‘Sita is a delicate balance of strength and serenity’

By Ranjini Govind

Your story emphasizes on the emotion of love. Rama combing Sita’s hair, holding her close to his chest -- the expressions belong to the present world. Your readings of the divine couple are real metaphors for love. Can you explain?

Rama and Sita played their roles as human beings. Their love represented deep wisdom and perpetuity. But a conditioned mind thinks that it is not possible to experience infinity or anything eternal while still being human. This is a result of linear thinking. For example, the water in the river Ganga is ever new, changing every moment, yet the river is ancient and flowing eternally. It is both new and old at the same time. This approach challenges common logic where something can either be old or new, not both. Yet, in reality, opposites co-exist. This is another example I have shared in the book too. You can see the clouds, the rain, the river and where the river merges into the ocean. But you cannot see the water evaporating, isn’t it? If we think that only the seen aspects as real, then we are stuck in linear thinking. When we acknowledge the role of the unseen, then you recognize the cyclic nature of life. This opens your mind to a spherical thinking and the experience of the eternal becomes more tangible.

You are bringing in a newer understanding of the epic where the young can also relate to mind power, for a better relevance...

This Ramayana is happening daily in our lives. I got the clue about Sita from this. What kind of a mind did Sita have? A strong mind! And how does the mind become strong? What are the qualities of a strong mind? How does it perceive and respond to challenging situations? When you see the events of the “Ramayana” through her eyes, then you can understand a little more about her inner strength. This is what I have tried to communicate through my book.

In several retellings there are attempts made to rescue Sita from a role of passivity and show her as empowered. In your story, you have collapsed all the boundaries of the weak versus the strong, male versus female and you have shown Sita as gently empowered already. Can you elaborate on this strength that Sita already possesses? Are you suggesting that there is no need to rescue Sita from any patriarchy -- we only have to understand her correctly?

Yes, we have to understand her in the right perspective. Sita is a delicate balance of strength with serenity, of sensitivity and sensibility, of beauty and brilliance, of courage and compassion, so ethereal yet approachable. The more you know her, you cannot but love her. For me, strength is not just in physical prowess, nor does it lie in just having money, weapons or armies. If you consider just this pandemic, mental health has become the biggest global issue irrespective of muscle or money power. Real strength is a mind that is unfazed by adversities, is untouched by negativity, and is full of confidence and faith. And Sita is the best example of such a mind. She faced every challenge a woman could possibly face in her life and remained unshaken and came out shining.

*There is an advice given by Anasuya to Sita on wifely duties. How are young readers supposed to relate to that kind of advice today?

The advice from our great seers are timeless pearls of wisdom. Mata Anasuya simply points out to the power of a focused mind compared to one that is scattered. When there is focus and commitment, it brings certain power with it. If we think back about the times when we have done something very creative or with perfection, was it when our mind was clear and focused or scattered and distracted? Further the Rishis were dooradarshis -- farsighted. They were aware of Rama’s divine purpose and Sita’s role in it. Perhaps Anasuya foresaw the challenges and fondly told Sita that even if such a situation comes where she has to fend for herself, she should know that she was strong enough. Words carry lots of power. When you say good words, they have a different effect on the mind. And Anasuya’s words were the source of courage for Sita when she had to face Ravana and all his asura hordes by herself in Ashoka Vatika.

We see the intensity of love that Sita had for Rama, and that turned out to be the only prayer she followed towards reaching her path sincerely…

I recently heard a popular folk song in Gujarati which says, “My dear Rama, Ravana was defeated by Ma Sita even before you came with your army to fight him.” What does this mean? Even though Sita was alone amidst the asuras, surrounded by negativity, but she never allowed it to enter her mind. There was no place for anger, anguish or hatred or any bitterness to lodge itself in her mind because it was only filled with Rama. When y