Mihmbathinda at 07:59, 26 April 2026

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{{Short description|Marriage Ceremony of Goddess Sita}}{{Infobox historical event
| title = Sita Swayamvara
| image = Sita Ram Swayamvar.jpg
| partof = [[Ramayana]]
| caption = [[Mithila Painting]] depicting the Princess Sita of Mithila garlanding [[Varamala|Jaymala]] to the Prince Rama of Ayodhya at the popular event of Sita Swayamvara.
| native_name = सीता स्वंवर
| native_name_lang = mai
| venue = Court of the King Shreedhwaja [[Janaka]]
Mithila Kingdom
| Location = [[Janakpurdham]], [[Mithila region]] <br> {{small|(Modern-day part of [[Nepal]])}}
| theme = Marriage of Princess [[Sita]]
| motive = Selection of the best life partner for princess Sita
| organizers = King Shreedhwaja Janaka
| notes = Related to the marriage of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
}}

'''Sita Swayamvara''' ([[Maithili language|Maithili]]: सीता स्वंवर) is the ''[[Svayamvara|swayamvara]]'' event, culminating in the wedding of the deities [[Rama]] and [[Sita]], the protagonists of the [[Mahakavya|Hindu epic]] ''[[Ramayana]]''. The event was related to a competition among the kings in the Indian subcontinent to win the hand of the princess Sita of the [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] Kingdom. The competition of the ''Sita Swayamvara'' was organised at the court of Sita's father - King Shreedhwaja [[Janaka]] in Mithila.<ref>{{Cite news |title=सीता ने स्वयंवर के जरिए ही क्यों चुना राम को अपना पति? क्यों किया जाता था स्वयंवर? |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/story-of-sita-and-ram-marriage-meaning-of-swayamvar-5959488.html/ |work=[[Dainik Bhaskar]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=जानिए, क्या सीता स्वयंवर में गया था लंका नरेश रावण - Know Did Lanka king Ravana Go To Sita Swayamvar |url=https://www.jagran.com/spiritual/religion-know-did-lanka-king-ravana-go-to-sita-swayamvar-22278310.html |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bombay |first=Anthropological Society of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kyRRAQAAMAAJ&q=sita+swayamvar |title=Journal |date=1907 |language=en}}</ref>

== Background ==
{{see also|Svayamvara}}
According to [[Hindu texts|Hindu scriptures]] including the ''Ramayana'', the divine bow [[Pinaka (Hinduism)|Pinaka]] of the god [[Shiva]] was given to King [[Devarata Janaka]] of [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] for its safe-keeping. Pinaka was received by Shreedhwaja [[Janaka]] in legacy. It was said that the bow was so powerful that no one was able to uplift it. Once, princess [[Sita]] had lifted this bow in her childhood. When the King Janaka saw Sita uplifting the divine bow Pinaka, he was impressed by her power and then he thought that she was no ordinary maiden.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Pinak Dhanush in Ramayan: भगवान शिव के धनुष के कारण ही हुआ राम-सीता का विवाह, जानें कथा |url=https://www.amarujala.com/spirituality/religion/ramcharitmanas-know-the-connection-of-ram-sita-swayamvar-and-pinak-dhanush-in-hindi-2023-12-20 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Amar Ujala |language=hi}}</ref>

After King Janaka thought that princess Sita should marry to a more powerful man who can uplift and break the bow. Therefore, when the princess Sita later grew up and became eligible for marriage, then the King Janaka organised ''Swayamvara Shabha'' at his court for the selection of bridegroom to the princess Sita. In the Swayamvara Shabha, the King Janaka put a condition among the participating kings that to become bridegroom of the princess Sita one had to uplift and break the divine bow [[Pinaka (Hinduism)|Pinaka]].<ref name=":2" />

== Description ==
In different versions of [[Ramayana]], there are some slight differences in the stories of the Sita Swayamvara. In the [[Ramayan (1987 TV series)|Ramayana serial]] of [[Ramanand Sagar]], Sita Swayamvara ceremony is depicted as a single day ceremony at the [[court of King Janaka]] in which all the kings or princes of the kingdoms in the entire [[Āryāvarta|Aryavarta]] were invited. But according to some scholars and legends the Sita Swayamvara Shabha ceremony was not organised for a single day but for many different days.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=रामलीला: आखिर राजा जनक ने क्यों रखी सीता विवाह की इतनी कठोर शर्त? |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/astro/photogallery/ramleela-ram-and-seeta-vivah-in-janakpuri/photoshow/91035631.cms |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Navbharat Times |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=विवाह के लिए श्रीराम ने जो शिव धनुष तोड़ा था, उसे पांच हजार लोग खींचकर लाए थे |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/religion/dharam/news/sita-ram-vivah-shri-ram-showed-bravery-and-humility-by-breaking-the-bow-126167878.html |work=[[Dainik Bhaskar]]}}</ref>

