World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 161

his deed. She even describes Rama's valour. She predicts his destruction. Here, her fearlessness is worth noting. She is surrounded by frightening ogresses. Their terrible king Ravana - with all his paraphernalia- is trying to frighten her. Sita is on his territory without an ally. She has firm faith that Rama will come for her rescue.
Hanuman finds Sita sitting alone in the Ashoka garden guarded by terrible ogresses. Hanuman saw two wonderful facets of Sita. He witnessed Ravana coming to Ashoka garden and trying to intimidate Sita to enter in his harem. Ravana even threatened her that if she did not comply with his wishes he would eat her for breakfast killing her in his kitchen and drink her blood after two months (Feat STRZİ TARZİYa rhiftoria 19 I MIRTOHICTY HET I fara a fi gyfa1977 Afad i fer reft her da Il Suk.22.9: 58.69). Sita, though, extremely unhappy did not listen to him. She rebuked him with strong words. She called him 'basest among the demons' (TTTTTTT), and said, 'what was his braveness that he abducted her in the absence of her husband'? Further she said that, he was not even fit to become her husband's servant (fon frage Car H ift II SuK, 58.72,73). Though alone,
a ray of hope emerges in this bleak night. Hanuman finds her in the Ashok garden. He witnesses the episode of Ravana. He attracts her attention by singing praise of Rama and Lakshmana. Though, she is overjoyed at heart that at last there is somebody who knows about Rama and her plight. She reasons with herself that it is just another illusion created by her grief stricken mind. But her upbringing in the royal household of king Janaka holds her back from jumping to the conclusion and implicitly trusting an unknown person. She is afraid that it could be another trick of Ravana. She cautiously questions Hanuman that being a monkey how he is connected with Rama. She asks him to describe Rama and Lakshmana in detail. Hanuman even tells about an intimate incident between Rama and Sita. Then Sita comes to believe him. Hanuman then presents Rama's signet ring as token. After all this scrutiny finally she gives him message for Rama and a jewel ornament for her head to be delivered to Rama. Sita weeps and laments only when she remembers Rama and before Hanuman. She is very vocal and expresses her anger when she confronts Ravana. Her softness and weakness is love and it is for her dear ones. She would not exhibit it before Ravana. She is highly self-respecting person. She diplomatically handles all those situations she faces. She steadily examines every aspect logically before coming to conclusion. Her mind is calm compared to the situation and therefore, she exercises presence of mind.
Ravana caught Hanuman. Ravana's attendants put fire to his tail. Hanuman in his enthusiasm of accomplishment of task ignited fire everywhere in Lanka. All the trees and mansions of Lanka are on fire. When Sita saw the blazing fire, she was not worried for herself, but was worried for
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