Revision 932847709 of "Sita" on enwiki

{{Other uses}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2012}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image = File:Sitas Exile by Raja Ravi Varma (1848 - 1906).jpg
| caption = Sita in exile by [[Raja Ravi Varma]].
| name = Srimati Sita devi 
| Devanagari = सीता
| Sanskrit_transliteration = Sītā
| affiliation = [[Avatar]] of [[Mahalakshmi]], [[Devi]], [[Panchakanya]]
|dynasty =[[Kingdom of the Videhas|Videha]] ''(by birth)''<br />[[Raghuvanshi]]-[[Ikshvaku dynasty|Ikshvaku]]-[[Suryavansha|Suryavanshi]] ''(by marriage)''
| consort = [[Rama]]
| children = [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]] <br /> [[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]]
| father = [[Janaka]]
| mother= Sunaina
| siblings = [[Urmila]] (sister)<br> [[Mandavi]] <br> [[Shrutakirti]] (cousins)
| texts = ''[[Ramayana]]'' and [[Versions of Ramayana|its other versions]]
| festivals = Sita Navami, Janaki Jayanti,  [[Vivaha Panchami]], [[Diwali]], [[Dussehra]]
| birth_place = [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]]{{efn|Either Present-day [[Sitamarhi district]], [[Bihar, India]] <ref>https://m.telegraphindia.com/states/bihar/rs-48-5-crore-for-sita-s-birthplace/cid/1440819</ref><ref name="telegraphindia.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/bihar/hot-spring-hot-spot-fair-begins-on-magh-full-moon-s-day/cid/1544104|title=Hot spring hot spot - Fair begins on Magh full moon's day|website=www.telegraphindia.com|accessdate=22 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Sitamarhi">{{cite web | url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/546790/Sitamarhi | title=Sitamarhi | publisher=Britannica | accessdate=30 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="History of Sitamarhi">{{cite web | url=http://sitamarhi.bih.nic.in/profile/index.htm | title=History of Sitamarhi | publisher=Official site of Sitamarhi district | accessdate=30 January 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220171523/http://sitamarhi.bih.nic.in/profile/index.htm | archive-date=20 December 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> or Present-day [[Janakpur]], [[Province No. 2]], [[Nepal]]<ref>http://sacredsites.com/asia/nepal/janakpur.html</ref>}}}}
{{Vaishnavism}}

'''Sita''' is the central female character and one of the central figures in the Hindu epic,  ''[[Ramayana]]'' and [[Versions of Ramayana|its other versions]]. She is described as the daughter of the earth goddess, [[Bhūmi]] and the adopted daughter of King [[Janaka]] of [[Videha]] and his wife, Queen Sunaina. She has a younger sister, [[Urmila]], and the female cousins [[Mandavi]] and [[Shrutakirti]].<ref name="Sutherland AOS">{{cite web|last=Sutherland|first=Sally J.|title=Sita and Draupadi, Aggressive Behavior and Female Role-Models in the Sanskrit Epics|url=http://sseas.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/faculty/files/sita_and_draupadi.pdf|publisher=University of California, Berkeley|accessdate=1 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="Parmeshwaranand">{{cite book|author=Swami Parmeshwaranand|title=Encyclopaedic Dictionaries of Puranas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FdIkaccgneAC&pg=PA1210|accessdate=31 July 2012|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-226-3|pages=1210–1220|date=2001-01-01}}</ref> Sita is known for her dedication, self-sacrifice, courage, purity and her flawless beauty.

Sita, in her youth, chooses Rama, the prince of [[Ayodhya]] as her husband in a swayamvara -- bride choosing the best from a crowd of suitors after a contest, where Rama proves his heroism and valor and martial power and "defeats" the other seekers for Seeta's hand in marriage by lifting Shiv dhanush. After the swayamvara,  she accompanies her husband to his kingdom, but later chooses to accompany her husband, along with her brother-in-law [[Lakshmana]], in his exile. While in exile, the trio settles in the [[Dandaka]] forest from where she is abducted by [[Ravana]], the [[Rakshasa]] king of [[Lanka]]. She is imprisoned in [[Ashoka Vatika]] in Lanka until she is rescued by Rama, who slays her captor. After the war, in some versions of the epic, Sita on her own will undergo Agni Pariksha as she was future queen of Ayodhya puri.(an [[Trial by ordeal#By fire|ordeal of fire]]) by which she proves her purity before she is accepted by Rama.

