Sita Navami: History, Significance, Qualities of Goddess Sita & More

The consort of Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, celebrates her birthday on Sita Navami, also known as Janki Navami or Sita Jayanti. It is thought that Goddess Sita is an embodiment of Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth). The Hindu lunar month of Vaisakha features Sita Navami on the ninth day of the bright fortnight. On April 29, 2023, Sita Jayanti will be observed and celebrated. The Hindu lunar calendar places Sita Navami precisely one month following Ram Navami, which commemorates Lord Rama’s birthday. Devi Sita is a well-known Hindu goddess who has been praised for her bravery, purity, commitment, loyalty, and sacrifice.

 In the Hindu epic Ramayana, she is the stoic, silent personification of power. As a wife, daughter, and mother, she embodies dedication. She persevered through the hardships of her life with courage and strength. On this auspicious day, women across India offer prayers to Goddess Sita in the hope of receiving her blessings of sincerity, devotion, and purity. Women pray for their husbands to live long life and experience success throughout their existence. Continue reading to discover the lovely history of this auspicious day.

The History behind Sita Navami

Both Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi are thought to have taken the form of Lady Sita. As she was Lord Rama’s wife, the goddess played a significant role in the Ramayana, a sacred Hindu text. 

Three of the four main tales associated with the birth of the goddess Sita and the celebration of Sita Navami are highlighted below- 

• This tale is one of the most well-known and frequently told to children as a bedtime story, and it is also one of my personal favourites. Due to the droughts that the kingdom of Mithila was experiencing, farming conditions were poor, and starvation was imminent. To impress Goddess Earth, King Janaka of Mithila went to a sage and begged for advice. The sage asked the king to make a specific prayer and then plough the field himself with a golden plough. While doing so, King Janaka discovered a baby girl inside a golden casket wrapped in crimson fabric. The kingdom erupted in excitement as soon as the monarch took up the infant girl, and it began to rain. King Janaka chose to adopt the infant and give her the name Sita. And that day is recognized as the goddess Sita’s birthday and is known as Sita Navami.

• This tale is taken from the Uttara Purana of Gunabhadra, another sacred text. The austerity of Manivati, the ruler of Alkapuri’s kingdom and the daughter of Lanka’s Amitavega, is disturbed by Ravana. Manivati was incensed and vowed to exact revenge on Ravana. Later Manivati was reborn as the child of Ravana and her wife, Mandodari. An astrologer predicted during her naming ceremony that Manivati would be the cause of Ravana’s demise and would drive his kingdom to ruin. Ravana, who was terrified and enraged, gave his men orders to kill the kid and bury her. Nonetheless, the troops opted to abandon the young baby in a far-off field out of compassion for the small child. They abandoned her in Mithila, where King Janaka later discovered her while ploughing a field. The child was adopted by the king, who gave her the name Sita.

• According to certain ancient Ramayana translations, Vedavati’s reincarnation is claimed to be that of Goddess Sita (an avatar of Mother Laxmi). As the daughter of a Sage, Vedavati grew up hearing tales of Lord Vishnu and his many incarnations. Early in life, she decided to turn into an ardent follower of Lord Vishnu and made the vow to marry him alone. She is described as being breathtakingly gorgeous, clad in antelope skin, with matted hair that highlights the bloom of her youth. Several monarchs and divine beings intended to marry her due to her beauty, but they were politely turned down. She was once in the forest performing meditation when Ravana came upon her and was enthralled by her beauty. She refused him when he approached her. He attempted to molest her and dragged her by her hair after taking the denial as humiliation. In her defence, she cut her hair to escape his hold and lit herself on fire in front of his eyes. “Because you insulted me in this jungle, I pledged to be born again just for your destruction,” she said to Ravana. She then stepped into the blazing fire as beautiful flowers began to fall all around her. Despite Rama being the mediator, it was she who was reborn as Sita and was the driving force behind Ravana’s demise.

Meaning of Goddess Sita’s Name and Her Other Names

On this Sita Navami, we’d like to share some of the goddess Sita’s various names and the lovely references that go along with them. Goddess Sita is referred to by a variety of names, including Lakshmi’s avatar, Janaka’s daughter, and Rama’s wife. Some of these are mentioned below:

• Sita: When her father discovered her while preparing a field, he gave the goddess the name Sita. The name Sita comes from the Sanskrit word “sweet,” which means “furrow.”
• Janaki: After Sita, Janaki is the name of the Goddess that is most frequently used. Janaki is a name for King Janaka’s daughter.
• Vaidehi: Sometimes, when meditating, King Janaka would reach the transcendental state. The king was known as Vaideh in this altered state when he defied bodily consciousness. Vaidehi hence denotes the daughter of King Janaka.
• Janaknandini: This name also refers to the daughter of King Janaka. “One who brings joys” is what the word “Nandini” signifies. As a result, the term “janaknandini” refers to someone who makes King Janaka happy.
• Bhoomiputri and Bhoomija: These two names mean daughter of Goddess Earth. 
• Janakatmaja: “Atmaja” is another Sanskrit word that means part of the soul. Therefore, Janakatmaja means part of Janaka’s soul.
• Maithili: Maithili means princess of Mithila. 

Qualities of Goddess Sita

Goddess Sita was much more than just Lord Rama’s wife; she was a kind, faithful, and obedient woman who supported her husband despite all circumstances. Devi Sita decided to accompany her husband after he was given the order to go into exile for 14 years. Asserting that the forest is not a safe place and that danger awaits us every day, Lord Rama rejected her request. Devi Sita was strict about her choice, nevertheless. She knew living in the forest would be difficult, but she also understood that she wanted to be near her husband.

