Prayers to Srimati Sita?

[Jainarayan]

This old thread http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47575&postcount=1 as I was surfing around prompted me.

Does anyone know of any prayers to Srimati Sita, praising Her? Does anyone pray to Her? I know there is a gayatri mantra to Her, but I mean like stotra or shloka.

I'm sure this is overkill, but in my daily (OK, maybe not daily) prayers I recite prayers to Sri Krishna & Srimati Radharani; Lord Vishnu & Maa Lakshmi; Lord Rama; Lord Narasimha. I know they are One, and Supreme, but I like the prayers. I feel I am saying different things to Them in these prayers. Of course I say the Mahamantra also; the Mahamrityunjaya mantra; and a few others (Asato maa gamaya...; Sarveshaam...; Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva...).

I also recite some prayers to Lord Shiva & Maa Parvati; Lord Ganesha; Maa Saraswati; Lord Hanuman. I don't know... I guess I'm an Equal Opportunity Bhakta. :dunno: All this really only takes about 5-10 minutes, even with concentration.

But I feel that, even though She is Maa Lakshmi, Srimati Sita is being slighted in honoring Her for everything She went through. I can't seem to find anything praising and honoring Her, or even asking for Her blessings against adversity.

[shian]

Vankkam,

i also search.... maybe one Rsi or saint was composed the stotram for Mother Sita ?

but if not find it, with your love from your heart, you can composed one who was explain the divine sport of Devi on form of Sita ;)

Jai Maa Sita
Jai Sita Ram

[sm78]

In vaishnavism, I don't think one has exclusive or stand alone importance given to the feminine. She is generally only worshipped with the male aspect. Some sampradayas, like nimbarka or sri-vaishnava who give special imporance to attaining God thorough the medium of his shakti thus consequently do worship shakti more explicitely (althoug I don't think as stand alone diety) through radharani or lakshmi. But the traditional vaishnava followers of sri-rama (ramanandis etc) don't follow this approach of reaching God through the devotion to his shakti, so maybe hymns specially for Sita, special modes of Sita worship are less common. If she is mentioned, she comes in the same breath as the name of Rama, not separately.

Ofcourse in day-to-day hinduism people may have exclusive or at least a special place for Sita - but since I can't see any sampradaya practicing or propagating such, chances are less.

[Flowing Along]

Namase TouchedbytheLord
I remember seeing a Sita Ashtotram once in a book -verses in praise of Sri Sita -in fact there is a Lakshmana Ashtotram too.
I am not sure if its on the net.
But I found this
http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Sita_Rama_Stotram
These verses are a combo-version-they praise both Rama and Sita together in the same verse-I think Sri Sita may not want to be even thought of as different from her beloved Sri Ram.

[Flowing Along]

I forgot to mention this
There may be some folk songs in some Indian languages in praise of Sri Sita,though I cant cite a web link.
In some weddings, in TN , women of the family sing about how it is really a celebration of Sita's wedding during some ceremonies. Some other families may remember Gauri's wedding to Shiva in the form of a song.
So people may think of the divine on ordinary days as well as on occassions.
Many of these songs must have been spontaneously done by ordinary people.

[JaiMaaDurga]

Namaste TBTL,

Perhaps you might find these links useful:

About Her and Her festival, with mantras etc.

Sri SitaNavami (http://lordrama.co.in/shri-sitanavami.html)

This mandir (dedicated to Maa Sita, said to be where Maa Sita descended into Earth)'s website has "virtual aarti" for Maa Sita here:

Maa Sita aarti (http://sitasamahittemple.in/sita_arti.htm)

Wishing Maa's blessing on your path..

JAI MATA DI

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.


In vaishnavism, I don't think one has exclusive or stand alone importance given to the feminine. She is generally only worshipped with the male aspect. Some sampradayas, like nimbarka or sri-vaishnava who give special imporance to attaining God thorough the medium of his shakti thus consequently do worship shakti more explicitely (althoug I don't think as stand alone diety) through radharani or lakshmi. But the traditional vaishnava followers of sri-rama (ramanandis etc) don't follow this approach of reaching God through the devotion to his shakti, so maybe hymns specially for Sita, special modes of Sita worship are less common. If she is mentioned, she comes in the same breath as the name of Rama, not separately.

Ofcourse in day-to-day hinduism people may have exclusive or at least a special place for Sita - but since I can't see any sampradaya practicing or propagating such, chances are less.

Thanks. I wasn't sure if that was the case, but I guess it is; I thought there might be some reason. Clearly more emphasis is placed on Mahalakshmi and Srimati Radharani; there is a prayer to Mahalakshmi that calls Her the internal energy of Lord Vishnu and equal to Lord Vishnu Himself. In the Hey Ram prayer, there is a line that says "You are Radha's Krishna". It's probably just how devotions developed.

You learn something new every day. ;)


Namaste TBTL,

Perhaps you might find these links useful:

About Her and Her festival, with mantras etc.

Sri SitaNavami (http://lordrama.co.in/shri-sitanavami.html)

This mandir (dedicated to Maa Sita, said to be where Maa Sita descended into Earth)'s website has "virtual aarti" for Maa Sita here:

Maa Sita aarti (http://sitasamahittemple.in/sita_arti.htm)

Wishing Maa's blessing on your path..

JAI MATA DI

Thank you. :)

[Divine Kala]

Much of the folk songs dedicated to Sri Sita talk about the trials and tribulations she goes through upon her marriage to Rama. Many of those songs do not flatter Rama.

[shian]

Vanakkam,

Glad to find praises for Mother Sita.

This is also difficult to search for Rama storam who have talk about Sita (like Praises to Visnu : Vishnu Who is the Lord of Laskmi, Laksmi in His chest etc) , so many Rama storam is without praises of Rama and Sita relation.
Maybe there is available somewhere but i can't find.

[Jainarayan]

Many of those songs do not flatter Rama.

I went off on someone (who me!? really!? no way! :D ) on a Wikipedia talk page who was talking smack about Lord Rama. :mad:

[Divine Kala]

Unfortunately Rama isn't viewed as the best ideal of men amongst many Indian women. The folk songs dedicated to Sita are often about the abuse she suffers after marrying Rama and about how he is not a very good husband (downright negligent in many cases).

[Flowing Along]

Namaste Divine Kala

I mentioned folk songs only to show how people bring in the timeless epic in both joy and sorrow.The Ramayana is part and parcel of the Indian psyche.

From what I have heard in folk songs , you are right that Sita's sorrows are focussed upon as the anonymous authors are most probably women.
But the focus is not on denigrating Rama.


Unfortunately Rama isn't viewed as the best ideal of men amongst many Indian women. The folk songs dedicated to Sita are often about the abuse she suffers after marrying Rama and about how he is not a very good husband (downright negligent in many cases).

This isnt true as the mindset of Indian women doesnt equate Sita's life as just sorrow Definitely most Indian women do think Sri Ram IS the best ideal

The whole feminist angle [SrI Sita is the abused and Sri Ram is the irresponsible type] is thanks to our homegrown Indian left thinkers and some Western researchers who like to quote folk songs only and little else. They also have a problem in accepting Valmikhi Ramayana as the original. That says a lot about their scholarship.

Male children are happily named after Lord Rama by their mothers and when a prospective groom is named after Lord Ram , women in the family of the bride associate that with fidelity , chastity and divine love on the parts of both spouses and rejoice.

The no. of people named Ram or Raman is very high especially in TN, he is inseparable from our psyche despite concentrated efforts by some political forces aided by media in TN since some 5 years.

There is a lot of local politics circuses there in TN but enough to say people's bhakthi will have none of that.

Anyway touchedbythelord actually wanted to know abt stotras and I am trying to get it from someone .If I get it i'd post it here.

All I remember now are just two names out of the 108 names of Sri Sita

Om Ayonijayai Namaha [ Ayonija-she who wasnt born of a womb]
Om Anakayai Namaha [ She who is pure]
Warm regardS

[goodlife]

Unfortunately Rama isn't viewed as the best ideal of men amongst many Indian women. The folk songs dedicated to Sita are often about the abuse she suffers after marrying Rama and about how he is not a very good husband (downright negligent in many cases).

How did you arrive at that conclusion?? I am curious.

Shri Ram burnt down an entire empire just to find her, exactly where was he not a good husband and downright negligent??

I see this line of arguement often these days by feminist terrorists ( my copyright:D ) in the country. Remember, he was maryada purushottam, king first then a husband. besides he didnt remarry and didnt exactly lead a happy life after she took to forrest, no?

keen to hear why you think so.

[Divine Kala]

Just by asking Indian women what they really think of Rama. Bear in mind that many of these women have never read the Ramayana, but they've learned Sita's side of the story through village songs.

There's also documented research of it - in Hinduism Today it is looked at during an article looking at Sita Sings the Blues.

[uttam]

hellow TBTL ,in your daily prayers you recite prayers to Sri Krishna & Srimati Radharani; Lord Vishnu & Maa Lakshmi; Lord Rama; Lord Narasimha. you say the Mahamantra also; the Mahamrityunjaya mantra; and a few others (Asato maa gamaya...; Sarveshaam...; Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva...).

you also recite some prayers to Lord Shiva & Maa Parvati; Lord Ganesha; Maa Saraswati; Lord Hanuman. . :dunno: All this really only takes about 5-10 minutes, even with concentration.

i want to ask why you don't recite prayers to Maa kali,Maa shitala,Mata vaishnodevi,Maa sontoshi ,Maa katyaoni,Maa kamakhya, Maa Bhubeneshwari,Maa manasha ,Indradev, Sonidev and so on . i think it is unfair.

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.


i want to ask why you don't recite prayers to Maa kali,Maa shitala,Mata vaishnodevi,Maa sontoshi ,Maa katyaoni,Maa kamakhya, Maa Bhubeneshwari,Maa manasha ,Indradev, Sonidev and so on . i think it is unfair.


I'm Vaishnava, but I consider Lord Shiva to be the greatest Vaishnav bhakta and can be appealed to for guidance in increasing devotion to Lord Krishna; it's said to always invoke Lord Ganesha at any undertaking; Lord Hanuman is the greatest devotee of Lord Rama and worthy of honoring and praying to, to emulate in devotion; Maa Saraswati led me to Lord Krishna; Maa Kali is in my heart and near my shrine, I do have some prayers to Her, and I ask for Her help in destroying some negativity that surrounds me.

[uttam]

dear TBTL i think by the grace of so many dev-devis you will get moksha very soon.

[Jainarayan]

dear TBTL i think by the grace of so many dev-devis you will get moksha very soon.

"From your lips to God's ears" as they say. ;)

But! We must keep in mind:

"Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way." B.G. 9.23

"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me." B.G. 9.25

And the most important:

"Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend." B.G. 18.65

All prayers make their way to Lord Krishna, but it's important to distinguish between worship of the other deities, and honor and praise of Them. I think the honor and praise of Them pleases Lord Krishna.

After all, it was Maa Durga who took birth as Devaki's baby girl and deceived Kamsa, telling him his destroyer was already born and safe. Then She laughed in his face and disappeared (I like that part :D). And I think Lord Krishna told Arjuna to pray to Maa Durga for guidance at the beginning of the Kurukshetra War.

[Arjuni]

Namasté,

And I think Lord Krishna told Arjuna to pray to Maa Durga for guidance at the beginning of the Kurukshetra War.

He did. :) You may read the humble, lovely result of that instruction here (http://www.srimatham.com/storage/docs/arjunas-hymn-to-durga.pdf).

Regarding Sītā, it is indeed difficult to find specific prayers addressed only to Her. May I suggest Rig Veda, in this case hymn IV.57, where Sītā is first mentioned as the furrow, the Earth...If you click here (http://books.google.ca/books?id=_pApS8AwrQ8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=Sita&f=false) and then click on "page 240," you may read David Frawley's excellent translation and discussion of that hymn.
Another multifaceted discussion of Her, with a few good links to other essays, may be found here (http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/Newhomepage/shakti/sita.html).

Again, these are not prayers per se, but may give you direction to research songs, poems, etc. or, who knows, even to write prayers of your own!

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[Jainarayan]

Namaste Indraneela, and thanks for the links. :)

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

I just got a chance to read the hymn to Durga Maa.


O you that wields an awful spear, the holder of sword and-shield, O you that were born as the younger sister of the chief of cow-herds, O eldest sibling, born in the family of the cowherd Nanda!


There is a stotra Sarva-mangala-māngalye (http://vedantadc.org/sarva-mangala-mangalye) in which She is called Nārāyaṇi, the sister of Nārāyaṇa (per a commentary on the stotra). And She was indeed born as Lord Krishna's sister.


This is a reason why, even as a devotee of Krishna, I don't see anything wrong with praying to or honoring the other major deities. If Durga is the sister of Vishnu, then Shiva is His brother-in-law. Saraswatī Maa is said to be Maa Pārvatī's daughter. They're one big family.


OK, now that I've over-thought this and anthropomorphized it to death... http://www.guitarforums.com/images/smilies/facepalm.gif

[Arjuni]

Namasté,

They are indeed one big family - which certainly seems to settle any arguments over which devotee's path is "best"!

It's the multifaceted nature of the hymn that intrigues me: she is praised as "eldest sibling" and "younger sister," as "white...and also black," as "yellow-eyed" and as possessed "of eyes that have the colour of smoke."

And, speaking of both multiplicity and family - she is hymned as part of the "family of the cowherd Nanda," and then praised as "born of Kuśika's clan."
(Rig Veda I.10.11: "Come quickly, Indra, son of Kuśika, delighted drink the libation...")

I don't think that this hymn can be "over-thought." It seems to offer much richness for contemplation, and could perhaps become a separate thread from your original question on Sītā Devi. :)

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.


Namasté,

They are indeed one big family - which certainly seems to settle any arguments over which devotee's path is "best"!


...

