76-487: Sri Seeta Rama Jananam ( transl. The Birth of Seeta and Rama ) is a 1944 Indian Telugu -language Hindu mythological film , produced and directed by Ghantasala Balaramayya under the Pratibha Productions banner. The film stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao , Tripurasundari, Vemuri Gaggayya , Rushyendramani . Music was jointly composed by Prabhala Satyanarayana and Ogirala Ramachandra Rao . The film marks
152-496: A svayamvara ceremony at his capital with the condition that she would marry only a prince who would possess the strength to string the Pinaka , the bow of the deity Shiva . Many princes attempted and failed to string the bow. During this time, Vishvamitra had brought Rama and his brother Lakshmana to the forest for the protection of a yajna (ritual sacrifice). Hearing about the svayamvara , Vishvamitra asked Rama to participate in
228-402: A box and buries it on either side of the sea. Eventually, Dasaratha the king of Ayodhya is perturbed as childless, so, he conducts Putrakameshti Yaaga with his 3 wives and they are blessed with 4 sons who are the reincarnations of Vishnu, Adhi Sesha, Shankha, & Chakra as Rama , Lakshmana , Bharata , & Shatrughna respectively. Parallelly, Janaka the king of Mithila while tilling
304-573: A city called Ayojjha or Ayujjha (Pali for Ayodhya), but suggest that it was located on the banks of the Ganges river ( see below ). In the early Jain canonical literature, "Aujjha" (a Prakrit form of "Ayodhya") is mentioned only once: the Thana Sutta describes it as the capital of Gandhilavati, a district of the "largely mythological" Mahavideha country. This indicates that the Ayodhya of Sanskrit epic literature
380-511: A form of Vishnu and departed to perform penance at the mountain Mahendra. The wedding entourage then reached Ayodhya, entering the city amid great fanfare. 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
456-402: A golden-yellow complexion. She is dressed in traditional sari or ghagra-choli along with a veil. Her jewelry are either made of metals, pearls or flowers. Who is Sita? सा देवी त्रिविधा भवति शक्त्यासना इच्छाशक्तिः क्रियाशक्तिः साक्षाच्छक्तिरिति That divine Being is threefold, through her power, namely, the power of desire, the power of action, the power of knowledge. In
532-452: A heavy heart, he instructed him to take Sita to a forest outside Ayodhya and leave her there. 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 and Lava . In the hermitage, Sita raised her sons alone, as a single mother. They grew up to be valiant and intelligent and were eventually united with their father. Once she had witnessed
608-681: A magnificent deer to lure Sita. Sita, attracted to its golden glow asked her husband to make it her pet. When Rama and Lakshmana went far away from the hut, Ravana kidnapped Sita, disguising himself as a mendicant. 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 , the vulture-king, tried to protect Sita but Ravana chopped off his wings. Jatayu survived long enough to inform Rama of what had happened. Ravana took Sita back to his kingdom in Lanka and she
684-530: A nobleman from Ayodhya. The Gaya inscription, said to be issued by Samudragupta (4th century CE), but possibly an 8th century fabrication according to modern historians, describes Ayodhya as a garrison town. Early Buddhist and Jain texts mention Shravasti and Saketa, not Ayodhya, as the major cities of the Kosala region. The later texts such as the Puranas , which mention Ayodhya as the capital of Kosala, simply follow
760-808: A part of a yagna and adopted her. The word Sīta was a poetic term, which signified fertility and the many blessings coming from settled agriculture. The Sita of the Ramayana may have been named after a more ancient 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. Rigveda 4.53.6, addressed to Agricultural Divinities, states "Become inclined our way, well-portioned Furrow. We will extol you, so that you will be well-portioned for us, so that you will be well-fruited for us." -Translated by Jamison and Brereton In Harivamsa , Sita
836-422: A position entirely subordinate to Rama. However, in the worship of Radha Krishna, Radha is often preferred over to Krishna, and in certain traditions, her name is elevated to a higher position compared to Krishna's. The Janaki Ramayana is written by Pandit Lal Das . In this poetic form version, Sita is the central character of the epic. The life of Goddess Sita and her infinite powers have been described from
