Why did Ram give up Sita instead of the throne?

Question

I haven't read Ramayan and have a hazy memory of seeing it on Doordarshan. But due to current political & social climate in India with respect to mob justice and punishment by public opinion, I came across a blog (can't remember link) which said (paraphrased) that even Ram abandoned Sita based on public opinion rather than standing by her. What hope do we have. We are mere mortals.

That left me wondering. Why did Ram not give up his throne & decide to leave Ayodhya with Sita? During his exile of 14 years, Ayodhya was ruled by Bharat. And I supposed Bharat ruled Ayodhya well.

Upon returning & being crowned as the King, when people started raising suspicions on Sita's fidelity, why couldn't he just step down & let Bharat rule. If people had problems with a Queen (Sita) being unfaithful, he could just quit & leave Ayodhya & live with Sita instead of abandoning her.

So, why did Ram choose to not give up his throne but instead choose to give up his love Sita?

Answer 1

I am answering the question based on Valmiki Ramayana along with the help of Vyasa Mahabharat.

Rama left Ayodhya for exile and Bharata ruled Ayodhya to fulfil Dasaratha's promise and hence to save Dasaratha from hell. Thus neither Rama's exile nor Bharata's rule happened solely based on Rama's decision.It can be clarified from the following words of Rama

Thereafter, the illustrious Rama, highly respected among his fraternity, (as follows) to Bharata who was speaking as aforesaid among his relatives. "......... O, Tiger among men! Your illustrious mother of beautiful complexion consequently demanded these two boons from that chief of men, for you the throne and for me the exile to the forest. O, excellent among men! I too, have been enjoined by our aforesaid father to live here in the forest for fourteen years, in accord with granting of boon. I as such, without any rival, have come to this lonely forest accompanied by Lakshmana and Seetha in order to carry out the promise given by our father. You too ought, likewise, to make our father, as a person having given a true promise, O Indra (the Lord of Celestials) among kings, by getting yourself anointed to the crown without any delay. O, Bharata! For my sake relieve the mighty king from his vow and make both our mother and father happy. My dear brother! Formerly, an illustrious king named Gaya, while performing a sacrifice in a place called Gaya in honour of his ancestors, chanted the following verse: Since a son delivers his father from a place of torment (hell) called 'Put', he is named as 'Putra'- 'he who delivers his ancestors from all dangers'. To have many virtuous and learned sons is to be desired, since one, at least among them, who is intimately connected will come to Gaya to perform a sacrifice. O, prince! This is the conviction of all the royal sages. O, the efficient and the excellent of men! Therefore, save our father from hell. O, the valiant Bharata! Go to Ayodhya along with Shatrughna and all the Brahmanas and give joy to the people there. O, King! I too, without delay, will proceed to Dandaka forest along with Seetha and Lakshaman........"

He was not a king while leaving Ayodhya for exile. While ruling as king after returning from exile Rama heard the following unpleasant things frequently dwelt upon by the people in court-yards, markets, public roads, forests and gardens with the help of an experienced councillor named Vadra

Having discomfited Ravana, in the encounter Rama hath released Sita, but not being the least enraged on account of her being touched by Ravana he hath brought her to his own city. Ravana did forcibly place Sita on her lap; how can the Rama enjoy delight in her company? Having taken her to the city of Lanka, Ravana did keep her in Ashoka forest and Sita was brought under the control of Rakshasees. Still Rama hath not been worked up with hatred by Sita. From now we shall also brooke the bad conduct of our wives - for the subjects always tread the footsteps of their kings....

[section LIII, Uttara Kanda]

After hearing those words, knowing Sita as chaste for ever, Rama spoke the following words to Lakshmana

... Even the celestials speak ill of bad name - whereas fame is adored in all the regions. Therefore the high-souled expert their best to acquire reputation. O foremost of men, What to speak of the daughter of Janaka - I can even renounce my life and yourselves in fear of a bad name. Do ye therefore perceive into what great abyss of sorrow and ill-fame I have fallen. Up to this time I have never experienced such a mighty grief. Do thou, O Lakshmana, next morning, ascending the car driven by Sumantra, take away Sita to another country...

[section LV, Uttara Kanda]

Thus Rama sent Sita in fear of a bad name. That means he maintain his ideality as a king to his people.

Important points to be noted are:

1. Rama was not a king while going into exile. But he was a king while taking decision of sending Sita to Valmiki ashrama.

   If he leaves Ayodhya as a king and goes to forest along with Sita, then the bad name may not go and it is more like accepting on to what people talk as he did not do anything wrong as king in bringing Sita back to Ayodhya after exile.

2. Rama as a son performed his duty while going into exile and he performed his duty as a king while sending Sita to Valmiki ashrama.

Updated :

The answer for those questions in comments of necessity in leaving Sita can be justified and clarified from the following excerpt of SECTION LXI of Sisupala-badha Parva of Sabha Parva of Mahabharata (which will reappear in SECTION CXXVIII of Bhagwat Yana Parva of Udyoga Parva of Mahabharata)

Vaisampayana said,--"During the course of this gambling, certain to bring about utter ruin (on Yudhishthira), Vidura, that dispeller of all doubts, (addressing Dhritarashtra) said, 'O great king, O thou of the Bharata race, ...... For the sake of a family a member may be sacrificed; for the sake of a village a family may be sacrificed, for the sake of a province a village may be sacrificed and for the sake of one's own soul the whole earth may be sacrificed. ....."

Based on this, there is no wrong of Rama in leaving Sita for the sake of his kingdom.

Later, (at final stages), Rama calls Sita to show the purity of her as well as him

Rama heard the highly sacred theme for many long says in the company of ascetics, kings and Vanaras. And understanding from the story that Kusa and Lava were Janaki's sons, Rama mentioning her name said before the assembly :- "Send a good emissary unto the illustrious Valmiki and let him communicate unto the ascetics that if Janaki is sinless and has leas a pure life in the forest; let her give a proof of purity by the great ascetic's permission. Let the emissaries learn well the intention of an ascetic in this and Sita is at heart willing to bring in proofs. To uphold her as well as mine purity, Let Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, swar before the assembly."

[Section CVIII, Uttara Kanda]

Answer 2

Lord Ram sent the Sita away to uphold the dharma. How? Since He was a king and the subjects were expected to follow the foot steps of the king( Yathaa Raaja, Tathaa Prjaa), so the men would have been unable to question their wives if they have been unchaste. This would have caused disorder in the society which would have been against the principles of dharma, hence Lord Ram reluctantly sent Sita away. (I am sure readers know that sanctity of food and sex are the two fundamental tenets of Hinduism; if these two are lost then the spirit of Hinduism cannot survive.)

One must notice that Lord Ram always upheld dharma by making sacrifices. In this case too, he sacrificed his own relationship for the greater good of the society. I am sure you are aware that it was not like He had many other wives, so sending Sita off would not have mattered to him.

Giving up the throne and going along with Sita would have been personally more desirable for Ram but it would have gone against the dharma, as a king is not supposed to protect anything personal at the cost of his subjects or the kingdom. Kingdom comes before family or personal life.

So sending Sita off to Valmiki Ashram is not an example of mob justice. It was done purely to uphold the dharmic principles.

Answer 3

The Seeta parityaga (Disowning of Seeta), Seeta Agnipravesha, arrival of all GODs and Sri Rama accepting Seeta episodes were described in the Sargas 115 to 118 of Yuddha Kanda of Srimad Ramayana.

The above episodes in Ramayana were inserted consciously, at a later date, by some scholars. They are interpolated stories to make believe that Sri Rama was an incarnation of Vishnu.

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Sri Rama sends Vibhishana to bring Seetha to his presence. Vibhishana brings Seetha to Sri Rama's presence.

Sri Rama informs Seetha that the dishonour meted out to him and the wrong done to her by Ravana have been wiped off, by his victory over the enemy with the assistance of Sri Hanuma, Sugreeva and Vibhishana.

However, regarding with suspicion on the character of Seetha, Sri Rama disowns her and asks her to seek shelter elsewhere.

Seetha gives a taunting reply to Sri Rama, saying that why she was not abandoned by the latter, even at the time when Sri Hanuma came to see her in Lanka.

Then, Seetha requests Lakshmana to prepare a pile of fire for her to enter. When Lakshmana prepares a pyre, Seetha prays the fire-god and enters into it, in order to prove her conjugal fidelity.

Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and other gods reach that place and eulogise Sri Rama as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and Seeta as Lakshmi.

भवान्नारायणो देवः श्रीमांश्चक्रायुधः प्रभुः || एकशृङ्गो वराहस्त्वं भूतभव्यसपत्नजित् | (Yuddha Kanda 117 Sarga 13 Sloka)

"You are the Lord Narayana himself the glorious god, who wields the discus. You are the Divine Boar with a single tusk, the conqueror of your past and future enemies."

सीता लक्ष्मीर्भवान् विष्णुर्देवः कृष्णः प्रजापतिः || वधार्थं रावणस्येह प्रविष्टो मानुषीं तनुम् | (Yuddha Kanda 117 Sarga 28 Sloka)

"Seetha is no other than Goddess Lakshmi (the divine consort of Lord Vishnu), while you are Lord Vishnu. You are having a shining dark-blue hue. You are the Lord of created beings. For the destruction of Ravana, you entered a human body here, on this earth."

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1) As Putrakamesthi episode was inserted to make believe the readers that Sri Rama was in fact the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Seeta parityaga (Disowning of Seeta), Seeta Agnipravesha, episodes were inserted consciously to prove similar theory.

2) Hence, eulogising Sri Rama as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and Seeta as Lakshmi by Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva WAS DONE to elevate the status of Lord Vishnu and did not fit into Srimad Ramayana

3) Beore reaching Lanka, Sri Rama always expressed his great eagerness in getting back his dear wife Seeta at the earliest. At no point of time, till his meeting with Seeta after the death of Ravana, he was depicted expressing his desire to give up Seeta as she was residing in Ravana’s house.

4) If Sri Rama already had a doubt of Seeta’s conjugal fidelity or he already decided to disown Seeta after killing of Ravana, he would have felt relieved with the news of death of Seeta. Instead, his immediate reaction to the news of Indrajit chopping off the head of illusionary Seeta was to faint away.

5) Here the question is whether Sri Rama could have behaved in that manner and disowned his dear Seeta? I firmly believe that Sri Rama's high standard of thinking will not allow him to do in such a way

6) The insertion of above episodes in Yuddha Kanda might have made the readers believe that Sri Rama was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is Lokadhipati. However, this insertion had done more harm to the character of Sri Rama.

7) It gave an opportunity to Feminists, followers of other religions, atheists, etc, to criticize the exemplary character of Sri Rama, who according to these insertions, was turned into a Male chauvinist.

8) It is nothing but character assassination and in the process of elevating the status of Vishnu to that of Supreme Lord, Sri Rama had become a victim of this slander.