In some versions of the epic, the fire-god&nbsp;[[Agni]]&nbsp;creates [[Maya Sita]] (who was Vedavati,avatar of [[Mahalakshmi]]), who takes Sita's place and is abducted by Ravana and suffers his captivity, while the real Sita hides in the fire. During the Agni Pariksha, Maya Sita and the real Sita exchange places again. While some texts say that Maya Sita is destroyed in the flames of Agni Pariksha, others narrate how she is blessed and reborn as Goddess [[Padmavati]].Some scriptures also mention her previous birth being&nbsp;[[Vedavati]], a woman Ravana tries to molest. {{citation needed|date=August 2017}} After proving her purity, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya, where they are crowned as king and queen. After a few months, Sita becomes pregnant, to which a washerman makes insensitive comments on Sita to his wife, which Rama in disguise hears. Rama then sends Sita away on exile. Lakshmana is the one who leaves Sita in the forests near sage&nbsp;[[Valmiki]]'s ashram. Years later, Sita returns to the womb of her mother, the Earth, after she reunites her two sons [[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]] and [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]] with their father Rama.(All this appears in Uttara Kānda which is considered as a later addition because Valmiki Ramayana is having only Six kāndas).
If we consider the story of Sita's banishment in the Uttara-Khanda of the Valmiki Ramayana to be true,then there is a reason behind it. 

In the fifty-seventh chapter of the “Patala Kanda” of the Padma Purana, a young and unmarried Sita is found to be cursed by two divine male and female parrot from Maharshi Valmiki's ashram that she would be banished by her future husband during her first pregnancy.

"3-11 That pair, enjoying (each other's company), quickly flew in the sky, settled on the lap of a mountain, and spoke (to each other): and spoke (to each other): "On the earth, charming Rama will be the king. His wife will be (a woman) by name Sita. The intelligent, powerful king, vanquishing (his enemies), will rule (over eleven thousand years. Blessed is that queen Janaki, and blessed the earth) along with her for is he, named Rama, who having approached each other, will gladly enjoy.

During their conversation, Sita overhears and realises that they are talking about her. She then said to her friends: ''Slowly catch this charming pair of the birds." The friends just then went to the mountain, and caught the excellent pair of the birds. Then Sita asked them about what they were discussing. Who are they and two where they came from? Who is Rama, and who is Sita? From where did they got the information about them!! ? The pair of birds said:

19-26. There is a very great sage Valmiki who is the best among those who know dharma. That sage made his disciples sing the future adventures of Rama. He, engrossed in the wellbeing of all beings, everyday remembered its words. All those future adventures of Rama, being sung repeatedly, were heard by both of us; they came to us (i.e. were mastered by us) due to repetition. Listen to them. In the end we shall tell who that Rama is and who that Janaki is and what will happen to her with Rama of a playful nature. Glorious Visnu, good stories about whom are sung by celestial women, will, having divided himself into four, come up at the sacrifice performed by Rsyasrnga. He, having a bow in his hand, will come along with Visvamitra and his own brothers to Mithila. Then there seeing a bow difficult to be taken (i.e. wielded) by other kings, he will break it, and will obtain the very charming daughter of Janaka. O excellent one, we have heard that with her he will rule over a large kingdom. O you of a beautiful body, we who had flown there, heard this and other (things) about you, told by those who lived there.

Then the pair of birds requests Sita for departure. Hearing these words, Janaki reveals her identity and says to them: I am that Janaki. the daughter of Janaka, which you are mentioning. She then tells them that she shall truly release you when that very charming Rama comes to me; not otherwise.

41-53 Hearing these words they trembled and were frightened. They were mutually (i.e. both) afraid; (and) said this to Janakt: "O good lady, we are birds, living in forests and resorting to trees. We wander everywhere. We would not get happiness (merely by staying) at home. I am pregnant. Having gone to my place and having given birth to sons (i.e. young ones) I shall come (back). I have told you the truth."

(Though) thus addressed by the female parrot, Sita did not release her. Then her husband (i.e. the male parrot), eager, and with his face hung down spoke to her: "Sita, release my wife. My charming wife would be (i.e. is) pregnant. Having performed her (i.e. after her) delivery I shall come to you, .Thus, addressed, Sita said to male parrot "O you very intelligent one, you can gladly go. I shall keep this happy one, doing what is dear to me,' near me.

57-66. Though admonished with various words, she did not release her. The (parrot's) wife, who was angry, and miserable, then cursed Janaka's daughter: "As you are separating me from my husband, in the same way you will be, when pregnant, separated from Rama." When she, the afflicted one, was repeatedly saying like this, her life departed due to misery, full of the distress of her husband. For her who was repeatedly remembering Rama and uttering (the name) Rama, a divine car properly arrived. The female parrot became luminous when she had gone to heaven. When she died, her husband, that lord of birds, was extremely angry, and being distressed, fell into Gariga: ''In Rama's city, full of people, I will be born as (a sjjdra so) that due to my words she will be dejected, and extremely unhappy due to separation (from her husband)." Saying so, he who was distressed, angry, frightened and shaking due to separation from her, fell into the water of Ganga graced with eddies. Due to his being angry, due to his being distressed, and due to his having insulted Sita, he obtained very (mean) sudrahood (as he was born as) a washerman named Krodhana. That best bird (or best brahmana) who, doing ill to the great, abandons his life through anger, obtains sudrahood after he dies. That took place. Due to the words of the washerman she was censured and separated. On account of the curse of the washerman, she was separated (from Rama), and she went into the womb of her Mother Earth". (Which means she returns to her eternal abode Paramadham Vaikuntha).
So this  is the reason behind to abound her. Sri Rama didn't ask her to prove again her purity.

<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/78 78]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref>

==Etymology and other names==
[[File:Indischer Maler von 1780 001.jpg|thumb|Rama and Sita in the forest by an Indian painter from 1780]]
The goddess is best known by the name "Sita", derived from the Sanskrit word ''sīta'', [[furrow]].<ref name="Chandra1998">{{cite book|author=Suresh Chandra|title=Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC&pg=PA304|accessdate=1 August 2012|year=1998|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-039-9|pages=304–}}</ref>

According to ''Ramayana'', Janaka found her while ploughing as a part of a [[yagna]] and adopted her. The word ''Sīta'' was a poetic term, its imagery redolent of fecundity and the many blessings coming from settled agriculture. The Sita of the ''Ramayana'' may have been named after a more ancient [[Rigvedic deities|Vedic goddess]] Sita, who is mentioned once in the [[Rigveda]] as an earth goddess who blesses the land with good crops. In the [[Vedic period]], she was one of the goddesses associated with fertility. A Vedic hymn ([[s:The Rig Veda/Mandala 4/Hymn 57|Rig Veda 4:57]]) recites:
{{cquote|''Auspicious Sita, come thou near;''
''We venerate and worship thee'' <br />
''That thou mayst bless and prosper us'' <br />
''And bring us fruits abundantly.'' <br /> ''}}

In ''[[Harivamsa]]'', Sita is invoked as one of the names of the goddess Arya:
{{cquote|''O goddess, you are the altar's center in the sacrifice,'' <br />
''The priest's fee'' <br />
''Sita to those who hold the plough'' <br />
''And Earth to all living being. ''}}

The ''Kausik-sutra'' and the ''Paraskara-sutra'' associate her repeatedly as the wife of [[Parjanya]] (a god associated with rains) and [[Indra]].<ref name="Chandra1998"/>

Sita is known by many epithets. She is called ''Jānaki'' as the daughter of Janaka and ''Maithili'' as the princess of Mithila.<ref name=Pauwels2007 /> As the wife of Rama, she is called ''Ramā''. Her father Janaka had earned the sobriquet ''Videha'' due to his ability to transcend body consciousness; Sita is therefore also known as ''Vaidehi''.<ref name="Pauwels2007">{{cite book|author=Heidi Rika Maria Pauwels|title=Indian Literature and Popular Cinema: Recasting Classics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LiXU4ihgMpgC&pg=PA53|accessdate=31 July 2012|year=2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-44741-6|pages=53–}}</ref>