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#1732909409989912-418: A similar fate of being separated from her husband during pregnancy. The male bird was reborn as the washerman. 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 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
988-705: A stone form of Ahalya into normal. Here, the challenge is to affix the world-renowned bow of Shiva . Nevertheless, Ravana too arrives without an invitation but fails and is affronted. All at once, Rama lefts the bow and breaks it. Knowing it, enraged Parasurama lands and confronts Rama. Later, he realizes he is his reincarnation and backs up. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note with the phenomenal wedding of Seeta & Rama. Music composed by Prabhala Satyanarayana, Ogirala Ramachandra Rao . The film ran for 100 days at Durga Kala Mandir, Vijayawada . Sita Traditional Sita ( Sanskrit : सीता ; IAST : Sītā ), also known as Siya , Janaki and Maithili ,
1064-515: A war to defeat Ravana. Upon rescue, Rama makes Sita undergo a trial by fire to prove her chastity. In some versions of the 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. 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
1140-533: Is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic Ramayana . Sita is the consort of Rama , the avatar of god Vishnu , and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi . She is the chief goddess of the Ramanandi Sampradaya and is the goddess of beauty and devotion. Sita's birthday is celebrated every year on the occasion of Sita Navami . Described as the daughter of Bhūmi (the earth), Sita
1216-757: Is a fictional city. Among the Sanskrit sources, the identification of Ayodhya with Saketa first appears in texts from the Gupta period, including the Brahmanda Purana and Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha . The Jain text Paumachariya (dated before 4th century CE) first incorporates the Rama legend into Jain mythology. During this period, the Jains linked the mythology of the Ikshvaku dynasty with their tirthankaras and chakravartins . For example,
1292-483: Is abducted by Ravana , the Rakshasa king of Lanka . She is imprisoned in the garden of Ashoka Vatika , in Lanka, until she is rescued by Rama, who slays her captor. After the war, in some versions of the epic, Rama asks Sita to undergo Agni Pariksha (an ordeal of fire ), by which she proves her chastity, before she is accepted by Rama, which for the first time makes his brother Lakshmana angry at him. In some versions of
1368-511: Is also found with some variations in the Atharvaveda : aṣṭācakrā navadvārā devānāṃ pūrayodhyā tasyāṃ hiraṇyayaḥkośaḥ svargo loko jyotiṣāvṛtaḥ yo vai tāṃ brahmaṇo vedāmṛtenāvṛtāṃ puram tasmai brahma ca brāhmā ca āyuḥ kirtim prajāṃ daduḥ vibhrājamānām hariṇīṃ yaśasā saṃparīvṛtām puraṃ hiraṇyayīṃ brahmā viveśāparājitām Ayodhya (impregnable), the city of the gods, consists of eight circles (also cycles) and nine entrances; within it there
1444-618: Is an important goddess in the Vaishnavite traditions of Hinduism. Regarded as the avtara of goddess Lakshmi , she finds her mention in various scriptures and text of Hindu traditions. Sita is the primary character of the minor Upanishad Sita Upanishad , which is attached to the Atharva Veda , It identifies Sita with primordial Prakriti (nature) and her three powers, asserts the text, are manifested in daily life as will ( iccha ), action ( kriyā ) and knowledge ( jnana ). Sita appears in
1520-564: Is based on the fact that according to the ancient Buddhist texts, the ancient Ayodhya town was located on the banks of the river Ganga (Ganges), not Sarayu. For example, the Samyutta Nikaya states "Once Lord Buddha was walking in Ayodhya on the bank of the Ganga river". Buddhaghosha 's commentary on the Samyutta Nikaya mentions that the citizens of Ayodhya (Ayujjha-pura) built a vihara for
1596-451: Is brought up as the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Videha . Sita, in her youth, chooses Rama, the prince of Ayodhya as her husband in a swayamvara . 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
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#17329094099891672-403: Is exclusively focused on her romantic relationship with her lover", giving two contrasting role models from two ends of the moral universe. Yet they share common elements as well. Both face life challenges and are committed to their true love. They are both influential, adored and beloved goddesses in the Hindu culture. In worship of Rama, Sita is represented as a dutiful and loving wife, holding
