Sita’s banishment from Rama’s perspective
Hardik Kathuria, Ramayana Enthusiast
As we hear Modern curriculums and people talk about Ramayana these days, we hear all the negativity that (don’t know from where) oozes out of Ramayana.
For example — Lord Rama was a misogynist who oppressed women, Ramarajya was the epitome of male chauvinism, better to have a brother like Ravana who fought for Surpanakha than a husband like Rama who banished Sita.
It is very easy to blame Lord Rama, to propagate that He didn’t love Sita, banished her on the saying of a few people, made her go through Agni pariksha initially and then countless troubles later on.
But was it really this way as it is portrayed to us?
Have we ever thought about looking at it from the other side?
Let us try to look at the historic episode of banishment of Mother Sita from the perspective of Lord Rama
Lord Rama’s love for Mother Sita
Lord Rama’s love for Mother Sita is well depicted throughout the Ramayana.
In fact, it knew no bounds.
His love was so immense that it had driven Him mad. The Ramayana mentions how Lord Rama was crying and roaming in the forests, asking every tree and animal if they had seen His Sita?
It was so intense (as Lakshmana observed Rama sitting alone, remembering Sita all the time in the 4 months of the Rainy season) that one day’s delay from their side made Lakshman want to kill Sugriva.
It was so maddening that He sent forth groups of monkeys in all the 4 directions of the earth to find His Sita.
It was so sensitive that Hanuman was forced to think about how to break this news (that he had found Sita) to Lord Rama because so much happiness at once might send Rama into a state of shock
It was so precious that Lord Rama didn’t hesitate to hug and declare Hanuman as His sixth brother when Hanuman brought the whereabouts of Sita.
It was so deep that Lord Rama built a bridge (the monument of love) over the fathomless ocean to help his monkey army cross the ocean
And it was so sacred that Rama killed the demon Ravana along with his entire dynasty of Rakshas for daring to touch and kidnap Mother Sita.
Why the Banishment then?
Now, you might be thinking if it was so immense, maddening, sensitive, precious, sacred etc. that Lord Rama did so much to protect Mother Sita and bring her back..
Then where did those volumes of love vaporize all of a sudden when a few people falsely accused Mother Sita of unchastity and Rama forsook her and banished her to the forest?
Of course, Lord Rama didn’t banish her.
He placed her in the protection of Valmiki Muni in his ashram, which fell in the jurisdiction of Lord Rama’s kingdom.
But still, why this cruel behaviour?
Wasn’t it unjust for Mother Sita?
Ramayana — A tale of Sacrifices
Ramayana is all about Sacrifices — the sacrifices that one person makes for a greater cause.
Lord Rama gave up the Royal coronation and went to exile to save the Raghukula Dynasty.
Sita sacrificed her comforts to be with and serve Lord Rama.
Lakshman completely gave up his sleep for 14 years to serve the two.
Bharata sacrificed his kingship and lived as an Ascetic while serving the kingdom from outside of Ayodhya
Jatayu gave up his life fighting the Demon Ravana to save Mother Sita.
Hanuman Ji sacrificed everything to serve Lord Rama
Sugriva gave up the friendship offer of Ravana to help Lord Rama.
Vibhishan sacrificed the company of his cruel brother and surrendered to Lord Rama
Similarly, Lord Rama had to give up Mother Sita to maintain law and order in the kingdom of Ayodhya.
Ill Talks in Ayodhya
We hear in the Ramayana how Lord Rama used to go unplugged into his kingdom to check on the activities and discussions of his people.
Traversing this way, he hears how every nook and cranny is discussing the same topic — Our King Rama is so compassionate and large-hearted to keep Mother Sita with him after she stayed in another man’s house for one long year. We cannot do that.
What shell-shocked Lord Rama, crossing all-limits was when people were acting unethically yet quoting Him. For example — A washerman said that he can’t trust his wife and allow her in the house because she spent the night in someone else’s place.
The washerman knew that while returning from her mother’s place, there was a sudden downpour, which had made it impossible for her wife to commute and therefore, she had no other option but to halt and seek shelter somewhere.
But he justified his action by saying — King Rama is a Hen-Pecked man, who can do anything for his wife. I am not Rama. I can’t allow this.
Was it necessary to give up Sita? Couldn’t it have been prevented?
Whatever actions a leader does is multiplied a million times down the line.
Lord Rama was afraid that the people of his kingdom (and the billions that come in the future, including us) would misuse this as an opportunity to act unrighteously and unethically.
What hope is there for people when the leader is involved in questionable acts?
For the lives of millions of people to not go towards that path of unrighteousness, Lord Rama had to take this extreme step of personal discomfort and pain of separation by giving up the company of His most beloved Sita.
Similarly, we hear that Mother Sita consciously chose to give up Lord Rama to maintain the dignity of the Royal Throne and of Her Husband.
So was Lord Rama happy doing this?
Was Lord Rama living peacefully after giving up Sita?
The Ramayana tells how Lord Rama was living the life of a renunciant and performing greater austerities than the ascetics in the forests.
He was sleeping on a Kusa grass mat on the bare floor, even in cold winters.
He ate only wild fruits from the forests, performed sacrifices and fasted every single day.
He had left all sorts of recreation and was generally alone and quiet when not governing and looking after the administration of the country.
Lord Rama didn’t marry again!
Although Ksatriyas were allowed to marry more than once, to ensure good progeny and for the maintenance of the Kingdom, Lord Rama didn’t marry.
While performing the very important Rajasuya Yajna, the Priest told that this Yajna can’t be performed without one’s wife.
Even in this dying need, Lord Rama commissioned the sculpting of a golden statue of Mother Sita and sat alongside the statue to complete the sacrifice.
A Different angle altogether
If we look at it from a deeper perspective, just think how difficult it would have been for Lord Rama, the omniscient Lord, to run after the deer in Panchavati, knowing that it was not a golden deer but a demon in disguise.
So if Lord Rama knew about the deer’s reality, He also would be knowing that Mother Sita would be kidnapped by Ravana after He runs behind the deer.
Knowing this, that He would be separated from His most beloved wife for a period of 365 days because of this act of His but still running behind the deer because it was essential for the killing of Ravana (another reason for his incarnation) was surely the greatest act of sacrifice in the whole Ramayana.
But we never get to know this perspective. We so easily believe in the false notions that are impressed upon us by the people outside.
Looking from Lord Rama’s perspective!
Do we ever think of the pain Lord Rama underwent when He had to leave the country and parents He so deeply loved?
The struggles He faced in the forest when He should have been the King?
The despondency and hopelessness He would have been through so many times in finding Mother Sita?
And the pangs of separation for 11000 years as He ruled and lived alone in separation from Mother Sita after She went back to Mother Earth?
That is why Sukadeva Gosvami in his prayers in the Srimad Bhagavatam glorifies Lord Ramachandra saying “vande mahapurusa te caranaravindam” — O Mahapurusa, I bow down and worship your lotus feet. Because no ordinary person can do all of this and still be sane and live to teach by example.
This Rama Navami, let us reflect on the sacrifices the Supreme Lord in His incarnation as Lord Ramachandra made, to teach all of us, how to live our life as a sacrifice for the greater cause..