Devi Sita while playing with her sisters in childhood had unknowingly lifted the table over which the bow had been placed; this was something that no one in Mithila could do. This incident was however observed by Janaka and he decided to make it a backdrop for Swayamvara because he wanted a son-in-law who was as strong as his daughter.<ref>"https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/wittyfeed+india-epaper-witty/12+mythological+facts+about+sita+that+most+of+us+don+t+know-newsid-72197999"</ref>

==Legend==

===Birth===
[[File:Rama, Sita, Lakshmana.jpg|thumb|left|Rama, Sita and Lakshmana]]
The birthplace of Sita is disputed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biharlokmanch.org/indian_festivals_culture_aid_24.html|title=Bihar times|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019153403/http://www.biharlokmanch.org/indian_festivals_culture_aid_24.html|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The [[Sita Kund]]<ref name="telegraphindia.com"/> pilgrimage site which is located in present-day [[Sitamarhi district]],<ref name="Sitamarhi"/><ref name="History of Sitamarhi"/>[[Bihar]], [[India]] is viewed as the birthplace of Sita. Apart from Sitamarhi, [[Janakpur]] which is located in the present-day [[Province No. 2]], [[Nepal]],<ref name="m.timesofindia.com">{{cite web|url=http://m.timesofindia.com/india/Modis-visit-to-Sitas-birthplace-in-Nepal-cancelled/articleshow/45220742.cms|title=Narendra Modi Cancells his visit to Sita's birthplace Janakpur, Nepal}}</ref><ref name="sacredsites.com">{{cite web|url=http://sacredsites.com/asia/nepal/janakpur.html|title= Birthplace of Sita in Janakpur, Asia Travels}}</ref> is also described as Sita's birthplace.
* ''Valmiki's Ramayana'': In Valmiki's Ramayana and its Tamil version Kamban's Ramavataram, Sita is said to have been discovered in a furrow in a ploughed field, believed to be [[Sitamarhi]] in [[Mithila (region)|Mithila region]] of present-day [[Bihar]], and for that reason is regarded as a daughter of [[Bhūmi]] Devi<ref>{{cite web|title=The Story of Mother Sita the consort of Rama|url=http://www.salagram.net/parishad131.html|publisher=Salagram.net|accessdate=18 March 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530135807/http://salagram.net/parishad131.html|archivedate=30 May 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (the goddess earth). She was discovered, adopted and brought up by [[Janaka]], king of [[History of Mithila|Mithila]] and his wife Sunaina.
* ''Ramayana Manjari'': In ''Ramayana Manjari'' (verses 344–366), North-western and Bengal recensions of Valmiki Ramayana, it has been described as on hearing a voice from the sky and then seeing [[Menaka]], Janaka expresses his wish to obtain a child, and when he finds the child, he hears the same voice again telling him the infant is his Spiritual child, born of Menaka.<ref name="Singaravelu 235" />
* ''Janka's real daughter'': In ''Ramopkhyana'' of the [[Mahabharata]] and also in ''Paumachariya'' of Vimala Suri, Sita has been depicted as Janaka's real daughter. According to Rev. Fr. [[Camille Bulcke]], this motif that Sita was the real daughter of Janaka, as described in ''Ramopkhyana Mahabharata'' was based on the authentic version of ''Valmiki Ramayana.'' Later, the story of Sita miraculously appearing in a furrow was inserted in ''Valmiki Ramayana''.<ref name="Singaravelu 235" />
* ''Reincarnation of [[Vedavati]]'': Some versions of the ''Ramayana'' suggest that Sita was a reincarnation of Vedavati. [[Ravana]] tried to molest Vedavati and her chastity was sullied beyond Ravana's redemption when she was performing penance to become the consort of Vishnu. Vedavati immolated herself on a pyre to escape Ravana's lust, vowing to return in another age and be the cause of Ravana's destruction. She was duly reborn as Sita.<ref name="Singaravelu 235" />
* ''Reincarnation of Manivati'': According to Gunabhadra's [[Uttara Purana]] of the ninth century BCE, Ravana disturbs the asceticism of Manivati, daughter of Amitavega of Alkapuri, and she pledges to take revenge on Ravana. Manivati is later reborn as the daughter of Ravana and [[Mandodari]]. But astrologers predicted the ruin of Ravana because of this child. So, Ravana orders to kill the child. Manivati is placed in a casket and buried in the ground of Mithila, where she is discovered by some of the farmers of the kingdom. Then Janaka, king of that state, adopts her.<ref name="Singaravelu 235">{{cite journal|last=Singaravelu|first=S|title=Sītā's Birth and Parentage in the Rāma Story|journal=Asian Folklore Studies|volume=41|issue=2|publisher=[[University of Malaya]], Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia|pages=235–240|jstor=1178126|year=1982|doi=10.2307/1178126}}</ref>
* ''Ravana's daughter'': In [[Rama in Jainism#Sanghadasa's version|Sanghadasa's Jaina version]] of Ramayana, and also in [[Adbhuta Ramayana]], Sita, entitled ''Vasudevahindi'', is born as the daughter of Ravana. According to this version, astrologers predict that first child of Vidyadhara Maya (Ravana's wife) will destroy his lineage. Thus, Ravana abandons her and orders the infant to be buried in a distant land where she is later discovered and adopted by Janaka.<ref name="Singaravelu 235" />

