Lord Rama goes to Mithila, and weds Sita with His father’s blessings. But why should the Supreme One marry? He does not need anyone’s help for anything. He can create, protect and dissolve at will. He is defined as nirapeksha, the One who is not dependent on anyone. There is a rahasya tattva behind the Sita-Rama vivaha. Without this wedding, none of the events of the Ramayana would have happened. Ravana would not have been killed, and those tormented by Ravana would have continued to suffer. Besides, Lord Narayana earns the respect of everyone because of His consort, M.A. Venkatakrishnan said in a discourse.
The Acharyas give examples to help us understand how this can be so. The value of a flower depends on its fragrance. A single flower sometimes costs more than a bunch of other varieties of flowers. It is the fragrance that makes people seek the costly flower. Likewise, it is the Goddess who adds to His greatness. She is like the fragrance of the flower. She is like the lustre of gems. Take the example of a diamond. There are different categories of diamonds, and depending upon cut, colour and clarity, the cost varies. A valuable diamond is brilliant, and is much sought after for this precise quality. A diamond which does not have the same characteristics will be priced cheaper. Goddess Mahalakshmi is like the brilliance of a valuable diamond. Just as a costly diamond is desired because of its properties, in the same way, the Lord is approached because She is with Him. It was because of the significance of Sita that Valmiki referred to his work as Sita’s story. In the epic, She is the cause of the Rama-Ravana war, and the ultimate victory of the Lord. The pardoning of Kakasura shows that She is the One who makes sure that the Lord pardons those who anger Him.
Published - February 11, 2025 05:10 am IST