1748-471: Is invoked as one of the names of the goddess Arya: O goddess, you are the altar's center in the sacrifice, The priest's fee Sita to those who hold the plough 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 . Sita is known by many epithets. She is called Jānaki as
1824-482: Is not burnt, and the coals turn to lotuses. In the Uttara Kanda , following their return to Ayodhya, Rama was crowned as the 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 washerman , while berating his wayward wife, declared that he
1900-590: Is of concern to the Ayodhya dispute . According to one theory, it is same as the present-day Indian city of Ayodhya . According to another theory, it is a legendary city, and the present-day Ayodhya (originally called Saketa) was renamed after it around the 4th or 5th century, during the Gupta period . According to the Ramayana , Ayodhya was founded by Manu , the progenitor of mankind, and measured 12x3 yojanas in area. Both
1976-560: Is possibly alluded to in the Raghuvamsha . Kishore Kunal argues that there is no historical evidence to support the theory that Saketa was renamed as "Ayodhya" by Skandagupta. He notes that the Kalidasa 's Raghuvamsha clearly refers to the same city by the names "Saketa" and "Ayodhya", while narrating the legend of Rama. Historian Gyanendra Pandey argues that Kalidasa's mention of "Saketa" and "Ayodhya" do not prove any connection between
2052-520: 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. A female deity of agricultural fertility by
2128-477: Is the golden treasure-dome, the celestial world, ever-illuminated with light (north pole). Whoever knows it as the Creator's city ever surrounded with nectar will have long life, fame, and offspring bestowed on him, by Brahma (the sun), and Brahma (the moon). Into this city ever shining, moving, and pervaded with Yasas (fame and lustre), the Creator has entered. Joshi argues that the Ayodhya city, as described in
2204-505: Is viewed as the birthplace of Sita. Apart from Sitamarhi, Janakpur , which is located in the present-day Province No. 2 , Nepal , is also described as Sita's birthplace. Sita has a younger sister Urmila , born to Janaka and Sunayna, whom she was the closest among her three sisters. Her father's younger brother, Kushadhvaja daughters Mandavi and Shrutakirti grew up with them in Mithila. When Sita reached adulthood, Janaka conducted
2280-495: The Jain tradition, five tirthankaras were born at Ayodhya, including Rishabhanatha , Ajitanatha , Abhinandananatha , Sumatinatha , and Anantanatha . Many modern scholars, including B. B. Lal and H. D. Sankalia , have identified the legendary Ayodhya with the present-day Ayodhya town, but this theory is not universally accepted. Arguments cited in favour of this identification include: A section of scholars have argued that
2356-836: The Puranas namely the Vishnu Purana and Padma Purana (as an avatar of Lakshmi ), the Matsya Purana (as form of Devi ), the Linga Purana (as form of Lakshmi), the Kurma Purana , Agni Purana , Garuda Purana (as consort of Rama), the Skanda Purana and the Shiva Purana . She also finds mention in the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata . Sita along with Rama appears as
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2432-518: The Ramayana and the Mahabharata describe Ayodhya as the capital of the Ikshvaku dynasty of Kosala , including Rama and Dasharatha . The Purana-pancha-lakshana also describes the city as the capital of Ikshvaku kings, including Harishchandra . The Ramayana states that the city was ruled by king Dasharatha , a descendant of king Ikshvaku. His son Rama was exiled to the forest, and returned to
2508-478: The Ramayana , Sita is mostly depicted in saris and is called ethereal and divine. Praising her beauty in the Aranya Kanda , Ravana stated, Ayodhya (Ramayana) Ayodhya is a city mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit -language texts, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata . These texts describe it as the capital of the Ikshvaku kings , including Rama . The historicity of this legendary city
2584-482: The Taittiriya Aranyaka (and Atharvaveda ), is obviously a mythical city, because it is said to be surrounded by a pool of nectar, and is described as the location of "the golden treasure-dome of the celestial world". According to Joshi, this Ayodhya is similar to the mythical places such as Samavasarana and Nandishvaradvipa, which appear in the Jain mythology. According to other scholars, such as B. B. Lal ,
