The Mythical Mornings

Sita

"Ravana,the king of Lanka,the ruler of three realms is offering you the position of his queen. But you are sitting here,shedding tears for a man who doesnot even have a kingdom..Are not you foolish?"said one of the demoness who guarded Sita in Ashoka Vatika..

Sita opened her eyes. Her eyes had peace in them..

"Mother.. Ravana is a great ruler for his people. But he is a cursed being for the rest of the world. If he had conquered the three realms with his own power,not the boon given by Lord Brahma,then he would have known,how to respect all lives.."said Sita calmly as she sat,in her saffron clothes. Her hair was tied. She looked like a tapasi,the woman in service of God. The holy glow around her was like that. It was like she was this warmth,that everyone in the world seeked..

"No one asked about how our king rules. What do you the princess of a small kingdom know about ruling.. Stop wasting your time and go to the king. And fall on his feet,begging him to accept you as his concubine..",said another,it seemed she was more into these ideas..

Sita smiled..

"Why donot you go and ask Queen Mandodari,what a cruel man like Ravana means to her? Why is she so pious in her heart,so eager to please me? Why is she scared?"asked Sita hitting the sore spot..

Everyone there knew again and again queen Mandodari had visited Sita again and again. With offers. Requests,to marry Ravana. But Sita had payed no heed...

As the demon women started to move to harm the goddess sitting alone,the few older demoness,like Trijata appeared infront of them. They were there on order of Vibhisan and Mandodari. To safeguard Sita. They knew,if Sita lost a hair,then Lanka would be swallowed in Ocean..

Not because Rama was her husband. But because she was the Avatar of Devi Mahalakshmi,the daughter of God of Water,Varuna.. And she was born out of earth. Basically,Sita had the protection of water and earth. What if Ravana could survive in space. But whole Lanka would fall, right. With the wrath of the protector of Sita..

Mandodari had met Sita again and again. First she had taken her as a common woman,bought to Lanka by her husband due to lust. But she was afraid of her now. And more so,she wanted to add that security to her husband. By making Sita his wife. She would devout herself to Ravana. And in return no one would ever be able to harm him. Not even Narayan.

But Mandodari forgot. They were two bodies. But one. If she had gotten Sita forcibly married to Ravana. Then may be before Rama came,Sita would have ended his chapter. But that would have been against the boon given to him. He was blessed by Lord Narayana that he would die in his hand.

When Mandodari had asked Sita about forgetting Rama and marrying Ravana,Sita had asked her,why does not she gives up on Ravana and comes in and worships her Raghunandan.. That might open up the door to Moskha for her..

Mandodari had looked stunned for a moment. Did that mean,the prophecy was coming true? Sita was the cursed woman in her husband's fate? Mandodari almost fell down..

Sita smiled. Mandodari,the daughter of Maya,the magical architect of demons,was very knowledgeable. She could deduct countless things.

From then on she had not approached Sita. Instead was busy trying to make her husband understand. But only then she found out. Just how fallen her clan was..

From Ravana,to her Mother-in-law,to her sons,to her co wives. Everyone laughed when she went to them. Telling them about the long forgotten prophecy..

But only one man told her the truth. Vibhisan,the youngest brother of Ravana. He made her understand,the prophecy was nothing but to free Ravana. Ravana and Kumbhakarna,the two brothers were Jaya and Vijaya,the guards of Vaikuntha,the residence of Lord Vishnu. And they were cursed by four rishis to take birth in demon clans. First they were Hiranyaksh and Hiranyakashyap..They were killed by Varaha and Narasimha Avatars of Lord Vishnu. Now they would die in the hands of Raghunandan Rama. Then they would die as Kansa and Sisupal as Lord Vishnu would incarnate as Shri Krishna. And then they would return to their post. Actually it's was them who were more eager to go back than anyone else. That is why they were so demonic..

Mandodari sat in silence. She was feeling caged. One side was her prayers to keep her husband and children safe. One side was their betterment. What should she do?

Then she recalled the woman sitting in the Ashok Vatika. Calm,silent. Only at times her eyes had tears..

She walked to her as she dismissed all guards. Sitting under her feet, Mandodari looked at her,as if a child was looking at her parent. Sita smiled..

"Your love, dedication for your family,dear ones would be remembered forever. No matter where,you would be the example of ideal woman. Your name would be amongst the five pious and holy women. And you would be forever a married woman.."Sita spoke gently..

Mandodari listened. She had no questions. No qualms. She had not gone there as a queen. She had gone there as a child. And a child got the love of a mother..

She returned. Some answers time would tell. But she was at peace. Her answers,duty or love,she got answers..