Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana

by Devdutt Pattanaik

‘I am a woman,’ revealed Shanta, ‘a different kind of a human. You can create life outside your body but I can create life inside mine.’

While the story of the ‘Lakshman-rekha’ fired popular imagination, the story of the ‘Vibhandaka-rekha’ did not. Lakshman’s line seeks to secure a woman’s chastity. Vibhandaka’s line seeks to secure a man’s celibacy. The former is necessary for social order. The latter threatens the very order of nature and culture.

‘The earth grants Janaka what he deserves. The fire grants Dashratha what he wants. I choose the destiny of daughters. He submits to the desire of sons.’

‘Animals fight to defend their bodies. Humans curse to defend their imagination of themselves. This imagined notion of who we are, and how others are supposed to see us, is called aham. Aham constantly seeks validation from the external world. When that is not forthcoming it becomes insecure. Aham makes humans accumulate things; through things we hope people will look upon us as we imagine ourselves. That is why, Janaka, people display their wealth and their knowledge and their power. Aham yearns to be seen.’

‘Every human creates his own imagined version of the world, and of himself. Every human is therefore Brahma, creator of his own aham. Aham Brahmasmi, I am Brahma. Tat tvam asi, so are you.

‘Janaka told her to bring happiness into marriage, rather than seek happiness from it.’

Wild, the forest is of no value to humans, for in the wilderness humans are no different from animals. Domesticated, the forest grants humans value by turning into fields and orchards of which man is master.

Ravana expanded his mind so much that he needed ten heads to accommodate all his knowledge and twenty arms to accommodate his strength.

‘Neither is really different from the other. Ravana grabs, while Kubera hoards. Both believe their identity stems from their property. That is why they value things rather than thoughts. That is why they refuse to expand their minds, even though both are sons of a brahmin,’ Shiva said.

‘To be a good spouse, wife or husband, the wilfulness of Ganga needs to be balanced with the serenity of Shiva. Only then will the river of marriage create fertile riverbanks.’

‘Control creates domesticated animals. The purpose of society is to inspire humanity, not tame them,’ said Ram.

‘What then will create culture? Why not live like rakshasas? Without rules, the strong will dominate the weak and no one will help the helpless,’ Parashurama shouted. ‘Rules cannot be used to compel people to care. It will only amplify fear. The whole purpose of sanskriti is to outgrow fear so that we do not feel the need to grab, control or dominate.

A society that does not make room for imperfection can never be a happy society.’

‘I have mounted an arrow on this bow. What should I strike? This arrow cannot go in vain,’ said Ram. ‘Strike my mind with it, for I had assumed I alone would solve the world’s problems by enforcing rules. Shatter the boundaries of my mind, help me appreciate that the rules have to be followed voluntarily to create a happy society.’ Ram released the arrow and it struck Parashurama’s mind, shattering all limitations.

‘I do not need your permission. I am your wife and I am supposed to accompany you, to the throne, into war and to the forest. What you eat, I shall taste. Where you sleep, I shall rest. You are the shaft of the bow that is our marriage; you need the string to complete it. My place is beside you, nowhere else. Fear not, I will be no burden; I can take care of myself. As long as I am beside you and behind you, you will want for nothing.’

You feel all that I value is false and all that you value is true. But what you value and what I value are both imaginary. The difference is you seek to change the way I see things, you want me to subscribe to the way you see things, while I seek to understand why others do not see things the way I do.

Humans create boundaries and humans violate them as well. To respect boundaries is the hallmark of humanity, an indicator of dharma. To disrespect them is to be bestial, to follow the path of adharma. Animals, who do not have imagination, do not have the wherewithal to create boundaries or violate them. This is what makes them innocent.

knowledge is no antidote to anxiety.

‘If you acknowledge the desires of your body, not suppress them, and reflect on what really matters to you in life, it will not be tough.’

