Goddess Sita
- Goddess Sita is a venerated deity in Hinduism celebrated for her unwavering devotion, purity, and strength. She is the main female character in the ancient Indian epic called Ramayana and is thought to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi—the wife of Lord Vishnu.
Adoption by Janaka and Queen Sunayana:
- The child, who was seen as a present from God, was therefore adopted by King Janaka and his queen Sunayana; they named her Sita meaning ‘furrow’ in Sanskrit which symbolizes the furrow formed by the plow that brought her forth into this world. She grew up to be adored as Mithila’s beloved princess known for her beauty, morality, and sense of judgment.
Sita's divine nature:
- Sita is often regarded as a goddess in her own right due to her birth from the earth, which signifies purity and virtue. Her origins symbolize fertility and life-giving, which correlates with her later role as a devoted wife and mother in the Ramayana.
- Sita is considered an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi who came down on earth to accompany her divine consort, Lord Rama who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The essence of her life, her trials and tribulations; all reflect the qualities associated with Lakshmi.
Sita's marriage to Lord Rama:
In the Ramayana, an epic story revered by Hindus, Sita's marriage to Lord Rama represented a symbolic expression of moral uprightness, loyalty, and moral duties.
The Swayamvara and Shiva's Bow:
- King Janaka held a swayamvara, where a princess chooses her husband from many suitors for Sita’s age. However, King Janaka made it very tough: only he who can lift, and string his divine bow Lord Shiva known as Pinaka will have Sita's hand in marriage. This bow proved to be extremely heavy beyond measure and only herculean would pass this test.
- Rama arrived in Mithila when he was accompanied by Viswamitra and his brother Lakshmana. He was a right-thinker, strong (physically), and virtuous man. When he reached Swayamvara, Sita was captivated by Rama's looks and divine presence just like he was attracted to her.
- Rama strings the bow: Many princes and kings had tried in vain to lift Shiv’s bow. But when it was time for Rama, he moved slowly towards the bow in all humility. To everyone’s amazement, he not only lifted it with ease but also strung it up. As he drew the string back with all his might, the bow broke with a thunderous sound which showed how powerful he was and how divine mission he had.
- Sita’s choice: After the breaking of the bow, Sita who from afar admired Rama stepped forward holding out a garland in one hand. Under the custom, she placed the garland around his neck to choose him as her husband. This was an indication that she loved him dearly and accepted him as her husband.
- The Grand Wedding: The marriage ceremony of Sita and Rama was very brilliant and full of lights, attended by the deities, sages, and emperors. It was celebrated with much joy and grandeur in Mithila. The account of the union between Sita and Rama is known to be that of divine origin, blessed by the gods themselves who give an idea about what should ideally exist between a husband and a wife.
- Return to Ayodhya: After going through the wedding, Sita went back to Ayodhya with Rama and Lakshmana where they were received with a great honor from his relatives. Throughout her life, Sita performed her duties as a princess and future queen of Ayodhya who belonged to a family that taught her the values of endurance, steadfastness, faithfulness, ethical conduct, etc
Maternity and Final Leave:
When Sita returned to Ayodhya, she gave birth to twin boys called Lava and Kusha. However, with force from society and doubt of her purity, she preferred to come back to the earth with her mother just for the sake of her dignity and self-respect.Symbolism and Worship:
Sita is the personification of a true woman, characterized by many good qualities such as faithfulness, bravery, and self-denial. Her shrines are scattered throughout India where people come together to offer prayers in the temple along with that of Lord Rama.
Her life serves as a significant reminder of moral principles such as righteousness, love, and strength; Sita remains an everlasting image of womanly grace among Hindus.
https://bharatpractice.blogspot.com/2024/08/where-is-aryavarta-located.html
Frequently Ask Questions
Sita Devi: Who is she?
The daughter of Mother Earth, Sita is a leading female character in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. She is cherished as an incarnation of goddess Lakshmi who is married to Lord Vishnu. Sita is the spouse of Lord Rama and she is praised for her morals, faithfulness, and strong will.
What does it imply about Sita’s delivery?
The delivery of Sita symbolizes a lot in terms of divinity and miracles. In the Ramayana, there was an event where King Janaka found her on his farm as he was plowing looking for signs from heaven. This symbolizes purity from Bhumi Devi, the earth goddess; hence illustrating how sacred it was to be born on this planet. Also, note that 'Sita' translates into 'furrow' in the Sanskrit language.
How did Sita marry Lord Rama?
Sita married Lord Rama using a Swayamvara, which is a customary rite where the bride picks a husband from among many suitors. King Janaka imposed a condition that whoever was able to lift and string the holy bow of Shiva was to get Sita for his wife. Only Rama could lift it and string it hence he earned the right to marry Sita.
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