===Marriage===
[[File:Rama breaking the bow to win Sita as wife.jpg|thumb|Rama breaks the bow to win Sita as wife.]]
When Sita reaches adulthood, [[Janaka]] organizes a [[Swayamvara]] in [[Janakpurdham]] with the condition that Sita would marry only that person who would be able to string ''Pinaka'', the bow of the god [[Shiva]]. Janaka knew that the bow of Shiva was not even liftable, let alone stringable for ordinary mortals, and for selfish people it was not even approachable. Thus, Janaka tries to find the best husband for Sita.

At this time, [[Vishvamitra]] had brought Rama and his brother Lakshmana to the forest for the protection of sacrifice. Hearing about this ''swayamvara'', Vishvamitra asks Rama to participate in it and takes Rama and Lakshmana to the palace of Janaka in [[Janakpur]]. Janaka is greatly pleased to learn that Rama and Lakshmana are sons of Dasharatha. Next morning, in the middle of the hall, Rama lifts up the bow of Shiva with his left hand, fastens the string taut and breaks the bow in the process. However, another avatar of Vishnu, [[Parashurama]], became really angry as the bow of Shiva was broken. However, he does not realize that Rama is also an avatar of Vishnu, therefore after being informed of this, he apologizes for getting angry. Thus, Rama fulfills Janaka's condition to marry Sita. Later on [[Vivaha Panchami]], a marriage ceremony is conducted under the guidance of Satananda. Rama marries Sita, Bharata marries Mandavi, Lakshmana marries Urmila and Shatrughna marries Shrutakirti.<ref name=Parmeshwaranand />

===Exile and abduction===
[[File:Ravi Varma-Ravana Sita Jathayu.jpg|thumb|upright|Ravana cuts off Jatayu's wing while abducting Sita]]
Some time after the wedding, [[Kaikeyi]], Rama's stepmother, compelled Dasharatha to make Bharata king, prompted by the coaxing of her maid [[Manthara]], and forced Rama to leave Ayodhya and spend a period of exile in the forests of [[Dandaka]] and later Panchavati. Sita and Lakshmana willingly renounced the comforts of the palace and joined Rama in exile. The Panchavati forest became the scene for Sita's abduction by Ravana, King of Lanka. Ravana kidnapped Sita, disguising himself as a mendicant, while Rama was away fetching a [[Maricha|golden deer]] to please her. Some versions of the ''Ramayana'' describe Sita taking refuge with the fire-god [[Agni]], while [[Maya Sita]], her illusionary double, is kidnapped by the demon-king. [[Jatayu (Ramayana)|Jatayu]], the vulture-king, tried to protect Sita but Ravana chopped off his wings. Jatayu survived long enough to inform Rama of what had happened.<ref name="Mani720">Mani pp. 720-3; {{cite book | last = Mani | first = Vettam | title = Puranic Encyclopaedia: a Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature | url = https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft | publisher = Motilal Banarsidass Publishers | year = 1975 <!-- | location = Delhi --> | isbn = 978-0-8426-0822-0 | authorlink = Vettam Mani }}</ref>

