Week 5 Story: Rama and the Purity Test

Rama and the Purity Test

Sita Posing in Front of the Sun
Source: Google Image

Rama has been gone for almost six months. Their nation has been at war with the city of Lanka for over three years, and Rama left in order to put a final end to it. While he was away, Sita was left to rule. She finally had the power to make changes to Rama's silly policies and the people of Ayodhya were extremely happy under her rule.

When news of Rama's defeat in battle began to spread across the community, people began to suspect the perfect human committed a sin that angered the Gods causing him this bad luck. Rumors began to flow through the town as the people of Ayodhya began to accuse Rama of treacherous things such as murder, burglary, or cheating in battle. One rumor seemed to stick the most: Rama had slept with another woman.

Infidelity was one of the worse crimes a marital partner can commit. Being true to one's significant other is a rule the Gods hold very high in their standards, which is why most people believed he had cheated on Sita while he was at war. What other reason was there to explain how Rama, the most perfect human, could lose to a group of demons?

Sita obviously heard the rumors, and usually, she would pay no mind. The only problem was, if the people of Ayodhya had believed Rama had cheated, they would question her rule as a queen if she accepted him back with open arms. Her reputation was one thing she was not willing to tarnish for the sake of a man.

Sita held a town meeting and asked what would make these vicious rumors stop and make the people trust Rama again. Almost in complete unison. the town yelled, "The Purity Test."

The Purity Test is a test administered to those who have been accused of a crime. If they survive whatever physical punishment the test includes, then they are innocent. If die, they were guilty of their crime.

Sita agreed a Purity Test would be appropriate, and she saw the perfect opportunity to get back at her husband for forcing her to take the Purity Test all those years ago in order to prove her faithfulness. She decided to administer the exact same test she had to take in order to demonstrate to Rama how humiliating it was.

Two days later, Rama came back to Ayodhya with his tail in between his legs. He was extremely embarrassed and only longed for the loving arms of his wife. This is not what he was greeted with.

In front of their mansion and the entire town of Ayodhya, Rama finally reunited with his wife.

"Rama, I am happy to see you back.," Sita said coldly.

"My love, I am so sorry I embarrassed you. May we please embrace?"

"Not so fast." Sita nudged Rama away.

Confused, Rama asked, "What is the problem?"

Loudly, Sita exclaimed, "The people of Ayodhya believe you have been unfaithful to me due to your loss in Lanka. They would like me to administer a Purity Test in order to prove your truth." As she spoke these words, a smile rose on her lips as she was finally getting her payback.

Rama became angered realized this was all a game to his wife who was only agreeing to the test because of what he did many years ago. Through gritted teeth her asked, "and what will my test be consisting of oh loving Sita?"

"Fire."

As soon as she spoke these words, a circle of fire appeared next to Rama. The crowd gasped.

Sita turned to the crowd and yelled, "People of Ayodhya, Rama is about to undergo the Purity Test. He will step in this ring of fire, and his faithfulness, or lack thereof, will be proven.

She then recited a prayer; "O Fire God, Agni Deva. I call upon you. We call upon you. If my husband is pure, please protect him from your beautiful flames. If he is not, let the fire scorch his skin leaving such hideous scars, he will be forced to remember his infidelity forever."

Sita turned to Rama and motioned for him to move towards the fire.

"Sita, you don't have to do this.," Rama pleaded. "You know I love you and only you."

Sita whispered, "Baby, I know that! This is just to prove to our people who will doubt my strength if I were to let you back in this kingdom."

Rama took a deep breath, turned towards the fire and entered the raging flames. At first, nothing happened, and the crowd seemed to all take a collective sigh of relief. As soon as Sita was about to announce the results, a piercing scream came from the fire. It was Rama.

After several minutes of screaming, the fire was gone, and all that was left, was a kneeling Rama with sever burns all over his body.

"Sita, I am so sorry! I never meant for this to happen!" Rama cried.

Sita just laughed and turned to the crowd.

"People of Ayodhya, my husband has proved to be unfaithful. I hereby declare us divorced. and if you will have me, I will rule this nation alone!

The crowd cheered.

"As for Rama, he shall be exiled from Ayodhya for his crimes!"

The crowd cheered.

"Again?! For how long?!" asked Rama.

Sita turned to him with the straightest of faces. No tears. No sadness. No emotion of any kind, and said "Forever."

Author's Notes

If you read my reading notes for the Ramayana, you already know how much I detested the Purity Test Sita was forced to undergo. It is when I realized, although Rama may be the perfect human, he was still a man, a man who believed women belonged to their husbands. In this story, Sita finally gets to force Rama to endure the humiliating test she was forced to undergo herself. She truly believed he was innocent, and thought this was a fun lesson to teach Rama about respect and equality. If women cannot sleep around, men cannot either. I used the exact same fire ordeal Sita was forced to deal with for Rama's Purity Test in order to add to the irony. The difference in Rama's test is he failed. He had cheated while he was at war, and this is what caused him to lose. The last sentence was to prove Sita's strength. In all of the versions of Ramayana I have read so far, Sita comes off as weak and clingy. I decided to add the last line in order to prove she is not only strong and capable of ruling a nation on her own, but disrespect from a man will not be tolerated and unconditional love does not include infidelity. If this were to become as popular as the Ramayana, maybe young girls will realize no man who cheats, even the most perfect human, deserves their time of day.

Bibliography: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues, 2008