2660-403: The 7th century Chinese Buddhist traveler Xuanzang states that he reached Ayodhya ("A-yu-te") after crossing the Ganga river, while traveling southwards (Ayodhya is actually located to the north of the Ganges river). Xuanzang seems to have used the term Ganga to describe "a long affluent of the great river". M. C. Joshi asserted that Ayodhya is mentioned in a Taittiriya Aranyaka verse, which
2736-558: The Buddha "in a curve of the river Ganga". Kishore Kunal argues that the word "Ganga" is also used as common noun for a holy river in Sanskrit. In his support, he presents another verse from Samyutta Nikaya (4.35.241.205), which states "Once Lord Buddha was walking in Kaushambi on the bank of the Ganga river". The ancient city of Kaushambi was actually located on the banks of the river Yamuna , not Ganga. S. N. Arya similarly points out that
2812-563: 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. According to the Padma-puran , Sita's exile during her pregnancy was because of a curse during her childhood. Sita had caught a pair of divine parrots, which were from Valmiki's ashram, when she
2888-544: The advice of a sage, Vikrama determined that the site of ancient Ayodhya as the place where the milk would flow from the udder of a calf. He cut down the forests that had covered the ancient ruins, established a new city, erected the Ramgar fort, and built 360 temples. According to the JNU historians, this myth of "re-discovery" seems to recognize that modern Ayodhya is not same as the ancient Ayodhya, and appears to be an attempt to impart
2964-511: The beginning to the end. There are three Khandas in the Janaki Ramayana : Kathārambha , Lakshmikaanda and Radhakaanda . The Adbhuta Ramayana is written by Valmiki himself and is shorter than the original epic. Sita is accorded far more prominence in this variant of the Ramayana narrative. During the war, Sahastra Ravana shot an arrow at Rama, making him wounded and unconscious on the battle field. Seeing Rama unconscious and helpless on
3040-654: The central character in Valmiki Samhita , which is attributed to their worship and describes them to be the ultimate reality . In its chapter 5, a dialogue form between Sita and saptarishi , described to Parvati by Shiva is mentioned, known as the Maithili Mahopanishad . 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
3116-726: The ceremony with the consent of Janaka, who agreed to offer Sita's hand in marriage to the prince if he could fulfil the requisite task. When the bow was brought before him, Rama seized the centre of the weapon, fastened the string taut, and broke it in two in the process. Witnessing his prowess, Janaka agreed to marry his daughter to Rama and invited Dasharatha to his capital. King Dasharatha arrived in Mithila for his son's wedding and noticed that Lakshmana had feelings for Urmila, but according to tradition, Bharata and Mandavi were to marry first. He then arranged for Bharata to marry Mandavi and Shatrughna to marry Shrutakirti, allowing Lakshmana to marry Urmila. Ultimately, all four sisters married
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3192-456: The city after several travails, establishing an ideal rule in the kingdom. According to Uttara Kanda , a later addition to the Ramayana , Rama divided the kingdom into North and South Kosala at the end of his reign, with respective capitals at Shravasti and Kushavati , and installed his two sons (Lava and Kusha) to rule them. Rama himself entered the waters of the Sarayu river , along with all
3268-442: 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. The scene started with Shurpanakha 's love for Rama. However Rama refused her, stating that he was devoted to Sita. This enraged the demoness and she tried to kill Sita. Lakshmana cut Shurpanakha's nose and sent her back. Ravana, to kidnap Sita, made a plan. Maricha , his uncle, disguised himself as
3344-534: The commonly accepted identification of the ancient city with the modern one". For example, in the Ayodhya Kanda of the Ramayana, Bharata takes a geographically "non-sensical" route while traveling to Ayodhya from the kingdom of his uncle Kekeya (located in the extreme west of the Indian subcontinent). During this journey, he passes through places located in present-day Odisha and Assam . According to Hans T. Bakker ,