[[File:Hanuman Encounters Sita in Ashokavana.jpg|thumb|left|Hanuman finds Sita in Ashokavana]]
Ravana took her back to his kingdom in Lanka and Sita was held as a prisoner in one of his palaces. During her captivity for a year in Lanka, Ravana expressed his desire for her; however, Sita refused his advances and struggled to maintain her chastity. [[Hanuman]] was sent by Rama to seek Sita and eventually succeeded in discovering Sita's whereabouts. Sita gave Hanuman her jewellery and asked him to give it to her husband. Hanuman returned across the sea to Rama.<ref name="Mani720"/>

Sita was finally rescued by Rama, who waged a war to defeat Ravana. Upon rescue, Rama makes Sita undergo a trial by fire to prove her chastity. In some versions of ''Ramayana'', during this test the fire-god Agni appears in front of Rama and attests to Sita's purity, or hands over to him the real Sita and declares it was Maya Sita who was abducted by Ravana.<ref name="Mani720"/> The Thai version of the Ramayana, however, tells of Sita walking on the fire, of her own accord, to feel clean, as opposed to jumping in it. She is not burnt, and the coals turn to lotuses.

===Abandonment and later life===
The couple came back to Ayodhya, where Rama was crowned king with Sita by his side.

While Rama's trust and affection for Sita never wavered, it soon became evident that some people in Ayodhya could not accept Sita's long captivity under Ravana. During Rama's period of rule, an intemperate [[Dhobi|washerman]], while berating his wayward wife, declared that he was "no pusillanimous Rama who would take his wife back after she had lived in the house of another man". This statement was reported back to Rama, who knew that the accusation against Sita was baseless. Nevertheless, he would not let [[slander]] undermine his rule, so he sent Sita away.

Thus Sita was forced into exile a second time. Sita, who was pregnant, was given refuge in the hermitage of [[Valmiki]], where she delivered twin sons named [[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]] and [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]].<ref name=Parmeshwaranand /> In the hermitage, Sita raised her sons alone, as a single mother.<ref name="Contemporary Influence of Sita by">{{cite web|last=Bhargava|first=Anju P.|title=Contemporary Influence of Sita by|url=http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ECITsitaframeset.htm|publisher=The Infinity Foundation|accessdate=31 July 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713001426/http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ECITsitaframeset.htm|archivedate=13 July 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> They grew up to be valiant and intelligent and were eventually united with their father. Once she had witnessed the acceptance of her children by Rama, Sita sought final refuge in the arms of her mother [[Bhūmi]]. Hearing her plea for release from an unjust world and from a life that had rarely been happy, the Earth dramatically split open; Bhūmi appeared and took Sita away.

Sita's exile during her pregnancy was because of a curse during her childhood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vedpuran.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/padam-puran.pdf|title=Padma-puran pdf file|date=1 October 2018|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref> According to [[Padma Purana|Padma-puran]], Sita had caught a pair of birds when she was young. The birds were talking about story of Sri Ram heard in [[Valmiki]] ashram which intrigued Sita. She has the ability to talk with animals. The female bird was pregnant at that time. She requested Sita to let her go but Sita only allowed her male companion to fly away. As a result, the bird cursed Sita that she would suffer a similar fate of being separated from her husband during pregnancy. The male bird was reborn as the washerman.
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
Sita test fires.png|Sita's fire test
Sita Bhum Pravesh.jpg|Sita returns to her mother, the Earth, as Sri Rama, her sons, and the sages watch in astonishment.
Rama and sita in pavilion.jpg|Rama and Sita from Uttara-Kanda.
</gallery>

==Speeches in the ''Ramayana''==
[[File:Ramayana - Marriage of Rama Bharata Lakshmana and Shatrughna.jpg|thumb|250px|The marriage of the four sons of Dasharatha with the four daughters of Siradhvaja and Kushadhvaja Janakas. Rama and Sita, Lakshmana and Urmila, Bharata and Mandavi and Shatrughna with Shrutakirti.]]
While the ''Ramayana'' mostly concentrates on Rama's actions, Sita also speaks many times during the exile. The first time is in the town of [[Chitrakoot Dham (Karwi)|Chitrakuta]] where she narrates an ancient story to Rama, whereby Rama promises to Sita that he will never kill anybody without provocation.

The second time Sita is shown talking prominently is when she speaks to Ravana. Ravana has come to her in the form of a mendicant and Sita tells him that he does not look like one.

