After Rama returns to Ayodhya and ruling from Ayodhya, he asks his friends about the views of citizens. Bhadra, who was an amuser for Rama, tells Rama about the aspersions that citizens cast on Sita. He also tells him that citizens wonder why Rama does not find this reprehensible and that they will also have to tolerate this from their wives. In popular narration, a washerman is mentioned as raising these doubts and aspersions. However, in Valmiki Ramayana it is the citizens at large who make these comments and not any washerman.

This incident occurs in Uttara Kanda. Most scholars agree that Uttara Kanda was a later addition. Both content and style of Uttara Kanda do not match with the other Kandas. The Critical Edition includes some portions of Bala Khanda and Uttara Khanda but many slokas have been omitted in it. This incident is included in the Critical Edition.

You can read more about this episode at https://www.dharmadispatch.in/culture/sita-parityaga-a-profound-analysis

Picture: Sita in VanaVasa by Raja Ravi Varma

While Sita was being abducted, she had noticed Sugriva and other vanaras on a mountaintop. Sita then wrapped her ornaments in her upper body cloth and dropped it among them, hoping it would guide Rama in his search.

When Rama tells Sugriva about Sita’s abduction, he recollects seeing a lady being abducted and realizes it was Sita.Sugriva retrieves the jewels he had carefully stored and shows them to Rama who immediately recognizes them. Rama tells Lakshmana that these are indeed Sita’s. Lakshmana then tells Rama, in iconic words.

“Naham jaanami keyure, naham janaami kundale,
Nupure tvabhijanami nityam paadaabhivandanaat”

It translates as

“Bracelets I have not seen, earrings I have not seen,
I recognize the anklets, as I bowed down to her feet everyday”

This is a wonderful verse expressing Lakshmana’s respect for Sita. While this is considered as part of Valmiki Ramayana, it is not included in the critical edition published by the Oriental Institute, Baroda. The incidents upto Rama recognizing the jewelry are part of the critical edition.

Picture: Sketches and Songs, Instagram

After Dasaratha is separated from Rama, he narrates an incident to Kausalya. Before his marriage, Dasaratha had gone on a hunting expedition. Dasaratha had the ability to aim and shoot at a target just by hearing a sound. While in the forest, he heard a sound. It was the sound of a pot being filled by someone. Dasaratha mistook it for the sound of an elephant and shot an arrow. It hit a young tapasvi. The tapasvi was the only son of blind and frail parents and was taking care of them. The tapasvi died and Dasaratha admitted his sin to his parents. The grief stricken parents cursed that Dasaratha too would die from grief for a lost son. Dasaratha died after narrating this incident.

Sravan is the name of the Tapasvi. The name is introduced in latter folklore. The tapasvi is not mentioned by name in Valmiki Ramayana.

Picture: Sravan carries his blind and frail parents

In the Valmiki Ramayana Ahilya is only cursed to become invisible, feed on air and starve for food. There is no mention of her turning into a stone. Kalidasa, in Raghu-vamsa first describes her as having turned to stone. This in fact suggests that she remained introspective and unaffected by the world.

In the popular culture, Ahilya was liberated when Rama’s feet touched her. It is also a belief that the dust from Rama’s feet touched and liberated her. In the Valmiki Ramayana, both Rama and Lakshmana fell at her feet and she looked like a brilliant flame enveloped by smoke. In fact, in a different episode, it is Rishi Vishwamitra who curses Rambha to turn into a stone when she tries to seduce him.

The latter day variations emphasise Ahilya’s detachment from the world; and the positive effect that even a young Rama had (before he was even married to Sita) to mend a broken marriage.

Picture: Ahilya painting by Raja Ravi Varma.

Sri Rama did not win over Sita in a Swayamwaram. In fact no Swayamwaram was even held. Shiva had bent the bow in rage during the destruction of Daksha’s Yajna. The bent bow was kept in the custody of Janaka’s clan. Many kings had earlier tried to lift Shiva’s bow. None could succeed. The defeated kings tried to siege Mithila and Janaka had warded them off. The story that Ravana felt insulted when Sita and her friends laughed at his failure to lift the bow is also not in Valmiki Ramayana.

Janaka had vowed that he would only marry Sita to a man who would string the bow. At the invitation and with the permission of Vishwamitra, Rama lifts the bow easily, strings it and breaks it. The sound was so deafening that all except Janaka, Vishwamitra, Rama and Lakshmana fell down to the floor. Janaka then tells Vishwamitra that he would offer Sita in marriage to Rama.

Picture: Rama stringing the bow by Raja Ravi Varma

In many popular tellings, Surpanaka approaches Rama as a beautiful woman. However, in Valmiki Ramayana, she approaches Rama as a rakshasa in a ghastly form. She in fact tells Rama that she is a Rakshasi and can take any form she likes. She also describes her entire family to Rama. Further, Rama advises Lakshmana that he should never ridicule Rakshasas like her.

