ETHICS OF ABANDONMENT OF SITA

ETHICS OF ABANDONMENT OF SITA

The same Rama who makes a confession that he only wanted to prove to the purity of Sita does another ethical injustice to her, this time to silence his critics and avoid his image being tarnished. It takes place when apparently the miserable days of Sita were over. Being keen on knowing what people think of his rule from his spy Bhadra, Rama gets shocking information which makes his head hang in shame. Suddenly he realises that his ethical image is being shattered. Bhadra reports, “Everywhere people are talking about her conduct of Rama who accepted Sita back although she was on the lap of Ravana while he abducted her.” Rama finds himself too humiliated to withstand the insult. He reacts immediately and dissolves the assembly. He has to set his image right or to suffer moral censure. When he summons all his brothers, it is clear that he is determined to do something. His solemn voice renders all his brothers voiceless when he says,’I may give up my life of give up all of you when I am scared of the scandal among our people, then what to speak about Sita?’ His mind is perturbed that he had to abandon Sita about whom he says,

‘’My inner soul knows that Sita is sinless.’’

Rama cannot bear the psychological stress anymore and orders Lakshmana to take Sita the next day itself to the banks of Ganga. He does not want Lakshmana to ponder over the desirability of his action.

Sita summons all her courage to withstand the sudden vacuum created in her life by Rama’s decision. True to Indian tradition, she spells out her devotion to Rama: Husband indeed is God to woman. Sita has surrendered her individuality to Rama and her ego never manifests anytime.Her devotion to Rama remains unchanged until her end. While entering into the Ratsala, leaving the mortal world, she prays,”Let me think of Rama only and always. Let me worship Rama in my body, mind and deed.”Sita consider her abandonment as duty to save her husband from any disrepute ans safeguaed of her husband, Rama.