Reading Notes: Tiny Tales from the Ramayana Part D

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“Vibhishana Fetches Sita”
  • Summary:
    • Vibhishana goes to the grove to bring Sita to Rama. She had to clean herself up so that she was presentable for him. When Rama and Sita met once again, Rama was torn between feeling relief and love for Sita and feeling shame and embarrassment at the idea of everyone knowing she had been in another man’s house for so long. Rama told her that he killed Ravana to avenge his honor - rather than avenging Sita - and now that Sita is safe, she can go wherever she pleases.
“Sita Rebukes Rama”
  • Summary:
    • Sita was upset with what Rama said to her, since he was more concerned with his own honor and reputation than Sita. Even though she was kidnapped and held against her will, Sita was still faithful to Rama. To prove her faithfulness, she walked in a fire; the fire god Agni would protect her from burning if she had remained faithful. Agni brought Sita from the fire, unscathed, proving that she remained loyal to Rama. It was only then that Rama welcomed her with open arms.
“Rama Makes a Decision”
  • Summary:
    • The people of Ayodhya gossiped about Sita, doubting that she remained faithful to Rama while in Ravana’s kingdom. The things that people were saying about Sita bothered Rama, so he ordered Lakshmana to take Sita to the forest ashram and leave her there. And, Lakshmana could not speak of Sita ever again either. She was to be erased from Rama’s life.
To say reading these tales infuriated me would be an understatement. The way Rama treated Sita, doubting and belittling her time and time again, and the way the townspeople’s rumors had more influence over Rama’s opinion of Sita than Sita’s test of faithfulness backed the by gods were so unpleasant to read. This was the point where I began to find Rama unlikeable, and I lost respect for him. He and Ravana are now on the same level in terms of likability for me. Sita proved she had remained loyal twice and was still unable to spend her life with Rama. She was severely mistreated by him, and she deserved better.

Sita's Fire Test: Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs, Part D
                        Page 17, Tales 166 and 167; Page 19, Tale 181

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