Lord Rama attempted to persuade her once more by drawing comparisons between living in the forest and the royal life she had always enjoyed, but Devi Sita shrugged it off and remarked, “But I’m delighted to be where you are.” She readily gave up her life in the palace and followed her husband. She looked after her husband and brother-in-law over those years, ate the food her husband bought, and slept in the same bed as her husband, but she never complained. When Lord Rama questioned her about her happiness, she responded, “I am more than happy,” considering this period to be divine because there was only love and harmony.

When Ravana abducted Devi Sita and imprisoned her in Lanka, her devotion to Lord Rama was put to the test. She became even tougher through those difficult times and waited for her husband to save her and kill the monster that had kidnapped her from her beloved. She turned down all of Ravana’s wooing attempts and forewarned him that his end was drawing near. “You shall die by the hands of my husband, I will be the death of you,” she would tell Ravana. It is said that Goddess Sita declined Lord Hanuman’s assistance when he travelled to Lanka in search of her. She thought that if she made her escape with Lord Hanuman, society would blame Lord Rama for not standing up for her and would make fun of his status. She desired that Lord Rama participate in his battle. That was Sita; even in her darkest hours, she remembered her husband and his honours. She had only thought of Lord Rama during her incarceration and was confident that everything would be okay.

Significance

One of the holidays with the most religious significance in Hinduism^[1] is Sita Navami. Devi Sita is thought to be an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi. She was also known as “Janaki.”. As she grew older, Mithila’s Swayamvar was organized by her father, King Janaka. Lord Rama married Devi Sita after defeating every participating king in this Swayamvar. Devi Sita was known for her tolerance and devotion towards her husband. One would be granted a happy and successful married life by celebrating Sita Navami. Through thick and thin, she stuck by her husband and never turned her back on him. A girl, who was brought up as a princess, went into the forest with her husband to live there for 14 years, was kidnapped by Ravana, and her morality and character were repeatedly called into question. Several female followers all around the nation draw a lesson from Sita’s dedication and affection for her husband, Rama.

Devotees celebrate Mata Sita’s birthday by keeping fasts, participating in special pujas, and reciting prayers and hymns. To commemorate the occasion, they organize cultural events and take part in processions. The northern regions of India, particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, are where the celebration is most well-liked. Essentially, Sita Navami is a festival of the holy feminine and a time to reflect on the value of qualities like chastity, devotion, and selflessness in our daily lives. It is also a chance to ask Maa Sita for her blessings on your financial, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Generally, Sita Navami is a more significant day marked with devotion and ceremonies meant to invoke prosperity and good fortune.

Benefits of Celebrating Sita Navami

The celebration of Sita Navami is indeed the subject of myths. Our ancestors had the belief that those who offered prayers and women who kept a fast on this day were blessed with joy, wealth, and marital bliss. 

The benefits of celebrating Sita Navami this year have been listed below:

• Since Goddess Sita is thought to be an embodiment of Goddess Lakshmi, she bestows wealth and success on those who pray and even perform pujas.
• Married ladies participate in this celebration to obtain Sita’s blessings, a deity renowned for her devotion to and loyalty to her husband, Lord Rama. In addition, it is also thought that women who fast for the full day and offer prayers for their husbands’ success, happiness, longevity, and well-being are blessed, and their wishes are fulfilled.
• According to myth, Devi Sita is the daughter of the goddess Earth, and those who pray to her and make offerings to her receive good crops, money, prosperity, and good health.
• As an ideal pair who supported one another through thick and thin, Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, every married couple and couple who is about to get married must seek the blessing by going to the temples of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita on the Sita Navami day.
• Praying to Devi Sita on the anniversary of her birth will help you experience the joy of motherhood if you’re unable to conceive or are dealing with other comparable problems.

These are just a few advantages of observing Sita Navami. In many ways, Goddess Sita resembles a mother to us human beings. If you pray to her for anything from the bottom of your heart, she will undoubtedly grant your request.

Rituals for Sita Navami

On Sita Navami, every year, a beautiful puja mandap is installed and decorated with vibrant flowers. The statues of Lord Rama, Sita Devi, Laxman, King Janaka, as well as Mata Sunaina, are set up. On this day, Goddess Earth is also worshipped because King Janaka discovered Goddess Sita as he was ploughing the ground. The worshippers make a variety of offerings, including sesame seeds, barley, rice, or fruits. After the Aarti on this day is over, a special “Bhog” (meal) is made for the occasion and served as Prasad. The Sita Navami “Vrat” is a daytime fast that requires women to refrain from eating anything until the puja ceremonies are finished. Women are said to gain characteristics like elegance, motherhood, commitment, and devotion towards their spouses by participating in the Sita Navami Vrat. You can prepare mouth-watering sweets for Vrat using 100% pure A2 Gir cow ghee. Married ladies also observe this fast in hopes of a long life for their husbands.

Lord Rama and Goddess Sita temples across the nation hold special religious rites and prayers on Sita Navami. Many of these temples hold ceremonies like Aarti or the Maha Abhishek. Many temples also host Ramayana recitals, accompanied by bhajans and kirtans. Some people conduct processions while singing religious songs and chanting “Jai Siya Ram” while pulling sculptures of Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, and Lord Lakshmana. 

Conclusion

Whatever you choose to call her—Sita, Janaki, Vaidehi, or Maithili—you can be sure that she will always be remembered as a sanctifying grace which was fearless, devoted, selfless, decent, energetic, and could adjust herself in every setting—yet she would always stand out from the rest. And that’s the goddess Sita. Sita Navami is undoubtedly an auspicious day because the goddess Sita’s birth gave rise to a lovely tale of love and a profound lesson about the triumph of good over evil. You could attract money, prosperity, happiness, and health by celebrating Sita Navami and carrying out religious rites. You can share the amazing stories of Goddess Sita’s birth with your kids to help them understand the value of commitment and loyalty.