Lord Hanuman was dispatched by Lord Ram to Goddess Sita to inform her of her husband’s victory following the demon Ravan’s defeat. Goddess Sita stated that she wanted to meet her husband when Lord Hanuman went to tell her.After learning of this, Lord Hanuman informed Lord Ram. Sita discovered her husband was not content; rather, he was furious when she arrived to meet him in a palanquin. “You can go wherever you want to go; my feelings for you aren’t the same as they were before,” he added. Sita experienced a sense of total disarray.She said, “O Lakshman! lit a pyre for me. I won’t be burned by this fire if I am pure. Lakshman followed instructions with a sorrowful heart. Sita went into the pyre and emerged unharmed by the flames. Ram then said, “Oh, dear Site! I had to do this even though I always knew you were pure and that people would never doubt your chastisement in the future. Please pardon me.
Let us delve into the emotional state of Lord Ram upon learning of his wife’s disappearance. When both brothers returned to their hut and found Sita missing, Lord Ram was overcome with profound distress. He fervently sought Sita’s whereabouts from every element of nature he encountered – trees, rivers, and animals. His anguish was so intense that he would often faint at the mere thought of her absence. On one occasion, Sugriva had to console him, recounting his own separation from his wife and his patient wait for her return. Sugriva’s words of encouragement urged Lord Ram to exhibit fortitude and resilience in the face of adversity. This poignant narrative underscores the depth of Lord Ram’s love and devotion towards his wife.
The prevalent narrative found in scriptures such as the Ramcharitmanas and various puranas suggests that the abducted Sita may have been a representation or a shadow of the real Sita, known as Chhaya Sita. This concept is alluded to in the verses of the Ramcharitmanas.
सुनि प्रभु बचन भालु कपि हरषे । नभ ते सुरन्ह सुमन बहु बरषे॥
सीता प्रथम अनल महुँ राखी। प्रगट कीन्हि चह अंतर साखी॥
दो०–तेहि कारन करुनानिधि कहे कछुक दुर्बाद।
सुनत जातुधानीं सब लागीं करै बिषाद॥
Which means:
(When lord Ram asked to bring Sita)
The bears and monkeys were filled with joy upon hearing the divine words. In response, a cascade of flowers descended from the heavens, a gesture from the gods above.
Initially, Sita was placed into the fire, and now the inner divine witness seeks to unveil the truth.
That’s why Lord Ram, the storehouse of compassion, said some harsh words to Leela, hearing which all the demons started feeling sad.
After trail by fire happened :
श्रीखंड सम पावक प्रबेस कियो सुमिरि प्रभु मैथिली ।
जय कोसलेस महेस बंदित चरन रति अति निर्मली॥
प्रतिबिंब अरु लौकिक कलंक प्रचंड पावक महुँ जरे।
प्रभु चरित काहुँन लखे नभ सुर सिद्ध मुनि देखहिं खरे॥
Reflecting on Lord Shri Ram and expressing reverence to Kosalpati, whose feet are venerated by Mahadevji and who holds a deep affection for Sitaji.
Janakiji gracefully entered the pyre, exuding a calming presence akin to sandalwood. In that moment, the reflection of Sitaji and her temporal stigma were consumed by an intense blaze.
These divine attributes of God remained hidden from ordinary perception, observed only by celestial beings, enlightened souls, and sages who stood witness in the heavens.
Upon observing the highlighted sentence stating, “reflection of Sitaji and her temporal stigma were consumed by an intense blaze,” it becomes evident that doubts regarding Sita’s purity might have arisen, prompting Lord Ram to take drastic measures to silence those casting aspersions on his wife. In Sage Valmiki’s rendition of the Ramayana, it is noted that following the trial by fire, Lord Ram expressed, “I am aware of your purity, yet I needed to establish your purity in the eyes of others.”
At times, individuals must make difficult decisions to silence dissent, as exemplified by Lord Ram’s actions to quell those who doubted his wife’s character.