Goddess Sita MATA

Goddess Sita is one of the kindly benevolent Goddesses that one encounters in Hinduism. Though she appears in the Ramayana as the consort of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, she is known very well in her own right, for her own virtuous qualities.

Goddess Sita is regarded as the daughter of ‘Bhudevi’ or Mother Earth since she arose from the earth and was found in a plough field. The king of Mithila, Janaka was overjoyed to find a baby in his field and brought her up with great love and care. One of her names is therefore Janaki. This Goddess is taken to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. Goddess Sita is worshipped for her ideal womanly virtues and she stands before all Hindu women as a model of wifely attributes. Though she was subjected to intense suffering in her life, she always bore it with a cheerful countenance and this is what her followers are supposed to inculcate from her. At a swayamwara, conducted to help her choose her husband, Lord Rama proved his skill and courage and was wedded to her.
Goddess Sita represents a perfect example of loyalty, who left the comforts of a palace life to accompany her husband, Lord Rama in the forest when he was banished there. During this period of exile, this graceful deity was also abducted by the demon king, Ravana and imprisoned within his palace walls at Lanka. Even at such a trying time she displayed a lot of patience, courage and fortitude. Though Ravana made advances at her, during her year long term of imprisonment, Sita maintained her honor and chastity.

Finally, when she was rescued by Lord Rama, Goddess Sita proved her purity to him by undergoing a test of fire. Versions differ on this, with some accounts stating that she jumped into the fire and others stating that she chose to undergo this test to purify herself. The Goddess was forced into exile another time when her chastity was questioned by the people of Ajodhya. At this point of time she was pregnant. Thankfully, the sage Valmiki gave her shelter and she soon delivered twin boys, Luv and Kush. Eventually the sons were reunited with their father. Finally, when Goddess Sita was free of her responsibilities, she sought refuge in the arms of Mother Earth to relieve herself from the cycle of pain and suffering. As a daughter, wife and a mother, Goddess Sita fulfilled all her roles with great dedication and sincerity. She showed the inherent strength present in a woman who refuses to compromise on her ideals while behaving with the utmost grace. She is worshipped in various parts of India along with Lord Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman.