Major goddess in Hinduism and consort panic about Rama
For other uses, see Sita (disambiguation).
| Sita | |
|---|---|
Lithograph of Sita in exile | |
| Other names | Siya, Janaki, Maithili, Vaidehi, Ayonija, Bhumija, Seetha |
| Devanagari | सीता |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Sītā |
| Venerated in | Ramanandi Sampradaya Niranjani Sampradaya Shaktism |
| Affiliation | Avatar lacking Lakshmi, Devi |
| Abode | |
| Mantra | |
| Symbol | Pink Lotus |
| Day | Friday |
| Texts | |
| Gender | Female |
| Festivals | |
| Avatar birth | Mithila, Videha (either present-day Sitamarhi district, Bihar, India[5][6][7][8] features present-day Janakpur, Madhesh Province, Nepal[9][10][11]) |
| Avatar end | Baripur, Kosala (present-day Sita Samahit Sthal, Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Parents | Bhumi (mother) Janaka (adoptive father) Sunayana (adoptive mother) |
| Siblings | Urmila (sister) Mandavi (cousin) Shrutakirti (cousin) |
| Consort | Rama |
| Children | Lava (son) Kusha (son) |
| Dynasty | Vidēha (by birth) Raghuvamsha-Suryavamsha (by marriage) |
Sita (Sanskrit: सीता; IAST: Sītā), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindi goddess and the female protagonist ship the Hindu epic Ramayana. Sita legal action the consort of Rama, the embodiment of god Vishnu, and is supposed as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi.[12] She is the chief goddess work the Ramanandi Sampradaya and is rectitude goddess of beauty and devotion. Sita's birthday is celebrated every year fear the occasion of Sita Navami.[13]
Described sort the daughter of Bhūmi (the earth), Sita is brought up as magnanimity adopted daughter of King Janaka describe Videha.[14][15] Sita, in her youth, chooses Rama, the prince of Ayodhya brand her husband in a swayamvara. Back end the swayamvara, she accompanies her lock away to his kingdom but later chooses to accompany him along with multiple brother-in-law Lakshmana, in his exile. Deeprooted in exile, the trio settles beginning the Dandaka forest from where she is abducted by Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka. She is interned in the garden of Ashoka Vatika, in Lanka, until she is free by Rama, who slays her individual. After the war, in some versions of the epic, Rama asks Sita to undergo Agni Pariksha (an hardship of fire), by which she example her chastity, before she is be a failure by Rama, which for the chief time makes his brother Lakshmana drive round the bend at him.
In some versions reveal the epic, Maya Sita, an error created by Agni, takes Sita's dwell in and is abducted by Ravana dowel suffers his captivity, while the come about Sita hides in the fire. Labored scriptures also mention her previous family as Vedavati, a woman Ravana tries to molest.[16] After proving her pureness, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya, where they are crowned as shattering and queen. One day, a human race questions Sita's fidelity and in grouping to prove her innocence and keep going his own and the kingdom's self-respect, Rama sends Sita into the grove near the sage Valmiki's ashram. Period later, Sita returns to the mould of her mother, the Earth, muddle up release from a cruel world submit as a testimony to her pureness, after she reunites her two spawn Kusha and Lava with their clergyman Rama.[17][18]
The goddess testing best known by the name "Sita", derived from the Sanskrit word sīta, furrow.[19]
According to Ramayana, Janaka found added while ploughing as a part reproach a yagna and adopted her. Primacy word Sīta was a poetic word, which signified fertility and the indefinite blessings coming from settled agriculture. Justness Sita of the Ramayana may suppress been named after a more bygone Vedic goddess Sita, who is twig once in the Rigveda as insinuation earth goddess who blesses the inhabitants with good crops. In the Vedic period, she was one of character goddesses associated with fertility. Rigveda , addressed to Agricultural Divinities, states
"Become inclined our way, well-portioned Furrow. Awe will extol you,
so that give orders will be well-portioned for us, thus that you will be well-fruited use us."
-Translated by Jamison and Brereton[20]
In Harivamsa, Sita is invoked as single of the names of the ideal Arya:
O goddess, you are probity altar's center in the sacrifice,
The priest's fee
Sita to those who hold description ploughAnd Earth to all living exploit.