The description that she came as a beautiful woman only serves to underline the ability of Rakshsas to change their form at will; and to resort to deceit to win over strong and Dharmic people.

Picture: Lakshmana disfigures Surpanakha by Raja Ravi Varma

Lakshamana does not draw a line in front of the hut to protect Sita. This incident is not in any other Sanskrit version of Ramayana too. The latter narratives remind us of the immense sense of duty that Lakshamana had to protect Rama; and the moral valour of Lakshamana that his mere line could stop anyone from entering the hut. In fact, in Valmiki Ramayana, Lakshmana says that he will go and look for Rama and that the deities of the forest may protect Sita.

Picture: Sita is enthralled by the Golden deer, by Raja Ravi Varma

In popular narrative, Ravana carries Sita in a Pushpaka-Vimana or a flying chariot. In Valmiki Ramayana, he carries her in a magical chariot pulled by donkeys. However, Jatayu fights Ravana, smashes his chariot, slays the donkeys and kills the charioteer. Ravana then carries Sita physically and flies away to Lanka.

The popular narrative that Ravana carried Sita scooped the earth around Sita and carried her is also not in the original Valmiki Ramayana. He holds her by the hair and thigh and carries her in his lap. The narrative only reminds us of the link that Sita has with her mother earth. No one would be able to separate Sita from mother earth and therefore she had to be carried along with earth.

Picture: Ravana slays Jatayu by Raja Ravi Varma

There is no mention of Sabri biting the fruits. In popular narrative, Sabri bites the fruits as she is blind and cannot ensure their ripeness by checking the fruits. In Valmiki Ramayana, when Rama and Lakshamana reach Sabri’s ashram, she falls at their feet. She says that once she meets them, she is also destined to go to heaven. She mentions that she has collected several forest produce for them and then offers them. She also points them to Lake Pampa. She then seeks the permission of Rama and Lakshmana to leave her body. She immolates herself and resembling a flame, ascends to Swarga.

The popular narrative underlines the Bhakti of Sabri and the acceptance of Rama of the acts of his true devotees.

Picture: Sabri meets Rama, unknown source

Indrajit is sent by Ravana to capture Hanuman after Hanuman kills Ravana’s son Aksa. Hanuman is bound by the Brahmastra fired by Indrajit and is taken as a captive to Ravana. Here, popular narratives claim that Ravana did not offer a seat to Hanuman. To insult Ravana, Hanuman extended his tail and coiled it and created a chair for himself. It was higher than the seat of Ravana. This is not part of Valmiki Ramayana.

Hanuman declares himself as a messenger of Rama. Ravana spares his life at the advice of Vibhishana as a messenger cannot be killed. Ravana only tries to punish Hanuman by lighting his tail on fire. Agni listens to Sita’s prayers and prevents the flames from burning Hanuman. Eventually, Hanuman ends up burning Lanka and flying back.

Picture: Hanuman by Raja Ravi Varma

The name Ramachandra is not mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana, even though it is one of the most common names of Rama. The name became popular after 10th century and especially because of Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas. Prior to 10th century, the name Ramachandra is not used to refer to Rama. The other three names are used for Rama in Valmiki Ramayana and refer to his lineage.

Raghava describes someone belonging to the dynasty of Raghu. Kakustha was a king in the Ishwaku dynasty and this name is used for his descendants. Dasarathi means son of Dasaratha.

Picture: Lineage of Rama, by DK Books

Rama is believed to have consecrated a Shivalinga at Rameshwaram before crossing the ocean; and in some accounts while returning with Sita. These are not part of Valmiki Ramayana. In fact, many of the accounts of Rama’s stay at Rameshwaram are not part of Valmiki Ramayana.

Vibhishana takes shelter from Rama while the sena is camping on the sea shore. Vibhishana advises Rama to seek the help of Samudra. King Sagara, an ancestor of Rama was instrumental in digging up the oceans. Therefore Samudra would help Rama, who is a descendant of King Sagara. The lord of the ocean (also referred to as Sagara) pleads helplessness as his Dharma is to be endless and he cannot become shallow for the sake of letting Rama cross. Sagara then advises Rama to take the help of Nala, the son of  Vishwakarna to construct a bridge. Nala goes on to construct the bridge. Thus, the story of the squirrel, or the bricks floating when the name of Rama is written on them etc are not in the Valmiki Ramayana.

The Shiva Bhakti of Rama is communicated in these latter day sthala-puranas and other oral accounts. They have a positive impact and portray the unity of various traditions. They also reinforce that even avatara purushas should acknowledge the power of other devatas and pay salutations to them.

Picture: Rama subdues the Sagara, by Raja Ravi Varma