Seeta's Exile

Raam and Seeta are the hero and heroine of Raamaayan. Who does not know them? And this is also very well known that She went to forest twice.

The first time She went with Raam when Raam was exiled for 14 years at the time of His coronation ceremony. When She insisted to go to forest with Him, Raam explained Her a lot to stay at home because of the difficulties of forest and to take care of the grieved parents, but Seetaa said - "Paraadheen Sapanehu Sukh Naaheen...." I cannot live without you so I will follow you only." And She went with Him.

The second time She was especially sent to forest by the same husband Raam who first time asked Her not to accompany Him, the Lord of Tri-Lok, because of the difficulties of the forest. Who could dare to harm Her even a bit when the Lord of Tri-Lok was with Her? When a small crow tried to, then Raam released His arrow which followed him up to the limits of the Tri-Lok and on Naarad Jee's advice he had to ask His forgiveness - "Raakhi na sakahi Koi Raam ko drohee...". After forgiving him He pierced his one eye, so that till today all crows can see only from one eye.

And the same Seetaa was abducted in the forest by Raakshas Raaj Raavan even when two great warriors were there to protect Her. It is shame for those to so called great warriors who could not protect a helpless woman. It took one whole year to recover Her from that Raakshas.

Such Seetaa was exiled again, second time, and that also alone, without telling Her that "you are being sent to forest to be left there alone." and in the condition when all women are taken special care.

Lakshman told Her this only when he reached the point where he was ordered Her to leave - in the wilderness, and wanted to come back to Ayodhyaa. He started crying and requested Her not to blame him for this action.

She could not even guess as why She was left there, so She asked - "Lakshman, Why do you cry so much?" Then only Lakshman tells Her the orders of Raam. Poor Seetaa gets unconscious. When She gathers Herself She Herself tells Lakshman to go back to Ayodhyaa and wishes that no defame should come to Raam because of Her.

Now why do I recall these two sensitive incidents of Seetaa's life? Because both incidents occurred just because of two very low level people - first time it was a maid-servant and second time it was a launderer.

It is really an irony that such low people decided the fate of a royal family.
The other irony is that
(1) first time when Seetaa wanted to accompany Raam, He was trying to stop Her to accompany Him;
(2) while second time Seetaa needed full love, affection and care of Raam, He Himself sent Her to forest without telling Her.
(3) She was left alone to struggle with Her circumstances.
Why?

When first time Seetaa was asked to take a test (Agni Pareekshaa), She took it, but when She was asked the same thing second time - to prove Herself pure, She broke and went where She came from. How many times She had to pass the purity test for others?
Is this the fate of a Satee woman?


Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com