Character

सीता

Sītā

verses
5,196
books
28
chapters
683
Consort of
रामः

What the texts say

In the Ramayana, Sita is the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila, and she arose from the earth when a ploughshare struck the field. Ramayana 5.16.15 The epic's opening summary tells of the breaking of the great bow and her marriage to Rama, calling her Janaki, one of her names. Ramayana 1.3.11 When Rama spoke of going to the forest, Sita insisted on following him. Ramayana 2.34.23 Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, carried her weeping to his city of Lanka. Ramayana 3.54.5 Hanuman, who reached Lanka, saw her sorrowing among the rakshasis in the Ashoka grove, and the summary adds a ring given as a token. Ramayana 5.2.14, 5.17.23, 1.3.30 After Rama spoke harshly of her in the assembly, Sita entered the blazing fire. Ramayana 1.1.82 The Devi Bhagavatam tells that later the daughter of the Earth entered Patala, splitting the earth open. Devi Bhagavatam 4.18.57

Where to read

Every verse that names सीता, book by book.

  1. Ramayana

    3,322 verses · 307 chapters

    All 3,322 verses in the Ramayana
    • 5.35.6

      जानन्तीऽपि खलु दिष्ट्या मां वैदेहि परिपृच्छसि। कमलपत्राक्षि भर्तुः संस्थानं लक्ष्मणस्य च॥

    • 5.37.21

      अहं प्रस्रवणस्थाय राघवायाद्य मैथिलि। त्वां प्रापयिष्यामि—अनलः शक्राय हव्यं हुतमिव॥

    • 5.38.1

      ततः स कपिशार्दूलः तेन वाक्येन तोषितः। सीतामुवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः॥

    • 1.24.488

      एका बुद्धिमती सखी धैर्यं धारयित्वा सीतायाः करं गृहीत्वा तामुक्तवती। गौर्याः ध्यानं पश्चात् कुरु, किं राजकुमारौ न पश्यसि? ततः सीता लज्जया नयने उद्घाट्य सम्मुखे स्थितौ रघुकुलसिंहौ अपश्यत्। रामस्य नखादिशिखापर्यन्तं सौन्दर्यं दृष्ट्वा पितुः…

    • 2.11.211

      तदा रघुकुलनाथः स्नात्वा पार्थिवं शिवलिङ्गं पूजयित्वा शिरः अनतवान्। सीता हस्तौ सम्पुटयित्वा स्वर्गगङ्गायै उक्तवती: हे मातः, मम मनोरथं पूरय। अहं पतिना देवरेण च सह कुशलतया प्रत्यागत्य तव पूजां करोमि। सीतायाः प्रेमरसे निमग्नां प्रार्थनां…

    • 1.23.478

      उद्यानं द्रष्टुं द्वौ राजकुमारौ आगतौ, किशोरौ सर्वथा सुन्दरौ च। कृष्णश्च गौरश्च, कथं वर्णयामि? वाण्याः नयनं नास्ति, नयनयोः वाणी नास्ति। इदं श्रुत्वा सर्वाः बुद्धिमत्यः सख्यः प्रहृष्टाः, सीतायाः हृदि महतीमुत्कण्ठाम् अजानन्। एका सखी अवोचत्…

    • 6.242.102

      धृत्वा वक्षसि चार्वङ्गी मालामम्लानपङ्कजाम् । सीतामुखे समुत्पन्ना बालभावेन सुंदरी

    • 5.66.8

      त्वया यदा वने त्यक्ता जानकी वै निरागसी । अंतर्वत्नी वने घोरे विलपंती मुहुर्मुहुः

    • 5.59.1

      शेष उवाच । अथ नावा समुत्तीर्य जाह्नवीं लक्ष्मणस्तदा । जानकीं परतस्तीरे हस्ते धृत्वा वनं ययौ ॥

    • 6.1.20.1

      सूत उवाच । तत्र दाशरथी रामो वनवासाय दीक्षितः । भ्रममाणो धरापृष्ठे सीतालक्ष्मणसंयुतः ॥

    • 5.1.31.12

      चित्रकूटात्पुरा रामो मैथिल्या लक्ष्मणेन च । समन्वितः समागत्य मुनिसत्तममपृच्छत् ॥

    • 3.2.35.9

      सीतासहितो धर्मज्ञो रामः गुरुसैन्यपुरःसरः; भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणेन सह भरतेन सहायवान्।

Key chapters

The chapters where सीता matters most.

  1. Description of Rama and Lakshmana; Alliance Narrative to Sita

    Ramayana 5.35 · 85 verses

    Primary examiner and recipient of pramāṇa

  2. Hanuman’s Offer of Rescue and Sita’s Dharmic Refusal

    Ramayana 5.37 · 66 verses

    Moral and strategic arbiter

  3. The Token of Recognition (Chūḍāmaṇi) and the Crow Episode Recalled

    Ramayana 5.38 · 64 verses

    Provides authentication through intimate shared memory

  4. The Signet Jewel as Proof and the Consolation of Sita

    Ramayana 5.39 · 53 verses

    Giver of abhijñāna (recognition-token) and moral instructor

  5. Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

    Ramayana 5.26 · 49 verses

    Sole primary speaker

  6. The Ogresses’ Threats to Sita and Her Vow of Fidelity

    Ramayana 5.24 · 44 verses

    Central moral voice

  7. सीतारावणसंवादः · Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma

    Ramayana 3.47 · 38 verses

  8. The crisis of the ‘distressed voice’

    Ramayana 3.45 · 37 verses

    Catalyst of the crisis: interprets the forest-cry as Rāma’s…

  9. The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

    Ramayana 3.52 · 36 verses

    Primary sufferer and moral center

  10. Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

    Ramayana 5.21 · 34 verses

Key episodes

  1. Shurpanakha at Panchavati

    Ramayana 3.17-3.18

  2. The Golden Deer

    Ramayana 3.42-3.44

  3. Ravana Carries Off Sita

    Ramayana 3.45-3.56

  4. Jatayu Fights Ravana

    Ramayana 3.50-3.68

  5. Hanuman Finds Sita in the Ashoka Grove

    Ramayana 5.14-5.40

  6. Hanuman Burns Lanka

    Ramayana 5.53-5.55

  7. Sita's Ordeal by Fire (Agni Pariksha)

    Ramayana 6.118-6.121

  8. Rama's Return to Ayodhya

    Ramayana 6.124-6.131

  9. Rama and Sita in the Flower Garden (Pushpavatika)

    Ramcharitmanas 1.23-1.24

  10. The Boatman Washes Rama's Feet (Kevat)

    Ramcharitmanas 2.11

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q191114