Thread by @DefiledGod

--Thread on Agni Pariksha and Banishment of Sita --

Pt 1 of this discussion here – threadreaderapp.com/thread/1290020…
Explained the killing of Vāli and Sambūka. Now, let us look at agni pariksha and banishment of Sīta.+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #BhumiPujan #AyodhyaRamMandir
#Ayodhya #Hindus

The 2 incidents truly encapsulate the glory of the divine couple. If you fully understand these incidents, you will be left wondering who is indeed more glorious, Rāma or Sīta!+

#BhoomiPujan #BhumiPujan #Ayodhya #RamMandirAyodhya
#RamMandirBhumiPujan #Hinduism #Ramayana #Hindus

Start with Sita’s banishment first. No need to quote ślokās. The literal act is justified by the fact that Sīta is mentioned to be Mahālakṣmi and Rāma to be Viśṇu. In reality she is always on his chest, inseparable and hence it is a līla+

#Ayodhya #BhoomiPujan #BhumiPujan

Rāma himself says, “ananyā hi mayā sītā bhāskareṇa prabhā yadā” – She is the fragrance, inseparable from the flower (Rāma). Now for tātparyārtha: Rāmāyaṇa, till pattābhiṣeka, describes how a jīva unites with Brahman. However, such union does not mean sādhana ends+

#Hinduism

Until a jīva attains mukti, it needs to spend time in Saṃsāra to expend remaining karmas, otherwise Brahman would attain the doṣa of partialty. But for a surrendered self, the remaining karmas are very less, almost infinitesimal+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan #BhoomiPujan

Sīta, the surrended self, is sent away to Saṃsāra (forest) & Rāma waits to unite with her in the next life (ie, supreme abode). To highlight how minimal the karma of this jnāni is, the gossip of the people, which is not even her fault, is mentioned as the reason+

#Ayodhya

Parabrahman (Rāma) is not happy until he is united with this jīva in moksha, as evidenced by Rāma’s reluctance and sorrow to send her away. But as per the brahma sūtra “vaiṣyamyanairghṛṇye na sāpekṣatvāttathā hi darśayati”, it is ordained so for impartiality.+

#BhumiPujan

Sīta spends her time at Vālmiki’s Ashrama. Likewise, surrendered jīva waits for death in company of jnānīs, always thinking about Brahman+

#BhoomiPujan #BhumiPujan
#Ayodhya #Hinduism #Ramayana #BhoomiPujan #Hindus #SanatanaDharma #SanatanDharm #Sanatani

Ever wondered what possible karma great acharyas of perfect conduct can have to still take birth here? Answered here – that karma is as trivial as gossip about Sīta that caused her exile.+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan #BhoomiPujan #AyodhyaRamMandir #Ayodhya #SanatanaDharma

There is no blemish on them at all. That karma is an excuse by paramātma to “lend” a jnānī to Saṃsārīs for a time, to uplift them, and to make a show of being impartial as per śāstra.+

#BhoomiPujan #BhumiPujan #Ayodhya #RamMandirAyodhya #Hinduism #Ramayana #Sanatani #Hindus

Agni pariksha now. Rāma tells Sīta during the ordeal: prāptacāritrasaṃdeha mama pratimukhe sthitā । dīpo netrāturasyeva pratikūlāsi me dṛḍham ॥

#Ayodhya #BhoomiPujan #BhumiPujan #RamMandirNationalPride #RamMandirAyodhya #RamJanmabhoomi #SanatanaDharma #Hinduism #Ramayana

You, with a suspicion arisen on your character, standing in front of me, are extremely disagreeable to me, even as a light to one, who is suffering from a poor eye-sight."+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan #BhoomiPujan #AyodhyaRamMandir #SanatanaDharma #Hindus #Sanatani

When someone cannot see light due to poor eyesight, is it fault of the light or the fault of the person with a defective eye? Does this appear like any sort of rebuke? He is praising Sīta and rebuking those who cast aspersions on her. This is the greatness of the Lord.+

#Hindus

Examine the incident. Sīta is the jīva. Lanka is Samsāra. Aśoka vaṇa is the body. Rāvaṇa is the mind with the 10 senses. Rāma, the Brahman, rescues the jīva.+

#Ayodhya #BhoomiPujan #Bhumipujan #RamMandirNationalPride #RamMandirAyodhya #Hinduism #Ramayana #Hindus #Sanatani

Agni Pariksha refers to the jīva (sīta) being unaffected by rajo guṇa, ie, desire for sense objects, signified by fire (rajas = heat in śāstra). It is a test to show that the jīva is no longer desirous of sense objects, having attained the Lord.

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan

Sāstra itself reteirates this - The Lord destroys the monstrous mind (Rāvaṇa) with ten heads formed by the ten senses of the spiritual seeker by the use of the arrows of wisdom." (~sātvata samhitā, 12.51)+

#BhoomiPujan #BhumiPujan #RamMandirNationalPride #Ayodhya #Hinduism

Crux of the incident is this – sīta is a prapanna (surrendered self) that expresses ineligibility for upāsaṇa. Thus, the Lord takes upon himself to perform all the work to rescue this jīva, as opposed to upāsakās attaining moksha by self-effort+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan

So, for prapannās, the Lord is the substitute for the efforts of the upāsaka. Naturally, some may question, “is this prapanna, who lacks the strength of the upāsaka, truly a jnāni? Is it fair for the Lord to give this person same phala as upāsakās?+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Hindus

That is explained by agni pariksha. In the convo between Sīta and Rāma, "questioning" of Sīta’s character is like others questioning the eligibility of the prapanna. Sīta “chastising” Rāma is pointing out qualities of Brahman that mandate such protection+

#Ayodhya #BhumiPujan

Attached screenshot first elaborates on the so-called “rebuke” of Rāma, clarifying how and why he stood in the place of upāsaṇa or “human effort” to rescue the jīva (Sīta)👇+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan #BhoomiPujan #AyodhyaRamMandir #Ayodhya
#SanatanaDharma #SanatanDharm

Rāma clarified why he rescued the jīva. Now, for benefit of the questioning ones, he offers jīva (Sīta) other puruṣārthās – aiṣvarya, etc. signified by lakṣmaṇa, even rāvaṇa etc. Explained in the screenshot below👇+

#Ayodhya #BhoomiPujan #Ramayana #Hinduism #SanatanaDharma

So, Rāma asks her to choose material riches or the intrinsic bliss of the self, but obviously she refuses. Let us look at the great reply of Sīta, who is Sākṣāt Lakṣmi, praised in the Veda as “Mahādevi”, in the attached screenshot👇+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan #Ayodhya

Clarifying her nature & Rāma’s too, Sīta of her own volition takes agni pariksha, “fire” refers to objects of attainment other than Rāma. It doesn't affect her, she has no desire for them, & proves prapanna is as good (or better) than an upāsaka.+

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Ayodhya

In this way, all these incidents of the Rāmāyaṇa, which is a śaranāgati śāstra as opposed to the Mbh which is an upāsaṇa śāstra, have great meanings. Let there be no more doubt.//

#Hinduism #Ramayana #Bhumipujan #BhoomiPujan #AyodhyaRamMandir #Ayodhya #SanatanaDharma #Hindus

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