3420-604: The complete procedure to worship Sita-Rama, Tulsidas's Vinaya Patrika has devotional hymns dedicated to her. Ramananda through his conversation with disciple Surasurananda in Vaishnava Matabja Bhaskara , explains about the worship of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Kalidasa 's Raghuvamsa gives a detail account of Sita's swayamvara, abduct and her exile, in the cantos 10 to 15. The Sita-Rama and Radha-Krishna pairs represent two different personality sets, two perspectives on dharma and lifestyles, both cherished in
3496-399: The daughter of Janaka and Maithili as the princess of Mithila. 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 . The birthplace of Sita is disputed. The Sita Kund pilgrimage site which is located in present-day Sitamarhi district , Bihar, India,
3572-491: The debut of Akkineni Nageswara Rao as a lead actor. It is also the debut of Ghantasala as a chorus singer and in a character role. The film was a commercial failure. The film begins with Ravana trouncing the universe which establishes him as an autocratic. Once on his journey, he febrile to the beauty of Rambha and molests her. Being cognizant of it, Nalakuvara curses him to burn into ash when he aspires to possess any woman against her wish. However, his ferocities peek at
3648-689: The earthly realm, the celestial space, and the heavenly realms, and in the seven continents on Earth, in the three worlds—heaven, mortal, and the netherworld. All these, including space and the sky, reside within you. You embody joy, delight, exhilaration, and bliss. Oh ultimate embodiment of Dhatrī! bestower of the Brahmavidya to Lord Hanuman! Oh sustainer of all realms, Sri Sita! We bow to you repeatedly." Apart from other versions of Ramayana , many 14th-century Vaishnava saints such as Nabha Dass , Tulsidas and Ramananda have mentioned Sita, in their works. While Ramananda's Sri Ramarchan Paddati explains
3724-466: The epic, Maya Sita , an illusion created by Agni , takes Sita's place and is abducted by Ravana and suffers his captivity, while the real Sita hides in the fire. Some scriptures also mention her previous birth being Vedavati , a woman Ravana tries to molest. After proving her purity, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya, where they are crowned as king and queen. One day, a man questions Sita's fidelity and in order to prove her innocence and maintain his own and
3800-426: The excavations at present-day Ayodhya indicate a primitive life. Hans T. Bakker notes that no place called Ayodhya is attested by any epigraphic or other archaeological evidence before the 2nd century CE. The earliest extant inscriptions mentioning a place called Ayodhya are from the Gupta period. For example, a 436 CE inscription describes a donation to Brahmins hailing from Ayodhya. A 533–534 CE inscription mentions
3876-404: The field, Sita gives up her human appearance and takes the horrific form of Mahakali . In less than a second, she severed Sahastra Ravana's 1000 heads and began destroying rakshasas everywhere. Sita is eventually pacified by the gods, Rama's consciousness is restored and the story moves forward. The Sanskrit play Mahaviracharita by Bhavabhuti is based on the early life of Rama. According to
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#17329094099893952-462: The first tirthankara Rishabha is said to have been born in Ikkhagabhumi (according to Kalpasutra ) or Viniya (according to Jambu-dvipa-prajnapati ), which are identified as Ayodhya (Aojhha) or Saketa. In the 19th century, Alexander Cunningham of Archaeological Survey of India believed that Ramayana also identifies Ayodhya with a Saketa, based on a verse that supposedly describes Dasharatha as
4028-400: The four brothers, strengthening the alliance between the two kingdoms. A wedding ceremony was conducted under the guidance of Shatananda. During the homeward journey to Ayodhya, another avatar of Vishnu, Parashurama , challenged Rama to combat, on the condition that he was able to string the bow of Vishnu, Sharanga . When Rama obliged him with success, Parashurama acknowledged the former to be
4104-476: The ground finds the box enclosing the baby whom he rears as Seeta. Time passes, and Vishvamitra arrives and seeks to send Rama & Lakshmana for the protection of his Yaga. Soon, he endorses them with powerful armaments which destroy Tataki & Marichasubhahulu and accomplishes the Yaga. Just as Janaka is announced Swayamvaram of Seeta when Viswamitra proceeds to Mithila with Rama & Lakshmana. Amid, Rama transforms
