Was Agnipariksha of Sita necessary?

[sravna]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Email Share Link

Agnipariksha of Sita was purportedly done to prove the purity of Sita. The question did Rama do it to convince Himself or to convince the public? The capital H in Himself points to the fact that Rama is all knowledgeable and doesn't have to convince Himself. If he had to convince the public is He not putting Sita to humiliation?

My solution is He should not have subject Sita to such an ordeal even if it was to convince the public. But Rama being omniscient, it was done for a purpose. The story of divinities doesn't end with one Avatar. They are interlinked and form a continuum.

So if Sita was subject to that ordeal there should be a balancing event that sets the event of Agnipariksha right. Only when we see the whole we get the truth. Agnipariksha I believe is only one side of the story. The rest is to follow.

But why should divinities project something not correct and set a wrong model.? Because it is to hide the truth and then present it later for maxim impact. That I believe is one of the tricks divinities frequently use to do something in a telling way

Renuka and others, what do you think?

 

[renuka]

Agnipariksha of Sita was purportedly done to prove the purity of Sita. The question did Rama do it to convince Himself or to convince the public? The capital H in Himself points to the fact that Rama is all knowledgeable and doesn't have to convince Himself. If he had to convince the public is He not putting Sita to humiliation?

My solution is He should not have subject Sita to such an ordeal even if it was to convince the public. But Rama being omniscient, it was done for a purpose. The story of divinities doesn't end with one Avatar. They are interlinked and form a continuum.

So if Sita was subject to that ordeal there should be a balancing event that sets the event of Agnipariksha right. Only when we see the whole we get the truth. Agnipariksha I believe is only one side of the story. The rest is to follow.

But why should divinities project something not correct and set a wrong model.? Because it is to hide the truth and then present it later for maxim impact. That I believe is one of the tricks divinities frequently use to do something in a telling way

Renuka and others, what do you think?

Dear Sravna,

If you read the Ramayana, Shree Rama did NOT ask Sita Devi to preform the Agnipariksha.

It was Shree Rama who told Her that She was free to go and was wondering about what could have happened when She was held captive.


Sita is the one who proceeds to prove Her purity by the Agnipariksha.


Now..the only Agnipariksha which Shree Rama asked of Sita is when She comes with Her sons to Ayodhya.

That she refuses flat and enters the Earth.

Tell me..when did Sita actually be all coy and submissive?
She always had a mind of her own.

Rama told Her to stay back in Ayodhya and not follow Him to the forest, she did not listen to Him.
Lakshmana told Her not to cross the Lakshman Rekha she didnt follow it too.
Hanuman told Her he will rescue Her..she said No.

She never took orders from anyone.
So honestly most of us miss the fact that She is a force of nature Herself and has an independent existence.

Coming to your question.
Well the Esoteric Adhyatma Ramayana says that the real Sita had entered Fire and it was the Maya Sita that was kidnapped by Ravana.

So for the real Sita to come out again..the Maya Sita needs to enter the fire on Her own accord..hence it was Her decision..in goes Maya Sita and out comes the real Sita...also there is a possibility when one is under the effect of Maya, one forgets their true nature..Maya Sita could have " forgotten" Her true self and Rama had to " doubt" Her to remind Her to get back Her true form.
Remember the story of Indra who gets cursed to become a pig and enjoys his pig life and has to reminded to become Indra again?

Remember Adi Shankara when he was in the Kings body also got carried away and his shishyas had to remind him too to get back to his real body.

Maya makes us forget.

Coming back to the story.. when Rama asks Her to do Agnipariksha at the court..She refuses because there is no need for Maya Sita to re emerge as it was time for Her mission to end.
Hence She said no and entered Earth.


At a human level, if a husband doubts his wife its not fair especially if the wife is a spotless charactered person...but again here its important to note that I am using 2022 logic to write this.


Back in Treta Yuga values differed..public opinion was important especially for a King..if a King's wife was of a questionable character the subjects might not respect him.
But at the same time a king having a harem and having out of the wedlock liasion isnt seen as bad character.

 

[sravna]

Nice explanation Renuka. I especially liked your argument that Sits was not a coy or submissive woman but is totally independent. I would say Sita and Hanuman are the most powerful characters in Ramayana. Even Rama takes a back seat when compared to them.

Thank you Renuka.