‘Enraged, But Only Out of Love’: Sītā’s Disagreement With Rāma in the Ayodhyākāṇḍa of the Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa

Abstract

In a moment of great turmoil in the Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa (VRām.), Rāma—upon learning of his fourteen-year banishment—attempts to persuade Sītā to stay on in the palace while he will alone proceed into exile. Sītā disagrees entirely with Rāma and argues variously that she should accompany him—until, of course, she succeeds in the end. This is the first moment in the epic when one hears Sītā speak and a careful analysis of her portrayal here is paramount for any serious understanding of her character. Moreover, this episode—of Rāma’s refusal and Sītā’s insistence—when studied closely brings to light various foundational characteristics of their extraordinary relationship. Nevertheless, there are only a handful of studies that have closely engaged with the text’s account of the episode. These few studies also attribute contradictory characteristics to the two protagonists and present entirely contrasting accounts of the situation. I attempt in this paper to demonstrate that an apposite understanding can be attained through a literary analysis of the verses, focusing on the motivating emotions mentioned plainly in the text itself. I argue that Sītā’s disagreement is not grounded in emotional frailty, male honour, or even political fear. Rather, the essential sentiment which permeates this entire episode, including Rāma’s final acceding to Sītā’s request, is—for the VRām.—love.