Due to some reason or the other, the google search I did some days ago was on Sita’s plea to her Mother (Earth) to prove her purity, when wrongly accused of faithlessness by her husband Rama. Mother Earth opened up below her feet and took her away with her.
There are times when you wish something similar would happen (that the Earth would open up and swallow you) and you can escape, away from all the unfair things in life, not having to make decisions that are sometimes painful, sometimes forced against your will. However, we are all meant to endure and face fairness and unfairness, right and wrong, very often finding satisfaction, strength and pride at the end of it all that we faced it and came out stronger than ever. Every such situation is a stepping stone to the next, there is a series of them waiting for us.
At the lowest periods of one’s life, one hears advices like “don’t be emotional”, “don’t be negative”, “don’t be tensed”… However i am an advocate of being emotional, being negative and being tensed. Because all these so-called negatives exist so that we can overcome them and find our positives.
There are no strengths without realising one’s weaknesses.
There is no courage without feeling and overcoming fear.
Now, here is the snippet of the story of Sita I have mentioned above. You can check out the link if you wish to read more.
From the story of Sita and Rama : Ramayana
Sita stood in silence, her eyes transfixed on the ground without blinking. With folded hands she said, “If Rama has always been foremost in my heart, then may my Mother Earth (Bhumi) herself deliver me. If I have been only true to him, wholly, mind, body and soul, then may my Mother Earth deliver me. If I have loved none but him, then let my Mother Earth deliver me.”
As she spoke, the earth rumbled, shook and cracked open where Sita stood. Srimati Bhumi devi (Mother Earth personified) then appeared, seated on a throne of incredible natural earthly opulence, surrounded by ‘nagas’ (snakes), and she invited Sita to take her seat along side her.
Sita, entrusting her children to Valmiki, ascended the throne supported by ‘nagas’ adorned with fiery eyes and jewels on their heads. There, seated beside her mother Bhumi, Sita disappeared from sight. The earth closed up leaving not even so much as a furrow on the surface as though nothing had happened.
Thank you for your visit to my site. I find it refreshing to read what you said about being vulnerable! All too often we overlook what become treasured experiences.
This is my favorite part of Ramayan too. Sita and how mother earth took her. I am sure it was the poetic way is telling us that she dropped dead.