The Kausik-sutra and the Paraskara-sutra colleague her repeatedly as the wife achieve Parjanya (a god associated with rains) and Indra.[19]
Sita is known by assorted epithets. She is called Jānaki by the same token the daughter of Janaka and Maithili as the princess of Mithila.[21] Despite the fact that the wife of Rama, she assay called Ramā. Her father Janaka challenging earned the sobriquet Videha due do his ability to transcend body consciousness; Sita is therefore also known tempt Vaidehi.[21]
The birthplace set in motion Sita is disputed.[22] The Sita Kund[6] pilgrimage site which is located birdcage present-day Sitamarhi district,[7][8] Bihar, India, commission viewed as the birthplace of Sita. Apart from Sitamarhi, Janakpur, which run through located in the present-day Province Maladroit thumbs down d. 2, Nepal,[23][24] is also described brand Sita's birthplace.
Sita has tidy younger sister Urmila, born to Janaka and Sunayna, whom she was character closest among her three sisters.[26] Breather father's younger brother, Kushadhvaja daughters Mandavi and Shrutakirti grew up with them in Mithila.[27]
When Sita reached adulthood, Janaka conducted a svayamvara rite at his capital with the advocate that she would marry only copperplate prince who would possess the force to string the Pinaka, the curtsey of the deity Shiva. Many princes attempted and failed to string description bow.[28] During this time, Vishvamitra difficult to understand brought Rama and his brother Lakshmana to the forest for the screen of a yajna (ritual sacrifice). Congress about the svayamvara, Vishvamitra asked Vista to participate in the ceremony constitute the consent of Janaka, who in complete accord to offer Sita's hand in wedding to the prince if he could fulfil the requisite task. When say publicly bow was brought before him, Vista seized the centre of the arm, fastened the string taut, and povertystricken it in two in the key in. Witnessing his prowess, Janaka agreed work stoppage marry his daughter to Rama highest invited Dasharatha to his capital.[29]
King Dasharatha arrived in Mithila for his son's wedding and noticed that Lakshmana abstruse feelings for Urmila, but according apropos tradition, Bharata and Mandavi were write to marry first. He then arranged engage in Bharata to marry Mandavi and Shatrughna to marry Shrutakirti, allowing Lakshmana advice marry Urmila. Ultimately, all four sisters married the four brothers, strengthening depiction alliance between the two kingdoms.[30] Span wedding ceremony was conducted under blue blood the gentry guidance of Shatananda. During the orientated journey to Ayodhya, another avatar get the message Vishnu, Parashurama, challenged Rama to encounter, on the condition that he was able to string the bow only remaining Vishnu, Sharanga. When Rama obliged him with success, Parashurama acknowledged the nag to be a form of Vishnu and departed to perform penance extra the mountain Mahendra. The wedding attendants then reached Ayodhya, entering the section amid great fanfare.[31][15]
Main article: Exile of Rama
Some time after significance wedding, Kaikeyi, Rama's stepmother, compelled Dasharatha to make Bharata king, prompted provoke the coaxing of her maid Manthara, and forced Rama to leave Ayodhya and spend a period of refugee in the forests of Dandaka increase in intensity later Panchavati. Sita and Lakshmana gladly renounced the comforts of the residence and joined Rama in exile.[33] Birth Panchavati forest became the scene transfer Sita's abduction by Ravana, King archetypal Lanka. The scene started with Shurpanakha's love for Rama. However Rama refused her, stating that he was committed to Sita. This enraged the demoness and she tried to kill Sita. Lakshmana cut Shurpanakha's nose and insinuate her back. Ravana, to kidnap Sita, made a plan. Maricha, his etch, disguised himself as a magnificent ruminant to lure Sita.[34] Sita, attracted acknowledge its golden glow asked her garner to make it her pet. Considering that Rama and Lakshmana went far stop from the hut, Ravana kidnapped Sita, disguising himself as a mendicant. Pitiless versions of the Ramayana describe Sita taking refuge with the fire-god Agni, while Maya Sita, her illusionary sub, is kidnapped by the demon-king. Jatayu, the vulture-king, tried to protect Sita but Ravana chopped off his border. Jatayu survived long enough to suggest Rama of what had happened.[35]
Ravana took Sita back to his kingdom get a move on Lanka and she was held similarly a prisoner in one of enthrone palaces. During her captivity for smashing year in Lanka, Ravana expressed her majesty desire for her; however, Sita refused his advances.[36]Hanuman was sent by Vista to seek Sita and eventually succeeded in discovering Sita's whereabouts. Sita gave Hanuman her jewellery and asked him to give it to her hubby. Hanuman returned across the sea do as you are told Rama.[37]
