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THE REJECTION OF SĪTĀ IN RĀMĀYANA BASED PLAYS
(up to 17th Century)
Chitra P
Shukla
Valmiki was a contemporary of Rama and he depicted the life of Rāma as he interpreted. Though the form selected by Valmiki was a narrative epic, Rama's life proved very effective for a drama, because conflict, external or internal, is the essence of drama. The concept of Sanskrit drama demands that the plot should be well known and the hero should be noble. The conflict between love and duty in Rāma's life was well known, and it gave a sweet and pathetic dignity to Rāma. Råmacarita provided plots for the sentiments of Vira and Srngära to Sanskrit dramatists. We will examine Sitā's tyäga.
Sita is rejected thrice in the Rāmāyana : in Lanka, in Ayodhya and in the presence of all the people at the time of the Horse Sacrifice. Rāma, though very anxious, rejects Sita, when she is seen for the first time after his victory over Lanka He experiences mixed feelings of joy, nervousness and anger. Rāma is very harsh towards her and says :
प्राप्त चारित्रसन्देहा मम प्रतिमुखे स्थित।। दीपो नेत्रातुरस्येव प्रतिकूलासि मे दृढम् ।। १७ ।। तद् गच्छ ह्यभ्यनुज्ञाता यथेष्ट जनकात्मजे । एषा दश दिशो भद्रे कार्यमस्ति न मे त्वया ॥ १८॥ के युवान् हि कुले जातः लिय परमहोषिताम् । तेजस्वी पुनरादद्यात्सुहल्लेखेन चेतसा ॥१९॥ रावणाग्भ्रिष्टा दृष्टा दुटेन चक्षुषा । कथं त्वां पुनरादा कुल व्यपदिशन्महतू ।। २०॥ नहि त्वां रावणी दृष्ट्वा दिव्यरूपा मनोहराम् । मर्षयेत चिर सीते स्वगृहे परिवतिनीम् ॥ २४ ॥
( रामायण 6-103 p. 767-768)
You, with your character open for criticism, have come to me. I lislike you just as a lamp is disliked by a person with eye disease. So,
- - . The Valmiki-Ramayana Critical Edition (Vol. VI) Yuddhakanda, Oriental Institute, Baroda (India) 1971