I don't think that this hymn can be "over-thought." It seems to offer much richness for contemplation, and could perhaps become a separate thread from your original question on Sītā Devi. :)

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

:iagree: Yes, I think you are right in all respects.

I refer to myself as an Equal Opportunity Devotee. :)

[uttam]

Dear TouchedbytheLord you say you are vaishnab . ok fine. I suggest you to read some of the slokas of Gita and Bhagabat given below

Gita : 2/46,4/11,(7/20,21,23),(9/17,18,22,25,29,34),(10/2,3,8,9,10,12,13,39,42),(18/64,65,66)

Bhagabat :

1. 9/4/68 ( Chaitanya charitamrita - Adi lila-1 pari-sloka-30

2. 11/20/9 ( C C - Madhya lila-9 pari-sloka-23

3. 11/5/41 ( C C - Madhya lila-22 pari- 62 sloka

3. 11/5/42 ( C C -Madhya lila-22 pari-63 sloka

4. 4/31/14 ( C C -Madhya lila-22 pari-sloka 26 you must read it

these are in context with your shiv parboti,durga,hanuman,ganes all

[uttam]

Dear TLB your response still awaited.

[Jainarayan]

I am sorry, I did not see the post previously. :(

Thanks for the references. I've seen most of the verses from the B.G. I will have to look for the others. I'm sure I'll learn some new things. :)

[Sahasranama]

To answer your original question, there is a Sita Sahasranama in the Adhbuta Ramayana recitated by Rama to praise Sita.

[Jainarayan]

Thanks, I will look for it.


To answer your original question, there is a Sita Sahasranama in the Adhbuta Ramayana recitated by Rama to praise Sita.

[uttam]

TBTL are you ok

[Jainarayan]

Yes, thank you. :) Been busy.

[Flowing Along]

Namaste Divine Kala


Just by asking Indianwomen what they really think of Rama. Bear in mind that many of these womenhave never read the Ramayana, but they've learned Sita's side of the storythrough village songs.

There's also documented research of it - in Hinduism Today it is looked atduring an article looking at Sita Sings the Blues.

Wrong. A few Indian women don’t make all. Plus, the current climate is wherewe have active Govt. support for denigration of what the Hindus hold sacred . Itis a long story but we can discuss it in a different thread.

I am an Indian woman whose grandmothers didn't go to school. My roots are ina small village.

I haven't read the original either not even the bhakthi oriented version ofKambar in Tamil fully-I first heard from my uneducated grandmothers who couldsee the epic as it is-no Rama-bashing but no whitewashing either.

Infact many people choose to stop with just the coronation and dont take UttaraRamayan as an iti-hasa even .

[ There is only one original by Valmikhi .All the others are based on thisone only]

India has spread her ancientliterature through oral traditions bearing in mind that not everyone can affordthe time or energy to read a huge collection of verses.

What is more important than the written word is the concept or thecentral philosophy of any epic which the oral tradition [ dance-drama.village street plays, grandma's stories]has captured well and transmittedthrough countless generations.

Valmikhihimself doesn't try to whitewash anything-he narrates as it is -iti hasa and hehimself is a character in the Uttar Ramayana.

Reg. NinaPaley's Sita sings the blues , it is evident that that it is one of the twistedversions typical of the Indian left/Western academic version.Designed todenigrate. I have seen it and many like that. Our own politicians who are inpower with our votes actively endorse a lot of homegrown stuff like Nina Paley-beenhappening since 80 or so years right in TN with naastik parties.

ThatHinduism today endorses it doesn't validate Nina Paley's twisted Ramayan thatplays to the galleries who love to see Ramayana violated. Same mindset that putsthe images of Deva-devis on toilet seat and swim wear. One wonders why that website did this.

I postedan image from her much acclaimed [ by some] cartoon then deleted it as I don’t wantsuch an image on HDF .

[Flowing Along]

I tried to bold face only one sentence. and tried some space adjustments.I couldn't . Readers please bear with this.

[twista88]

Unfortunately Rama isn't viewed as the best ideal of men amongst many Indian women. The folk songs dedicated to Sita are often about the abuse she suffers after marrying Rama and about how he is not a very good husband (downright negligent in many cases).

Lord Rama was here not to be a prince or husband or for material roles rather HE being GOD Himself came to redeem earth from the evil clutches of ravana the demon king of lanka. Mata Sita being Divine and Shakti of Lord Rama never endured pain and suffering as we perceive it to be. Lord Rama and Mata Sita sorrows stems from the fact that Dharma was facing a continuous onslaught and devotees (Demigod,Angles,Rishis,etc) were being tormented. Lord Rama and Goddess Sita are 1 in their Nirguna form. Goddess Sita herself is Mahakali and in that fierce form all evil is destroyed.

Hari OM!!