Many of us must still be mystified with the episode in Raam’s life story where he is shown to be deserting his wife Seeta. It is shown that he did that in order to fulfil his duty as a king; after his subjects object to his acceptance of Seeta who lived in the captivity of a Rakshasa for a long period. So far, I myself have kept the opinion which justified it; given that Ram was people’s king and maintained highest level of morality without thinking twice before making personal sacrifices himself. But now that I read C. Rajgopalachari’s Ramayana which builds on original Valmiki Ramayana but also has parallel from Tulsi and Kamban; I think I should change my opinion. Here is what he writes in the Epilogue of Ramayana:
Did Seeta’s Exile really Happen?
“I have followed the story of the Price of Ayodhya as told by Vaalmeeki. There was a legend current among people, I think even before Vaalmeeki’s time, that after recovering Seeta, for fear of scandal, Raama sent her away to live in the forest.
This pathetic episode must have sprung from the sorrow-laden imagination of our women. It has taken shape as the Uttarkaanda of Raamaayana. Although there is beauty in the Uttarakanda, I must say my heart rebels against it. Vaalmeeki had disposed of this old legend through the fire ordeal in the battle-field. Even that ordeal does not seem to me as consistent with Raama’s character. It is painful to read it.
As the Prince returned from Mithila he met Parasuraama. I have heard it say that with that meeting Parasuraama’s avataar came to an end. Likewise, it should be held, I think, that Raama’s avataar came to an end with the slaying of Raavana. After that battle, Raama remained only as a King of Ikshvaaku race.
On this theory, Raama’s treatment of Seeta after the battle and in the Uttarkanda can be explained simply as the behaviour of a king in accordance with the customs of the times.
But, how can we comment on a work composed thousands of years ago and coming down to us in palm-leaf manuscripts subject to corruption? If, even after the fire ordeal in the Yuddhakanda, it is said in the Uttarkanda that Seeta was sent to the forest, we may take it that it mirrors the voiceless and endless suffering of our womenfolk. Sorrow and joy and both alike the play of God. God himself took with him his divine spouse, the embodiment of men and women, and enacted with her a great drama of joy and sorrow in the Raamayana.
Rain falling from the heavens flows into the rivers and flows down to join the sea. Again from the sea the water is sucked up by the sun and rises to the sky, whence it descends again as rain and flows down as rivers. Even so, feelings and values rise from the people and, touching the poet’s heart, are transformed into a poem which, in turn, enlightens and inspires the people. Thus in every land the poets and their people continuously reinforce each other. The tenderness and purity and the untold sufferings of women took shape as the Uttara Raamayana. Like an unflickering lamp, it throws light on the quality of their hearts. Whether the epics and songs of a nation spring from the faith and ideas of the common folk, or whether a nation’s faith and ideas are produced by its literature is a question which one is free to answer as one likes. Does a plant spring from the seed or does seed issue from the plant? Was the bird or the egg the first cause? Did clouds rise from the sea or was the sea filled by the waters from the sky? All such inquiries take us to the feet of God transcending speech and thought.
(C. Rajgopalachari; Ramayana; Epilogue; P475-476)
- Rahul
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