Some of her most prominent speeches are with Hanuman when he reaches Lanka. Hanuman wants an immediate union of Rama and Sita and thus he proposes to Sita to ride on his back. Sita refuses as she does not want to run away like a thief; instead she wants her husband Rama to come and defeat Ravana to save her.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Valmiki |first1=Ramayana |title=Sundarkanda, sarga 37 |url=https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in/sloka?field_kanda_tid=5&language=dv&field_sarga_value=37 |website=www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in |publisher=IIT Kanpur}}</ref>

==Jain version==
{{main|Rama in Jainism}}
[[File:Hanuman before Rama.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Rama seated with Sita, fanned by [[Lakshmana]], while [[Hanuman]] pays his respects]]
Sita is said to be the daughter of [[Ravana]]'s queen [[Mandodari]]. It was predicted that the first child of Mandodari would bring annihilation to the family. Hence, Ravana deserted the child when she was born. The minister who was responsible for this took her in a pearl-box, placed her near a plough and told King [[Janaka]] of [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]] that the girl had been born from the furrow. Janaka's queen Sunaina became Sita's foster mother.

There is also a narration about Sita's brother Bhamandala. He did not know that Sita was his sister and wanted to marry her. He even wanted to abduct her. This story ends when Bhamandala, after learning that Sita is his sister, becomes a [[Jain monasticism|Jain ascetic]].

==Symbolism==
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2018}}
[[File:Hermitage of Valmiki, Folio from the "Nadaun" Ramayana (Adventures of Rama) LACMA AC1999.127.45.jpg|thumb|250px|Sita in the [[hermitage (religious retreat)|hermitage]] of Valmiki]]
A female deity of agricultural fertility by the name Sita was known before Valmiki's ''Ramayana'', but was overshadowed by better-known goddesses associated with fertility. According to ''Ramayana'', Sita was discovered in a furrow when Janaka was ploughing. Since Janaka was a king, it is likely that ploughing was part of a royal ritual to ensure fertility of the land. Sita is considered to be a child of Mother Earth, produced by union between the king and the land. Sita is a personification of Earth's fertility, abundance, and well-being.

==Swami Vivekananda on Sita==
[[File:Valmiki train Lava Kushas in Art of Archery.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Valmiki training Lava Kusha (sons of Rama & Sita) in the art of archery.]]
[[Swami Vivekananda]] states that Rama is considered the type of the Absolute and Sita that of Power. Sita is the ideal of a woman in India and worshiped as God incarnate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cwsv.belurmath.org/volume_9/lectures_and_discourses/the_women_of_india.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304225348/http://cwsv.belurmath.org/volume_9/lectures_and_discourses/the_women_of_india.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

According to Swami Vivekananda, Sita is typical of India – the idealized India. Swami Vivekananda assured that if world literature of the past and world literature of the future were thoroughly exhausted, yet, it would not be possible to find another Sita, because Sita is unique; the character was depicted once for all. Swami Vivekananda felt there may have been several Ramas, perhaps, but never more than one Sita.

Vivekananda said:

{{Quote|All our mythology may vanish, even our Vedas may depart and our Sanskrit language may vanish forever, but so long as there will be five Hindus living here, even if only seeking the most vulgar patois, there will be the story of Sita present.}}

Sita was a true Indian by nature, Vivekananda concluded, who never returned injury.<ref>The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 4/Lectures and Discourses/The Ramayana</ref>

==Portrayal==
{{more citations needed|section|date=April 2018}}
[[File:Srisita ram laxman hanuman manor.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Deities Sita (far right), Rama (center), Lakshmana (far left) and Hanuman (below, seated) at [[Bhaktivedanta Manor]], [[Watford]], England]]
Hindu tradition reveres Sita. She has been portrayed as an ideal daughter, an ideal wife and an ideal mother in various texts, stories, illustrations, movies<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dhar|first=Aarttee Kaul|title=Ramayana and Sita in Films and Popular Media:The Repositioning of a Globalised Version|url=https://www.academia.edu/11877534/Ramayana_and_Sita_in_Films_and_Popular_Media_The_Repositioning_of_a_Globalised_Version|language=en}}</ref>, and modern media. Sita is often worshipped with Rama as his consort. The occasion of her marriage to Rama is celebrated as [[Vivaha Panchami]].

