The role of devI is best understood from the incident of kAkAsura. This was a son of Indra, called Jayanta who was asura by svabhava. He assumed the form of a crow and pecked at sIta's chest in lust.
bhagavAn turned a blade of grass into a brahmAstra and hurled it at kAkAsura+
bhagavAn turned a blade of grass into a brahmAstra and hurled it at kAkAsura+
The crow flew everywhere, seeking refuge with all gods. None of them aided him & said the astra of rAma cannot be stopped by anyone except rAma himself.
So finally, the crow, exhausted, fell down helplessly at the feet of rAma. This is narrated by sIta to Hanuman as follows+
So finally, the crow, exhausted, fell down helplessly at the feet of rAma. This is narrated by sIta to Hanuman as follows+
स तम् निपतितम् भूमौ शरण्यः शरणा गतम् ॥ वध अर्हम् अपि काकुत्स्थ कृपया पर्यपालयः
[sIta: The descendant of kakutstha, the refuge for those surrendered to him, out of mercy, protected that crow who had fallen on the ground, who had surrendered, though deserving to be killed]+
[sIta: The descendant of kakutstha, the refuge for those surrendered to him, out of mercy, protected that crow who had fallen on the ground, who had surrendered, though deserving to be killed]+
Note that the crow had only fallen on the ground. Nowhere does it imply he performed sharaNAgati. But sIta says he did surrender to rAma. How is it so?
The key word is "कृपया" - rAma protected the crow due to devI who is the embodiment of his kR^ipa. The term denotes sIta here+
The key word is "कृपया" - rAma protected the crow due to devI who is the embodiment of his kR^ipa. The term denotes sIta here+
Because sIta was too modest to boast about her role. So she says rAma protected the crow "by his compassion" but that only means her (devI kAruNya rUpaM)+
padma purANa explains her role clearly,
पुरत: पतितम् देवी शरण्याम् वायसम् तदा । तच्चिर: पादयोस् तस्य योजयामास जानकी ॥ तमुद्धाप्य करेणाथ कृपा पीयूश सागर: । रक्ष रामो गुणवान् वायसम् दययैक्षतः ॥+
पुरत: पतितम् देवी शरण्याम् वायसम् तदा । तच्चिर: पादयोस् तस्य योजयामास जानकी ॥ तमुद्धाप्य करेणाथ कृपा पीयूश सागर: । रक्ष रामो गुणवान् वायसम् दययैक्षतः ॥+
[At that time, devI jAnakI united the head of that fallen bird seeking refuge with the feet of rAma. Then, rAma, who is possessed of auspicious qualities and the ocean of compassion, took that crow on his hand and protected it by his merciful glance]+
What this means is that the tired crow had fallen down unable to even say "I surrender". And his feet were pointing towards rAma's feet.
sIta, swiftly and quietly, rotated the crow lying on the ground so that his head was touching rAma's feet, which bhagavAn took as surrender+
sIta, swiftly and quietly, rotated the crow lying on the ground so that his head was touching rAma's feet, which bhagavAn took as surrender+
Therefore, he protected the crow.
In this manner, devI mediated on behalf of the crow who could not even perform sharaNAgati and who deserved to be killed for his sins//
In this manner, devI mediated on behalf of the crow who could not even perform sharaNAgati and who deserved to be killed for his sins//
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