Chapter 119 - Sita undergoes the Ordeal by Fire

[Full title: Sita’s Lamentations; She undergoes the Ordeal by Fire].

Hearing these harsh words from the wrathful Raghava, causing her to tremble, those fearful utterances, which till that time had never been heard by her and were now addressed to her by her lord in the presence of a great multitude, Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, overwhelmed with shame, pierced to the heart by that arrow-like speech, shed abundant tears. Thereafter, wiping her face, she addressed her husband in gentle and faltering accents, saying:—

“Why dost you address such words to me, O Hero, as a common man addresses an ordinary woman? I swear to you, O Long-armed Warrior, that my conduct is worthy of your respect! It is the behaviour of other women that has filled you with distrust! Relinquish your doubts since I am known to you! If my limbs came in contact with another’s, it was against my will, O Lord, and not through any inclination on my part; it was brought about by fate. That which is under my control, my heart, has ever remained faithful to you; my body was at the mercy of another; not being mistress of the situation, what could I do? If despite the proofs of love that I gave you whilst I lived with you, I am still a stranger to you, O Proud Prince, my loss is irrevocable!

“When, in Lanka, you didst dispatch the great warrior Hanuman to seek me out, why didst you not repudiate me then? As soon as I had received the tidings that I had been abandoned by you, I should have yielded up my life in the presence of that monkey, O Hero! Then you wouldst have been spared useless fatigue on mine account and others lives would not have been sacrificed, nor thine innumerable friends exhausted to no purpose. But you, O Lion among Men, by giving way to wrath and by thus passing premature judgement on a woman, hast acted like a worthless man.

“I have received my name from Janaka, but my birth was from the earth and you have failed to appreciate fully the nobility of my conduct, O You who are well acquainted with the nature of others. You have had no reverence for the joining of our hands in my girlhood and mine affectionate nature, all these things hast you cast behind you!”

Having spoken thus to Rama, weeping the while, her voice strangled with sobs, Sita addressed the unfortunate Lakshmana, who was overwhelmed with grief, saying:—

“Raise a pyre for me, O Saumitri, this is the only remedy for my misery! These unjust reproaches have destroyed me, I cannot go on living! Publicly renounced by mine husband, who is insensible to my virtue, there is only one redress for me, to undergo the ordeal by fire!”

Hearing Vaidehi’s words, Lakshmana, the slayer of hostile warriors, a prey to indignation, consulted Raghava with his glance and by Rama’s gestures he understood what was in his heart, whereupon the valiant Saumitri, following his indications, prepared the pyre.

None amongst his friends dared to appeal to Rama, who resembled Death himself, the Destroyer of Time; none dared to speak or even to look upon him.

Thereafter Vaidehi, having circumambulated Rama, who stood with his head bowed, approached the blazing fire and, paying obeisance to the Celestials and brahmins, Maithili, with joined palms, standing before the flames, spoke thus:—

“As my heart has never ceased to be true to Raghava, do you, O Witness of all Beings, grant me your protection! Aslam pure in conduct, though Rama looks on me as sullied, do you, O Witness of the Worlds, grant me full protection!”

With these words, Vaidehi circumambulated the pyre and with a fearless heart entered the flames.

And a great multitude were assembled there, amongst which were many children and aged people 'who witnessed Maithili entering the fire. And, resembling gold that has been melted in the crucible, she threw herself into the blazing flames in the presence of all. That large-eyed lady, entering the fire, who is the Bearer of Sacrificial Offerings, appeared to those who watched her to resemble a golden altar. That fortunate princess entering the fire, which is nourished by oblations, seemed, in the eyes of the Rishis, Devas and Gandharvas, to resemble a sacrificial offering.

Then all the women cried out:—‘Alas!’ on seeing her, like a stream of butter hallowed by the recitation of mantras, fall into the flames, and she appeared to the Three Worlds, the Gods, the Gandharvas and the Danavas like a goddess smitten by a curse and cast down from heaven into hell. Then, as she entered the flames, a great and terrible cry rose from the titans and the monkeys.