The Fire and Sita's Answer

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Dharma Katha · Season 4: The Road to Diwali · Episode 123 She has been bathed. Her hair has been washed and dressed. She is wearing fine clothes and ornaments, the first in many months, because Rama asked that she be brought to him adorned. She is sitting in a covered palanquin, and it is being carried through the camp of the victorious army, toward the man she has waited for. And all around the palanquin, thousands of vanaras and bears are pushing and crowding, trying to catch a glimpse of the woman this whole war was fought for. Inside, Sita cannot see her husband yet. She can only hear the crowd. Missed the previous story? Listen to Episode 121 first. Source note. Label: scripture. The scene follows the Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda: Sita brought in a palanquin, Rama's rebuke of the attendants and his words on a woman's conduct, Rama's harsh speech, Sita's reply, the pyre built by Lakshmana, Sita's oath before the fire, the coming of the gods and Brahma's hymn, Agni returning Sita, and Rama's explanation. In popular vulgate editions this is around sargas one hundred and fourteen to one hundred and eighteen; the critical edition numbers differ. Some scholars have argued that parts of this section, especially the divine hymn, are later additions; I have told the received text. Quotations are close paraphrases, not word-for-word translations. The reflections are my own. Note: this episode is narrated with an AI voice and the script was written with AI assistance. Sanskrit verses are checked against published editions; corrections are welcome.