‘Indra has everything, yet he lives in fear of losing it all. Swarga may be paradise, but it is no heaven.’ ‘What is heaven then?’ ‘Heaven is a place where there is no hunger.’ ‘Does such a place exist?’

In Swarga there is prosperity, but no peace. I seek peace, I seek Kailas. That must be heaven.’

demons are just humans we refuse to understand or tolerate. To reject them, as they reject us, is adharma,’

What we possess is temporary, but what we become is permanent.’

‘Flowers make themselves fragrant and offer nectar. Why? To nourish the bees or to get themselves pollinated? Or both? In nature, to get you have to give. There is no charity. There is no exploitation, neither selfishness nor selflessness. One grows by helping others grow. Is that not the perfect society?’

Ram. ‘It is the human eye that gives value to things, turning natural events into epic adventures full of conflict and resolution.

Plants and animals live; humans need to judge, for we need to feel good about ourselves. That is why we create stories, full of heroes and villains, victims and martyrs,’ said Ram.

‘There is great joy in satisfying oneself,’ said Hanuman. ‘But there is greater joy when we satisfy ourselves by satisfying others. Still greater joy when we do not need satisfaction. And even more joy, when despite not needing satisfaction, we provide satisfaction to others.’

Jambuvan gives the earliest motivational speech, a song of praise reminding Hanuman of his origins and prowess, giving him the strength to do what has never been attempted before.

When the mind is knotted in fear, the problem is always outside, never inside.

Now, thought Sita, they will blame Hanuman, hence Ram, hence me. Not once will they hold Ravana responsible for his obstinacy. Not once will they blame Surpanakha for her unbridled passion. When the mind…

when fire burns in the altar something is claimed as fuel. The human mind focuses on who benefits from the fire, rarely on who is consumed by the fire.

It is a reminder of the cost of yagna:

‘Lanka desired her submission. Ayodhya demanded her innocence.’

‘From your point of view, his contribution may not be much. But from his point of view, his contribution is immense. In your grand scheme of things, he may not matter. But in his grand scheme of things, he surely does. He is also Brahma, creator of his own brahmanda, like you and me. I see the world from his point of view and see how unconditional his love for me is. Unless we do this, how can our mind expand?’

Ram talking about the Squirrel’s contribution in Ram Setu

‘Will you fight me if I do something wrong?’ Ram asked Lakshman. ‘You can do no wrong,’ said Lakshman. ‘I am sure the other brothers of Ravana feel Ravana can do no wrong. So who is better: the good rakshasa who sides with me or the loyal rakshasas who side with Ravana?’ Ram’s words made both Lakshman and Vibhishana uncomfortable. What was better: to be right or to be loyal? Both have consequences.

An excellent Ethical Dilemma

I am the creator of my world and so are you. We can widen our world by breaking free from the maze of expectations. We can shrink our world by entrapping ourselves with expectations.’

Those who trust need no proof; those who do not trust reject all proof.

‘A good king is one who does not see the kingdom as a measure of his worth. Such a king does not fight his brothers for the crown, nor does he demand the loyalty of his subjects. Such a king encourages people to take responsibility for their lives, and enables them to be dependable rather than dependent. Thus a happy kingdom comes into existence.’

Most people seek to be the sun around which the world revolves. Very few are willing to be the moon, allowing others to be the sun, despite having full knowledge that they can outshine everyone else.

God is not an external trophy to be possessed; God is internal human potential to be realized.

when the farmer abandons the field, the field is finally free to return to being a forest.

‘This was an eventuality. I accept it with grace. Sorrow only comes when we resist reality, for a dream.’

‘Fear is a constant, and faith is a choice. Fear comes from karma, from faith arises dharma. Fear creates Kaikeyis and Ravanas, streets full of gossip, families with rigid rules and fragile reputations. They will always be there. Faith creates a Sita and a Ram. They will come into being only if we have faith that the mind can expand until we do not abandon the world even when the world abandons us.’

The Point of Human Existence as narrated to Hanuman by Vasuki