Indian traditions, Nivedita and Coomaraswamy
Sita
Janaka finds Sita in the furrow while ploughing and consecrating a field, and makes the bending of the great bow the condition of her marriage. Rama’s success joins her extraordinary origin to the beginning of their shared story. When Ravana approaches her disguised as an ascetic, Sita first offers him a guest’s hospitality. On learning his identity and hearing his proposal, she refuses him and insists on her loyalty to Rama, despite her fear.
Also known as Sītā · Janaki
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In the sources
Principal account
TraditionalJanaka finds Sita in the furrow while ploughing and consecrating a field, and makes the bending of the great bow the condition of her marriage. Rama’s success joins her extraordinary origin to the beginning of their shared story.
Further detail
TraditionalWhen Ravana approaches her disguised as an ascetic, Sita first offers him a guest’s hospitality. On learning his identity and hearing his proposal, she refuses him and insists on her loyalty to Rama, despite her fear.
Context & interpretation
The entry concerns Sita in this Ramayana retelling, including the furrow birth and the confrontation with Ravana. These are attributed traditional episodes. The two selected passages do not offer a complete account of her later trials or of alternative endings.
Original passages
Source 1
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
not born of men, but sprung from the furrowOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Nivedita and Coomaraswamy, Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 51
Exact passage checked against the active edition text and original-leaf mapping; whitespace and scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0051
- Original scan leaf
- 51
- Recorded leaf number
- 51
- Current Reader position
- 42
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
she grew angry beyond all measureOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Nivedita and Coomaraswamy, Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 84
Exact passage checked against the active edition text and original-leaf mapping; whitespace and scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0084
- Original scan leaf
- 84
- Recorded leaf number
- 84
- Current Reader position
- 75
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Janaka
Sita’s father and the ruler whose great bow establishes the marriage test.
Shared source pageRavana
The ruler of Lanka whose protection against divine foes leaves a human vulnerability.
Shared source pageShiva’s Bow
The immense inherited bow whose breaking establishes Rama’s marriage to Sita.
Same subject and traditionAshvins
The twin divine physicians whose gift of youth earns a place in the gods’ offerings.