Sita and Sati as Avenger, Destroyer and Saviour

[Guest guest]

This is from Colins old post and I have compile them so that its

easier for us to follow.

 

Sati :

 

One point I haven't mentioned before... The Kalika Purana says that

when Sati heard about the Daksha yajna, she remembered the terrifying

(ugra) form in which she appeared long before to Brahma and to

Daksha. This form is named in the text as Yoga Nidra, Vishnu Maya and

Kalika. She appeared to them in this form before she began her

incarnation as Daksha's daughter. Back then, she warned Daksha that

her incarnation would end the moment he treated her with disrespect.

 

A question was asked : What do you learn from the 'sati' story?

 

I think that there is more than one meaning or lesson here. How each

of us reads it depends on which character we focus on (Daksha, Shiva,

or Sati herself),I as well as on which version(s) of the story we

look at, and on our own interests and concerns.

 

I'll focus now on Sati herself. To understand what her response to

Daksha's yajna, I think it's necessary to look at where she is coming

from – her life up till that point. And also at where she is

going

to, in her next incarnation as Parvati.

 

In all versions of the story that I know of, Sati's early life is one

of great self-discipline, expressed in fasting, meditation and yogic

austerities. The point of her yoga is not renunciation of all desire,

but attainment of her desire for Shiva. According to the Kalika

Purana, Shiva is originally very averse to the idea of loving of

woman. Sati does win Shiva's love, they marry, and they are very

happy together.

 

(I must say here that I don't find the anecodote from the Ramayana

very

relevant. It may tell us how Shiva and Sati have been seen by

devotees of Rama and Sita. But I am much more interested in how they

have been seen by _their own_ devotees. So I would give much greater

weight to the Shiva Purana and the Kalika Purana.)

 

When Sati gives up her life, it can been seen as a continuation of her

yogic austerity. The Shiva Purana in fact says that she burned her

body to ashes 'by yogic means'. It is a remarkable act, because she

not only

renouncing her own present happiness, she is also taking away (for the

present) the happiness of her beloved husband. Yet when she leaves the

world she is determined to return to it. She is going to come back as

Parvati. Again she will win the love of Lord Shiva. The difference is

that the couple will be fully accepted by Parvati's relatives.

 

The nuclear family, husband and kids, is not all that Sati desires.

She

needs to be part of a harmonious extended family, a community based on

kinship. Daksha's position makes it impossible for her, as Sati, to

realize this aspiration. She will realize it as Parvati.

 

Looked at this way, the great theme of the Sati story is the _power

of resolve_.

 

There are different versions of the Shiva Sati story. For instance,

the

version in the Kalika Purana has several differences from the version

in the Shiva Purana.

 

In the Shiva Purana (which I read some time ago) Sati goes to the

Daksha's ritual and immolates herself in the sacrificial fire because

she is offended by Daksha insult to Shiva. Shiva punishes Daksha, but

remains calm, and doesn't carry around Sati's body.

 

In the Kalika Purana (which I'm studying right now) Sati doesn't in

fact go to Daksha's ritual. Her spirit leaves her body straight after

she hears that her father has organized a ritual without inviting her

and her husband. Her body doesn't go into a fire, so it's there for

Shiva to pick up and carry about.

 

In the Kalika Purana version, Sati's reason for leaving her body is

somewhat different.

 

The event is foreshadowed even before Sati is born. Daksha worships

the

Goddess, she appears before him, and he entreats her to incarnate as

his daughter. The Goddess replies that she will grant his request.

However she also warns him that if he ever treats her with

disrespect, then she will end her incarnation at once, whether her

life at the time is happy or not.

 

It isn't a matter of a wife upholding the glory of her husband, but

of the Goddess manifesting her own glory.

 

 

 

Sita : [ from the Adbhuta Ramayana ]

 

The word "adbhuta" means "astonishing". What is astonishing about this

version of the story of Rama?

 

The first astonishing thing is that Rama, the greatest of heroes,

meets a demon who is too strong for him. He gets an arrow in the

chest, and falls as if dead.

 

The second astonishing thing is that after this happens, gentle Sita

becomes wrathful Kali. She kills the demon who shot Rama, makes a

necklace of his heads, and then begins the world-shattering dance

I've already mentioned. She is still referred to as Sita and Janaki

(as well as Kali } while she is doing all this.

 

At first sight, such behavior might seem utterly contrary to Sita's

character as the loving consort. But, it is actually _because_ she

loves her man so much that she discover the power of her anger when

he appears to die. When the gods politely ask her to stop destroying,

she says:

 

tasminnevam sthite devaah kam icchami jagaddhitam

graasam ekam karisyaami jagad etac caraacaram

 

While he remains like this, gods, how can I desire the welfare of the

world?

I will make a single meal of this moving and still world.

 

(The above is my own translation. Nagar's translation of this verse is

bowdlerized -- apparently he thinks the concept of a goddess

devouring the world will upset some readers!)

 

The gods finally pacify Sita by bringing Rama back to life. Rama

learns

that Sita is Mahesvari, who is also Mahesvara; and that he himself is

Mahesvara also, for he and his Goddess are one.