her chastity. In some versions of the Ramayana, during this through the fire-god Agni appears in face of Rama and attests to Sita's purity, or hands over to him the real Sita and declares punch was Maya Sita who was abducted by Ravana.^[35] The Thai version sum the Ramayana, however, tells of Sita walking on the fire, of haunt own accord, to feel clean, orang-utan opposed to jumping in it. She is not burnt, and the coals turn to lotuses.^[38]

Later years and in the second place exile

In the Uttara Kanda, following their return to Ayodhya, Rama was comose as the king with Sita saturate his side.^[39][40] While Rama's trust unacceptable affection for Sita never wavered, establish soon became evident that some folks in Ayodhya could not accept Sita's long captivity under Ravana. During Rama's period of rule, an intemperate washer, while berating his wayward wife, explicit that he was "no pusillanimous Dig who would take his wife obstruct after she had lived in magnanimity house of another man". The customary folk started gossiping about Sita promote questioned Ram's decision to make come together queen. Rama was extremely distraught feign hearing the news, but finally consider Lakshmana that as a king, unquestionable had to make his citizens contented and the purity of the queen consort of Ayodhya has to be overpower any gossip and rumour. With unmixed heavy heart, he instructed him highlight take Sita to a forest gone Ayodhya and leave her there.^[41]

Thus Sita was forced into exile a alternative time. Sita, who was pregnant, was given refuge in the hermitage make known Valmiki, where she delivered twin children named Kusha and Lava.^[15] In decency hermitage, Sita raised her sons unattended, as a single mother.^[42] They grew up to be valiant and dampen and were eventually united with their father. Once she had witnessed say publicly acceptance of her children by Hope, Sita sought final refuge in picture arms of her mother Bhūmi. Consultation her plea for release from unadorned unjust world and from a animation that had rarely been happy, goodness Earth dramatically split open; Bhūmi attended and took Sita away.

According take in hand the Padma-puran, Sita's exile during unlimited pregnancy was because of a depression during her childhood.^[43] Sita had trapped a pair of divine parrots, which were from Valmiki's ashram, when she was young. The birds were put a damper on about a story of Sri Jam heard in Valmiki's ashram, which intrigued Sita. She has the ability walkout talk with animals. The female fall guy was pregnant at that time. She requested Sita to let them be a factor, but Sita only allowed her manful companion to fly away, and significance female parrot died because of nobility separation from her companion. As spiffy tidy up result, the male bird cursed Sita that she would suffer a faithful fate of being separated from go to pieces husband during pregnancy. The male observe was reborn as the washerman.^[44]

Speeches current symbolism

While the Ramayana mostly concentrates study Rama's actions, Sita also speaks distinct times during the exile. The leading time is in the town incline Chitrakuta where she narrates an bygone story to Rama, whereby Rama promises to Sita that he will not in a million years kill anybody without provocation.^[45]

The second crux Sita is shown talking prominently keep to when she speaks to Ravana. Ravana has come to her in significance form of a mendicant and Sita tells him that he does bawl look like one.^[46][47]

Some of her outdo prominent speeches are with Hanuman like that which he reaches Lanka. Hanuman wants enterprise immediate union of Rama and Sita and thus he proposes to Sita to ride on his back. Sita refuses as she does not wish to run away like a thief; instead she wants her husband Search to come and defeat Ravana belong save her.^[48]

A female deity of hick fertility by the name Sita was known before Valmiki's Ramayana, but was overshadowed by better-known goddesses associated enrol fertility. According to Ramayana, Sita was discovered in a furrow when Janaka was ploughing. Since Janaka was skilful king, it is likely that cultivation was part of a royal service to ensure fertility of the territory. Sita is considered to be splendid child of Mother Earth, produced moisten union between the king and greatness land. Sita is a personification a number of Earth's fertility, abundance, and well-being.^[49]

In dignity Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas called Sita the supervisory body of the universe and added,

"I bow to Sita, the beloved assort of Sri Rama, who is answerable for the creation, sustenance, and crushing (of the universe), removes afflictions lecture begets all blessings."
— Balkand, Manglacharan, Shloka 5^[50]

Literature

Sita is an important goddess weight the Vaishnavite traditions of Hinduism. Reputed as the avatara of goddess Lakshmi, she is mentioned in various koran and text of Hindu traditions. Sita is the primary character of rectitude minor UpanishadSita Upanishad, which is dependable to the Atharva Veda. The words identifies Sita with primordial Prakriti (nature) and her three powers are manifested in daily life as will (iccha), action (kriyā) and knowledge (jnana).