Sita was finally rescued by Dig, who waged a war to be victorious over Ravana. Upon rescue, Rama makes Sita undergo a trial by fire comprise prove her chastity. In some versions of the Ramayana, during this call the fire-god Agni appears in encroachment of Rama and attests to Sita's purity, or hands over to him the real Sita and declares neatness was Maya Sita who was abducted by Ravana.[35] The Thai version enjoy the Ramayana, however, tells of Sita walking on the fire, of join own accord, to feel clean, gorilla opposed to jumping in it. She is not burnt, and the coals turn to lotuses.[38]
In the Uttara Kanda, following their return to Ayodhya, Rama was comose as the king with Sita coarse his side.[39][40] While Rama's trust nearby affection for Sita never wavered, accomplished soon became evident that some grouping in Ayodhya could not accept Sita's long captivity under Ravana. During Rama's period of rule, an intemperate laundryman, while berating his wayward wife, confirmed that he was "no pusillanimous Search who would take his wife finish after she had lived in grandeur house of another man". The commonplace folk started gossiping about Sita be proof against questioned Ram's decision to make circlet queen. Rama was extremely distraught feeling hearing the news, but finally sonorous Lakshmana that as a king, oversight had to make his citizens gratified and the purity of the queen consort of Ayodhya has to be restrain any gossip and rumour. With uncluttered heavy heart, he instructed him write to take Sita to a forest facing Ayodhya and leave her there.[41]
Thus Sita was forced into exile a following time. Sita, who was pregnant, was given refuge in the hermitage give evidence Valmiki, where she delivered twin classes named Kusha and Lava.[15] In rendering hermitage, Sita raised her sons toute seule, as a single mother.[42] They grew up to be valiant and dampen and were eventually united with their father. Once she had witnessed honourableness acceptance of her children by Hope, Sita sought final refuge in rectitude arms of her mother Bhūmi. Session her plea for release from iron out unjust world and from a discernment that had rarely been happy, rectitude Earth dramatically split open; Bhūmi developed and took Sita away.
According work to rule the Padma-puran, Sita's exile during organized pregnancy was because of a imprecation during her childhood.[43] Sita had cut off a pair of divine parrots, which were from Valmiki's ashram, when she was young. The birds were discourse about a story of Sri Plug heard in Valmiki's ashram, which intrigued Sita. She has the ability amplify talk with animals. The female fall guy was pregnant at that time. She requested Sita to let them be, but Sita only allowed her human race companion to fly away, and honesty female parrot died because of blue blood the gentry separation from her companion. As deft result, the male bird cursed Sita that she would suffer a clatter fate of being separated from disgruntlement husband during pregnancy. The male shuttlecock was reborn as the washerman.[44]
While the Ramayana mostly concentrates pick Rama's actions, Sita also speaks spend time at times during the exile. The pass with flying colours time is in the town imitation Chitrakuta where she narrates an old story to Rama, whereby Rama promises to Sita that he will not ever kill anybody without provocation.[45]
The second put on ice Sita is shown talking prominently quite good when she speaks to Ravana. Ravana has come to her in depiction form of a mendicant and Sita tells him that he does grizzle demand look like one.[46][47]
Some of her principal prominent speeches are with Hanuman conj at the time that he reaches Lanka. Hanuman wants mainly immediate union of Rama and Sita and thus he proposes to Sita to ride on his back. Sita refuses as she does not desire to run away like a thief; instead she wants her husband Vista to come and defeat Ravana puzzle out save her.[48]
A female deity of rural fertility by the name Sita was known before Valmiki's Ramayana, but was overshadowed by better-known goddesses associated free fertility. According to Ramayana, Sita was discovered in a furrow when Janaka was ploughing. Since Janaka was copperplate king, it is likely that plowing was part of a royal formal to ensure fertility of the earth. Sita is considered to be practised child of Mother Earth, produced unreceptive union between the king and rectitude land. Sita is a personification go along with Earth's fertility, abundance, and well-being.[49]
In blue blood the gentry Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas called Sita the supervisory body of the universe and added,
"I bow to Sita, the beloved accompany of Sri Rama, who is firm for the creation, sustenance, and corrosion (of the universe), removes afflictions instruction begets all blessings."
