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Rama and Sita had returned to the throne. Sita had spent so much time with Ravana that he was skeptical that she remained virtuous and had not consummated in the time she was away from Rama. The people of Ayo were rampaged and assumed that Rama was allowing Sita to stay his wife after so much time with another man, they were foaming at the mouth to see Sita punished for being an infidelidous wife.
Rama sat back and let the people convince Sita she was unpure and unfit to be his wife. In mourning she built a fire as a means to commit suicide, but the gods were watching over them both that day.
“Oh Rama, who is a god, why doth though allow thee wife to burn?
“She was unfaithful to me and my name, she has volunteered her execution.” He said unremorsefully.
“Oh Rama, you don’t understand, thee wife is innocent, her only love has been you, and only you.”
Staring into the fire Rama began to cry. “Oh Sita, my love, I have wronged you!”
But the flames rose above her, the gods had willed she be spared to prove her faithfulness to Rama. But the people over the coming months did not stop questioning Sita’s purity.
It had only been months when Rama, paranoid, was convinced again of Sita’s cheating. This time, he simply banished her from the kingdom. She was taken in by a poet who spread stories of Rama’s heroism, and whilst living with him, had two children, a pair of twins. These boys grew up strong, knowing well the tales of Rama the king.
Rama found the boys years after their birth and was taken aback by their resemblemce to himself. He wept as they told him they were children of Sita that grew up fatherless. Rama again, called to Sita to prove her innocence, knowing full well that she only had eyes for Rama.
This trial was unlike the others, in this trial she was taken away by the gods willingly, to live in peace in the afterlife after what Rama had put her through. Rama again wept, but this time for knowing that she had been innocent the whole time and he had never believed her.
Source. Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)
Source. Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914).
Authors Note: I found Rama to be a complete and utter dick when I read that he had banished Sita after the gods had showed him her innocence. I wanted him to be more sad when he found out they were right all along, and that Sita was taken away by his ignorance and his means to put his people’s opinions over his own. I mostly just retold the stories in my own view changing the ways the gods had communicated to Rama and Sita.
Rama and Sita had returned to the throne. Sita had spent so much time with Ravana that he was skeptical that she remained virtuous and had not consummated in the time she was away from Rama. The people of Ayo were rampaged and assumed that Rama was allowing Sita to stay his wife after so much time with another man, they were foaming at the mouth to see Sita punished for being an infidelidous wife.
Rama sat back and let the people convince Sita she was unpure and unfit to be his wife. In mourning she built a fire as a means to commit suicide, but the gods were watching over them both that day.
“Oh Rama, who is a god, why doth though allow thee wife to burn?
“She was unfaithful to me and my name, she has volunteered her execution.” He said unremorsefully.
“Oh Rama, you don’t understand, thee wife is innocent, her only love has been you, and only you.”
Staring into the fire Rama began to cry. “Oh Sita, my love, I have wronged you!”
But the flames rose above her, the gods had willed she be spared to prove her faithfulness to Rama. But the people over the coming months did not stop questioning Sita’s purity.
It had only been months when Rama, paranoid, was convinced again of Sita’s cheating. This time, he simply banished her from the kingdom. She was taken in by a poet who spread stories of Rama’s heroism, and whilst living with him, had two children, a pair of twins. These boys grew up strong, knowing well the tales of Rama the king.
Rama found the boys years after their birth and was taken aback by their resemblemce to himself. He wept as they told him they were children of Sita that grew up fatherless. Rama again, called to Sita to prove her innocence, knowing full well that she only had eyes for Rama.
This trial was unlike the others, in this trial she was taken away by the gods willingly, to live in peace in the afterlife after what Rama had put her through. Rama again wept, but this time for knowing that she had been innocent the whole time and he had never believed her.
Source. Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)
Source. Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914).
Authors Note: I found Rama to be a complete and utter dick when I read that he had banished Sita after the gods had showed him her innocence. I wanted him to be more sad when he found out they were right all along, and that Sita was taken away by his ignorance and his means to put his people’s opinions over his own. I mostly just retold the stories in my own view changing the ways the gods had communicated to Rama and Sita.
Lava and Kusha confront Rama
circa 1870
Hi Callie!
ReplyDeleteI loved your take on this story. I really liked how you showed not only Rama's doubt of Sita's loyalty to him, but explained very clearly that Sita had been pure in her intentions and actions and had not cheated on him with Ravana. I also like how you expanded the story into a long period of time to show Rama's consequences of his accusations towards Sita.
Hey Callie! I liked your version of the story, emphasizing the ridiculousness of Sita having to prove her innocence to Rama for a situation she had absolutely no control over. Reading that part of the legend frustrated me as well! Your version also further highlighted the point that Rama’s selfish thinking and inability to see the story from Sita’s perspective resulted in him neglecting his own sons. It was a pretty big deal, and I’m glad you expanded on that particular part of the story. It also kind of relates to the theme of Karma, which we touched on earlier in the semester.
ReplyDeleteHey Callie, this part of the Ramayana stuck out to me as well and I'm glad that you drew attention to it. Like, how many times did Sita have to prove her innocence to Rama? Would a sign from the gods not be enough? She straight up walked out of the fire unscathed, Game of Thrones style, clearly she's pure. Really interesting take on this story!
ReplyDeleteHi Callie! There were some things that Rama did that I didn't fully agree with, so I'm glad you decided to approach this story with that in mind. It still was a little aggravating to see Rama question Sita so many times when it was pretty obvious she hadn't cheated. Still, the subtle changes you made to Rama's reaction help a little, even though I still wouldn't call this a happy ending.
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