4180-562: The inhabitants of the city, and ascended to heaven. The location where they ascended is Gopratara Tirtha , according to the Mahabharata . Ayodhya was subsequently repopulated by king Rishabha. Several other literary works based on the story of Rama also mention Ayodhya. These include the Abhisheka and Pratimanataka by the poet Bhāsa (dated 2nd century CE or earlier), and the Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa (c. 5th century CE). According to
4256-471: The king and the land. Sita is a personification of Earth's fertility, abundance, and well-being. In the Ramcharitmanas , Tulsidas called Sita the regulator of the universe and added, "I bow to Sita, the beloved consort of Sri Rama, who is responsible for the creation, sustenance, and dissolution (of the universe), removes afflictions and begets all blessings." — Balkand, Manglacharan, Shloka 5 Sita
4332-453: The king of "Saketa-nagara". However, this verse was fabricated by a Brahmin of Lucknow : it is not found in the original Ramayana text. A local oral tradition of Ayodhya, first recorded in writing by Robert Montgomery Martin in 1838, mentions that the city was deserted after the death of Rama's descendant Brihadbala . It remained deserted for several centuries until King Vikrama (or Vikramaditya) of Ujjain came searching for it. On
4408-455: The kingdom's dignity, Rama sends Sita into the forest near the sage Valmiki 's ashram. Years later, Sita returns to the womb of her mother, the Earth, for release from a cruel world and as a testimony of her purity, after she reunites her two sons Kusha and Lava with their father Rama. The goddess is best known by the name "Sita", derived from the Sanskrit word sīta , furrow . According to Ramayana , Janaka found her while ploughing as
4484-404: The legendary Ramayana . According to Hans T. Bakker 's analysis, the Sanskrit sources that mention Ayodhya but not Saketa are predominantly fictional in nature: these texts include Mahabharata , Ramayana , and Purana-pancha-lakshana . On the other hand, the Sanskrit sources that mention Saketa but not Ayodhya are of "semi-scientific or factual nature". The Buddhist Pali-language texts name
4560-517: The legendary Ayodhya and the present-day Ayodhya, as he lived in the Gupta period (c. 5th century CE), presumably after the Guptas had changed the name of Saketa to "Ayodhya". The rise of the modern Ayodhya town as a centre of Rama worship is relatively recent, dating back to the 13th century, when the Ramanandi sect started gaining prominence. Several inscriptions dated between 5th and 8th centuries mention
4636-491: The legendary Ayodhya of Ramayana is a purely mythical city, and is not same as the present-day Ayodhya. These scholars include M. C. Joshi , Hans T. Bakker , and a group of 25 historians from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), among others. According to these scholars, the process of identifying the legendary Ayodhya with Saketa (an ancient name of present-day Ayodhya) began in the early centuries CE, and
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#17329094099894712-428: The modern town a religious sanctity that it originally lacked. These historians theorize that the 5th century emperor Skandagupta (who adopted the title Vikramditya) moved his residence to Saketa, and renamed it to Ayodhya, probably to associate himself with the legendary solar dynasty . According to Bakker, the Guptas moved their capital to Saketa either during the reign of Kumaragupta I or Skandagupta, and this event
4788-399: 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
4864-532: The older parts of Mahabharata and Purana-pancha-lakshana mention Ayodhya as the capital of the Ikshvaku kings, but do not state that it was situated on the banks of the Sarayu river. The older parts of Ramayana only suggest that it was located in the vicinity of the Sarayu river. For example, Ramayana 2.70.19 states that the funeral processions of Dasharatha traveled from the city to Sarayu using palanquins and chariots, which according to Bakker, suggests that Sarayu
4940-487: The play, Vishwamitra invites Janaka to attend his sacrifice, but he sends his brother Kushadhvaja and daughters Sita and Urmila, as his delegates. This is the place, where Rama and Sita met for the first time. By the end of the act, Kushadhvaja and Vishwamitra decide to marry Sita and Urmila to Rama and Lakshamana. Saptakanda Ramayana written by Madhava Kandali is a version of Ramayana known for its non-heroic portrayal of Rama, Sita, and other characters, which rendered