The actions, reactions, and instincts manifested by Sita at every juncture in a long and arduous life are deemed exemplary. Her story has been portrayed in the book [[Sitayanam]].<ref>[http://www.sitayanam.com "Sitayanam – A Woman's Journey of Strength" by Anju P. Bhargava]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101221413/http://www.sitayanam.com/ |date=1 January 2009 }}</ref> The values that she enshrined and adhered to at every point in the course of a demanding life are the values of womanly virtue held sacred by countless generations of Indians.

Her portrayal as an ideal queen is ambiguous. Her sacrifices and actions are most often portrayed in her personal capacity and not as a governance figure. Sita was abducted because she had to step out of the safety line to give alms to Ravana disguised as a Brahmin. The giving of alms to Brahmin in those times was more of a duty to be performed, rather than an optional charitable act. This held true more so for the royals and they were to lead by example. Also, the incident of Sita's refusal to come back with Hanuman like a common thief, her renunciation of queenhood and exile from Ayodhya after her return. All her key aspects are shown in a favourable light, not as a head of state, but as an ideal woman. In contrast, Sri Rama is always portrayed as a fair and just king who gave the highest priority to the good of his people, in addition to being depicted as an ideal husband and an ideal son.

==Temples==
Although Sita's statue is always kept with Rama's statue in Rama temples, there are some temples dedicated to Sita:
* [[Janaki Mandir]], located at [[Janakpur]], Nepal
* [[Sita Māī Temple|Sita Mai Temple]], situated in Sitamai village in the Karnal district of Haryana, India
* [[Sita Kund]], Punaura Dham, situated in Sitamarhi District in Bihar, India
* [[Seetha Devi Temple]], Pulpally in the Wayanad district, Kerala, India
* [[Seetha Amman Temple]], Nähe [[Nuwara Eliya]], Sri Lanka
* [[Sita temple]],  Phalswari, [[Pauri]] district, Uttarakhand (Proposed)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Kautilya |title=Uttarakhand set to come up with a massive Sita temple |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/uttarakhand-set-to-come-up-with-a-massive-sita-temple/articleshow/72012205.cms |accessdate=13 November 2019 |agency=The Times of India |date=12 November 2019}}</ref>
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
Janki Mandir.JPG|[[Janaki Mandir]] of [[Janakpur]], [[Nepal]] is a center of pilgrimage where the wedding of Sri Rama and Sita took place and is re-enacted yearly as [[Vivaha Panchami]].
LK-seetha-amman-kovil-01.jpg|Seetha Amman Kovil, Nähe Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Religion}}
* [[Amba (Mahabharata)|Amba]]
* [[Seetha kalyanam]]
* [[Sita Sings the Blues]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist|30em}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book
|last=Jain
|first=Pannalal
|title=Ravishenacharya's Padmapurana
|year=2000
|publisher=Bhartiya Jnanpith
|location=New Delhi
|isbn=978-81-263-0508-7
|edition=8th
|editor=Hiralal Jain, A.N. Upadhaye
|language=Hindi
|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book
|last=Iyengar
|first=Kodaganallur Ramaswami Srinivasa
|title=Asian Variations In Ramayana
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CU92nFk5fU4C&pg=PA80
|year=2005
|publisher=Sahitya Akademi
|isbn=978-81-260-1809-3
|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book
|last=Das
|first=Sisir Kumar
|title=A History of Indian Literature, 500-1399: From the Courtly to the Popular
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BC3l1AbPM8sC&pg=PA124
|year=2005
|publisher=Sahitya Akademi
|isbn=978-81-260-2171-0
|page=124
|ref=harv}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sita}}
* [http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20111011015118/http://ancientindians.wordpress.com/sita-devi/ Sita Kalyanam in the Valmiki Ramayana]
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Sītā|short=x}}

{{Ramayana}}
{{HinduMythology}}
{{Hindudharma}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category:Mother goddesses]]
[[Category:Ikshvaku dynasty]]
[[Category:Mithila]]
[[Category:Kidnapped people]]
[[Category:Lakshmi]]
[[Category:Characters in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Consorts of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Hindu given names]]