Sita
Lakshmi, in this story, I will tell you about your companion. There is another soul in this universe that complements your soul. Your companion is Vishnu. You two find each other lifetime after lifetime, and love each other deeply when you do. I think it is a story from your life as Sita that shows this most clearly. You see, Vishnu was a young prince when you two met. In this life, he was known as Rama. You both fell in love instantly, and were soon married. However, there was trouble in the kingdom, and he was exiled. You chose to enter exile with him, despite his protestations. His brother, Lakshmana, accompanied you two. It is here that the story truly starts.
A demon happened to be wandering the woods in which you resided, looking for mischief to get into. She happened upon the hut where you three lived, and saw Rama working in the garden, sweat glistening on his bare back as he turned the soil. She saw instantly that he was strong, but tender. He worked hard, and provided for those he cared about. She fell madly in love, and decided that she must have him for her own.
She quickly came up with a plan, and used magic to transform herself from a terrifying demon into a beautiful maiden. She approached Rama, calling out in greeting. He looked up from his work.
"My, what a beautiful garden," she said sweetly.
"Why, thank you," he replied. " It provides bountifully for my wife and brother."
Her expression soured for a brief moment before she put on a demure smile once again. The demon decided that you and Lakshmana would have to be taken care of if she was to have her prize.
"I had better be on my way. I have a ways to go before nightfall," she said.
Rama bid her farewell, and returned to his work, unsettled by the encounter. She had seemed kind enough, but he had seen her face drop at the mention of you and Lakshmana, and she hurried off so quickly. He knew something was amiss.
The demon, who was named Shoorpanakha, brooded over what was to be done about you and Lakshmana. She decided to call upon her brother and uncle to assist her. Together they came up with a devious plan to separate Rama from you and Lakshmana, so that she could take Rama for her own.
Her uncle, Mareecha transformed to look like a deer, with an arrow stuck in its side. Rama saw Mareecha disguised as a deer, and took pity on it. He instructed Lakshmana to go and ensure it suffered no longer.
Sita and Rama, with Mareecha the golden deer.
As Lakshmana was pursuing the deer, Shoorpanakha hid in the woods just far enough from the hut that she was entirely obscured by the trees. She magically changed her voice to match Lakshmana's, and called out, "Oh brother! Help me! In pursuit of the deer, I have fallen and hurt myself. I cannot get back on my own."
Rama rushed to assist his brother, but stopped at the door.
"Sita, my love, I will return soon. If anyone comes by before I return, do not talk to them," he instructed, thinking of the woman he had encountered earlier.
As Rama arrived, the demon Shoorpanakha cast a spell on him to make him docile so that he would not fight. But he resisted the spell, and so there they sat, in a battle of wills, Shoorpanakha trying to subdue Rama and Rama trying to break free of Shoorpanakha's spell.
After a while, you began to wonder what had become of Lakshmana and Rama. They should have been back by now. You grabbed some bandages and a small knife, and set off to see what the delay was.
Upon hearing your approach, Shoorpanakha panicked, but she quickly realized this was an opportunity to punish you for being the wife of the man who so clearly belonged to her. She transformed into the beautiful maiden once again, and wrestled the half-entranced Rama to the ground.
They tossed and tumbled, Rama fighting back weakly, and Shoorpanakha cried out as you approached, "Oh my love! And you are sure your wife will not find us?"
You instantly flew into a rage, and leapt at the two tussling figures. You buried the knife in Shoorpanakha's chest. You saw the look of disbelief in Shoorpanakha's eyes before she reverted to her demonic form and fell back, dead.
You helped your love to his feet as he shook off the daze of the spell.
"But how did you know she was a demon?" he asked, incredulous.
"I did not," you replied. "But I knew that you would never betray me. I knew it must have been a trick. "
Author's Note: In the original telling of this story, the demon Shoorpanakha sees Rama and Sita, and lusts after Rama. She tries to persuade him to marry her. Rama, in his perfection, sees her for what she is and rebukes her. Shoorpanakha goes to her brother, Ravana, and tells him of Sita's beauty, hoping if he steals Sita, then Rama can be hers. It works, and Ravana falls madly in love with Sita. He has his uncle, Marecha disguise himself as a golden deer and present himself to Sita. Sita demands that Rama capture the deer for her, despite his warning that it is a trap, which leads to her eventual capture.
I did not like the infallibility of Rama. It is boring to have a character that is So Perfect, in my opinion. I also did not like that it is Sita's greed for the Golden Deer that allows her to be captured. So, in my story, no one is perfect. Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana are all deceived in one way or another. I also chose to give Sita the characteristic of Trust instead of Greed. I wanted her to be more likable. However, I did keep the short temper that I developed in the first story.
Credits:
The Ramayana, By R. K. Narayan
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