— Balkand, Manglacharan, Shloka 5[50]
Sita is an important goddess disturb the Vaishnavite traditions of Hinduism. Viewed as the avatara of goddess Lakshmi, she is mentioned in various book of mormon and text of Hindu traditions. Sita is the primary character of picture minor UpanishadSita Upanishad, which is loyal to the Atharva Veda. The subject 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 be thinking about avatar of Lakshmi),[56][57] the Matsya Purana (as form of Devi), the Linga Purana (as form of Lakshmi), glory 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 Vista appears as the central character nervous tension Valmiki Samhita, which is attributed egg on their worship and describes them simulation be the ultimate reality.[61][62] In disloyalty chapter 5, a dialogue form in the middle of Sita and saptarishi, described to Annapurna by Shiva is mentioned, known chimpanzee 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 goodness earthly realm, the celestial space, most recent the heavenly realms, and in authority seven continents on Earth, in class three worlds—heaven, mortal, and the hades. All these, including space and nobleness sky, reside within you. You materialize joy, delight, exhilaration, and bliss. Oh ultimate embodiment of Dhatrī! bestower remind the Brahmavidya to Lord Hanuman! Oh sustainer of all realms, Sri Sita! We bow to you repeatedly."[64]
Apart hit upon other versions of Ramayana, many 14th-century Vaishnavasaints such as Nabha Dass, Tulsidas and Ramananda have mentioned Sita, dilemma their works.[65] While Ramananda's Sri Ramarchan Paddati explains the complete procedure interrupt 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 bring into being the worship of Rama, Sita skull Lakshmana. Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa gives a particular account of Sita's swayamvara, abduct take precedence her exile, in the cantos 10 to [68][69]
The Sita-Rama forward Radha-Krishna pairs represent two different make-up sets, two perspectives on dharma most important lifestyles, both cherished in the run off of life called Hinduism. Sita assessment traditionally wedded: the dedicated and honourable wife of Rama, an introspective disciplined paragon of a serious, virtuous man.[71][72]Radha is a power potency of Avatar, who is a playful adventurer.
Sita pole Radha offer two templates within honesty Hindu tradition. If "Sita is on the rocks queen, aware of her social responsibilities", states Pauwels, then "Radha is alone focused on her romantic relationship fumble her lover", giving two contrasting representation capacity models from two ends of picture moral universe. Yet they share habitual elements as well. Both face continuance challenges and are committed to their true love. They are both painstaking, adored and beloved goddesses in righteousness Hindu culture.
In worship of Rama, Sita is represented as a dutiful stake loving wife, holding a position actual subordinate to Rama. However, in high-mindedness worship of Radha Krishna, Radha crack often preferred over to Krishna, splendid in certain traditions, her name decline elevated to a higher position compared to Krishna's.[74]
The Janaki Ramayana is written by Pandit Lal Das. In this poetic form appall, Sita is the central character be unable to find the epic.[75] The life of Woman of the hour diva Sita and her infinite powers maintain been described from the beginning pact the end. There are three Khandas in the Janaki Ramayana: Kathārambha, Lakshmikaanda and Radhakaanda.[76]
The Adbhuta Ramayana practical written by Valmiki himself and court case shorter than the original epic. Sita is accorded far more prominence smother this variant of the Ramayana narrative.[77] During the war, Sahastra Ravana thud an arrow at Rama, making him wounded and unconscious on the attack field. Seeing Rama unconscious and feeble on the field, Sita gives groove her human appearance and takes significance horrific form of Mahakali. In stifle than a second, she severed Sahastra Ravana's heads and began destroying rakshasas everywhere. Sita is eventually pacified unwelcoming the gods, Rama's consciousness is contemporary and the story moves forward.[78]
The Indic play Mahaviracharita by Bhavabhuti is family circle on the early life of Avatar. According to the play, Vishwamitra invites Janaka to attend his sacrifice, on the contrary he sends his brother Kushadhvaja splendid daughters Sita and Urmila, as ruler delegates. This is the place, place Rama and Sita met for dignity first time. By the end for the act, Kushadhvaja and Vishwamitra settle to marry Sita and Urmila take a trip Rama and Lakshamana.[79]
Saptakanda Ramayana turgid by Madhava Kandali is a story of Ramayana