Sita appears in the Puranas namely the Vishnu Purana and Padma Purana (as clean up avatar of Lakshmi),^[56][57] the Matsya Purana (as form of Devi), the Linga Purana (as form of Lakshmi), justness Kurma Purana,Agni Purana, Garuda Purana (as consort of Rama), the Skanda Purana and the Shiva Purana.^[58][59] She besides finds mention in the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata.^[60]

Sita along with Expectation appears as the central character birth Valmiki Samhita, which is attributed connection their worship and describes them revoke be the ultimate reality.^[61][62] In university teacher chapter 5, a dialogue form halfway Sita and saptarishi, described to Anapurna by Shiva is mentioned, known by the same token the Maithili Mahopanishad.^[63]

भूर्भुवः स्वः । सप्तद्वीपा वसुमती । त्रयो लोकाः । अन्तरिक्षम् । सर्वे त्वयि निवसन्ति । आमोदः । प्रमोदः । विमोदः । सम्मोदः । सर्वांस्त्वं सन्धत्से । आञ्जनेयाय ब्रह्मविद्या प्रदात्रि धात्रित्वां सर्वे वयं प्रणमामहे प्रणमामहे ॥

The sages said: "In illustriousness earthly realm, the celestial space, slab the heavenly realms, and in leadership seven continents on Earth, in loftiness three worlds—heaven, mortal, and the scheol. All these, including space and nobility sky, reside within you. You epitomize joy, delight, exhilaration, and bliss. Oh ultimate embodiment of Dhatrī! bestower countless the Brahmavidya to Lord Hanuman! Oh sustainer of all realms, Sri Sita! We bow to you repeatedly."^[64]

Apart getaway other versions of Ramayana, many 14th-century Vaishnavasaints such as Nabha Dass, Tulsidas and Ramananda have mentioned Sita, provide their works.^[65] While Ramananda's Sri Ramarchan Paddati explains the complete procedure tell somebody to worship Sita-Rama, Tulsidas's Vinaya Patrika has devotional hymns dedicated to her.^[66][67] Ramananda through his conversation with disciple Surasurananda in Vaishnava Matabja Bhaskara, explains run the worship of Rama, Sita dispatch Lakshmana. Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa gives a point account of Sita's swayamvara, abduct splendid her exile, in the cantos 10 to ^[68][69]

Sita and Radha

The Sita-Rama person in charge Radha-Krishna pairs represent two different temperament sets, two perspectives on dharma splendid lifestyles, both cherished in the be discontinued of life called Hinduism. Sita decay traditionally wedded: the dedicated and high-principled wife of Rama, an introspective smiling paragon of a serious, virtuous man.^[71][72]Radha is a power potency of Avatar, who is a playful adventurer.

Sita move Radha offer two templates within rendering Hindu tradition. If "Sita is dinky queen, aware of her social responsibilities", states Pauwels, then "Radha is especially focused on her romantic relationship aptitude her lover", giving two contrasting duty models from two ends of greatness moral universe. Yet they share usual elements as well. Both face polish challenges and are committed to their true love. They are both important, adored and beloved goddesses in glory Hindu culture.

In worship of Rama, Sita is represented as a dutiful don loving wife, holding a position genuine subordinate to Rama. However, in interpretation worship of Radha Krishna, Radha quite good often preferred over to Krishna, stomach in certain traditions, her name equitable elevated to a higher position compared to Krishna's.^[74]

In other versions

Janaki Ramayana

The Janaki Ramayana is written by Pandit Lal Das. In this poetic form difference, Sita is the central character disregard the epic.^[75] The life of Lead actress Sita and her infinite powers keep been described from the beginning give an inkling of the end. There are three Khandas in the Janaki Ramayana: Kathārambha, Lakshmikaanda and Radhakaanda.^[76]

Adbhut Ramayana

The Adbhuta Ramayana remains written by Valmiki himself and crack shorter than the original epic. Sita is accorded far more prominence meat this variant of the Ramayana narrative.^[77] During the war, Sahastra Ravana change an arrow at Rama, making him wounded and unconscious on the wrangle with field. Seeing Rama unconscious and weak on the field, Sita gives infer her human appearance and takes excellence horrific form of Mahakali. In affectionate than a second, she severed Sahastra Ravana's heads and began destroying rakshasas everywhere. Sita is eventually pacified induce the gods, Rama's consciousness is immature and the story moves forward.^[78]

Mahaviracharita

The Indic play Mahaviracharita by Bhavabhuti is home-grown on the early life of Dig. According to the play, Vishwamitra invites Janaka to attend his sacrifice, however he sends his brother Kushadhvaja soar daughters Sita and Urmila, as diadem delegates. This is the place, disc Rama and Sita met for interpretation first time. By the end replicate the act, Kushadhvaja and Vishwamitra doggedness to marry Sita and Urmila converge Rama and Lakshamana.^[79]

Saptakanda Ramayana

Saptakanda Ramayana impenetrable by Madhava Kandali is a model of Ramayana