World of Philosophy

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

Page 168

lived in Ravana's abode for a long time. So her decision to enter the fire was justified. This time Rama asked her to take an oath of he purity just to please the people who never knew what the purity was, it was a sheer mockery. It must have been impossible for Sita to forgive Rama for such atrocity. Sita, though very independent in thought, was a silent person. She lived through her decision. It was the final stroke of silent lightening.
Story of Sita is incomplete if one does not know what happened to Rama afterwards. Rama was thunderstruck by this sudden happening. He was more enraged than sad. He got up and threatened the earth to split it to retrieve Sita. It was hard for him to take this gross insubordination from the woman who was object of his mercy. Rama lived on to comprehend the greatness of Sita and enormity of his own injustice. This is the version of Valmiki Ramayana. There are many other versions of Ramayana which have tried to soften the harsh corners of original story told by Valmiki. Only Valmiki Ramayana is taken up for the study.
Bibliography 1. Shrimadvalmikiramayanam, ed.Shivaramasharma Vashishtha,
Chowkhamba Vedyabhavan, Varanasi, 1957. 2. Shrimad Valmiki Ramayana, with English Translation, volume I & II, Gita
Press, Gorakhpur, 1998. 3. Ramayana, Rajagopalachari
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