5016-400: The summit, when all the creators bow before Vishnu one that gives assurance of salvation to eliminate the monster. Meanwhile, Lakshmi takes birth as Vedavati . At one juncture, Ravana lusts for her when she immediately sacrifices with a curse to be reborn as a cause for the destruction of his dynasty. Following, she takes birth in Lanka which appalls Mandodari . So, she discards the baby in
5092-406: The town, but do not mention its association with Rama. The writings of Xuanzang (c. 602–664 CE) associate the town with Buddhism. It has also been an important Jain pilgrimage centre, and an ancient Jain figure (dated 4th-3rd century BCE) has been found here. The 11th century texts refer to Gopataru tirtha in Ayodhya, but do not refer to the birthplace of Rama. Bakker notes that the legend of Rama
5168-400: The way of life called Hinduism . Sita is traditionally wedded: the dedicated and virtuous wife of Rama , an introspective temperate paragon of a serious, virtuous man. Radha is a power potency of Krishna , who is a playful adventurer. Sita and Radha offer two templates within the Hindu tradition. If "Sita is a queen, aware of her social responsibilities", states Pauwels, then "Radha
5244-720: The word ayodhya in this context is not a proper noun (the name of a city), but an adjective, meaning "impregnable". The verse describes the human body ( pur ) as having eight chakras and nine orifices : aṣṭācakrā navadvārā devānāṃ pūrayodhyā tasyāṃ hiraṇyayaḥkośaḥ svargo jyotiṣāvṛtaḥ Eight-wheeled, nine-doored, is the impregnable stronghold of the gods; in that is a golden vessel, heaven-going (swarga), covered with light Lal points out that two cognate forms ayodhyena and ayodhyaḥ appear in Atharvaveda 19.13.3 and 19.13.7 respectively, in similar sense of "invincible". The 14th century commentator Sayana also confirms this meaning of
5320-539: The work unsuitable for religious purposes. Sita in Hinduism , is revered as the goddess of beauty and devotion. She is mostly depicted along with her husband Rama and is shakti or prakriti of Rama, as told in the Ram Raksha Stotram . Mithila art , that originated at Sita's birthplace depicts Sita and Rama's marriage ceremony through the paintings. In Rama and Sita's temple, she is always placed on Rama's right, with
5396-412: Was "no pusillanimous Rama who would take his wife back after she had lived in the house of another man". The common folk started gossiping about Sita and questioned Ram's decision to make her queen. Rama was extremely distraught on hearing the news, but finally told Lakshmana that as a king, he had to make his citizens pleased and the purity of the queen of Ayodhya has to be above any gossip and rumour. With
5472-441: Was completed during the Gupta period . The various arguments made in favour of identifying the legendary Ayodhya as a fictional city include the following: The JNU historians argue that according to the archaeological evidence, the earliest possible settlements at Ayodhya can be dated to c. 8th century BCE, while the Ramayana is set much earlier. The Ramayana depicts Ayodhya as an urban centre with palaces and buildings, while
5548-422: 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. 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. Sita was finally rescued by Rama, who waged
5624-424: Was located at some distance from the city. According to Bakker, only the newer (5th century and later) parts of Ramayana explicitly describe Ayodhya as located on the banks of the Sarayu river. The JNU historians agree that an ancient historical city called "Ayodhya" (Pali: Ayojjha or Ayujjha ) existed, but argue that it was not same as the modern Ayodhya, or the legendary city described in the Ramayana. This theory
5700-561: Was not always connected with Ayodhya: for example, the Buddhist Dasaratha-jataka mentions Varanasi, not Ayodhya, as the capital of Dasharatha and Rama. Thus, the association of Rama with Ayodhya may be a result the claim that he was a member of the Ikshvaku family, and this family's association with Ayodhya. According to M. C. Joshi , "a critical examination of the geographical data available in Valmiki's narratives does not justify
5776-466: Was young. The birds were talking about a story of Sri Ram heard in Valmiki 's 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 them go, but Sita only allowed her male companion to fly away, and the female parrot died because of the separation from her companion. As a result, the male bird cursed Sita that she would suffer
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