According to legend, there is also a story of participation of [[Ravana|King Ravan]] without any invitation. In the story ''Banashur'', the ''Shabhapati'' of the assembly for swayamvara, asked introduction with the King Ravana, then Ravana became very angry with him. The dialogue between King Ravana and Banashur is popularly known as ''Ravana-Banashur Samvada''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=रावण-बाणासुर संवाद देख रोमांचित हुए दर्शक |url=https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/muzaffarnagar/the-audience-was-thrilled-to-see-the-ravana-banasur-dialogue-khatauli-news-mrt6064602146 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Amar Ujala |language=hi}}</ref> It is said that Ravana tried to uplift the divine bow of [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]] forcefully there but was not able to uplift the bow. He even failed to move the divine bow a little bit. It is said that princess Sita was also not interested from her heart to adopt Ravana as her life partner. Then he returned from there after being humiliated with the public present in the assembly.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /> According to [[Ramcharitmanas|Shree Ramcharitmanas]], the reason behind the failure of [[Ravana]] at the Swayamvar Sabha was his proudness of power. It took love, not power, to uplift the bow. The eligibility and virtues of a person to uplift the divine bow were being kind, soft-spoken, gracious and far from ego.<ref>{{Cite web |last=न्यूज़ |first=एबीपी |date=2020-11-02 |title=यूं तो रावण ने उठा लिया था कैलाश पर्वत, फिर माता सीता के स्वयंवर में क्यों हिला भी नहीं सका था धनुष? यह थी वजह! |url=https://www.abplive.com/lifestyle/religion/ravan-had-lifted-mount-kailash-then-why-could-not-break-dhanush-in-mata-sitas-swayamvara-1623860 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.abplive.com |language=hi}}</ref> Before and after the King Ravana, many other powerful kings and princes tried to uplift the divine bow but no one was able to uplift the bow by their powers.

=== Arrival of princes Rama and Lakshmana ===
{{Further information|Rama's Journey in Mithila}}
It is said that [[Vishvamitra|Guru Vishwamitra]] received invitation from the King Janaka to come in the Sita Swayamvara Shabha. After receiving the invitation, Guru Vishwamitra along with his disciples [[Rama]] and [[Lakshmana]] went to the Kingdom of Mithila. After few days they reached at the court of King Janaka where Sita Swayamvara Shabha was organised. In the Swayamvar Sabha, when all the kings and princes became unsuccessful in uplifting the divine bow, then Guru Vishwamitra directed his disciple Rama to uplift the divine bow.

It is said that the prince Rama first bowed to the divine bow [[Pinaka (Hinduism)|Pinaka]] of [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]] and then tried to lift it with the same ease and humility as princess Sita. His spirit succeeded and he was able to uplift the divine bow easily. After that he broke the bow. Then princess [[Sita]] came to prince Rama. She garlanded him with her swayamvara garland and accepted Lord Rama as her life partner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=राजा जनक ने सीता जी के स्‍वयंवर के लिए शिव धनुष की शर्त ही क्‍यों रखी? |url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/religion/ramayana-why-raja-janak-put-condition-about-shiv-dhanush-in-daughter-sita-swayamvar/2074416 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Zee News |language=hi}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
[[File:Stamp of India - 2017 - Colnect 805296 - The Ramayana.jpeg|thumb|Indian postal stamp showing [[Rama|Lord Rama]] stringing the divine bow [[Pinaka (Hinduism)|Pinaka]] at the ''Sita Swayamvara Shabha'' in [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]].]]
In the modern times the ''Sita Swayamvara'' ceremony is still played and shown in dramas, theatre and [[Ramlila|Ramleela]], etc. at different parts of the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=रावण-बाणासुर संवाद देख रोमांचित हुए दर्शक |url=https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/muzaffarnagar/the-audience-was-thrilled-to-see-the-ravana-banasur-dialogue-khatauli-news-mrt6064602146 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Amar Ujala |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=सीता स्वयंवर में पधारे कई देश के राजा - |url=https://www.jagran.com/haryana/mahendragarh-13024787.html |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}</ref> In 2016, [[Siya Ke Ram]] television serial of [[StarPlus|Star Plus]] made special and grand episodes on the topic Sita Swayamvara. They also launched 15 days ''Dhanush Yatra'' that traveled 107 major cities of India across Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab for the awareness of the popular epic event "Sita Swayamvara" in [[Ramayana]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Sita's Swayamvar: An event that ushered in a new era |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/sita-s-swayamvar-an-event-that-ushered-in-a-new-era/story-IPuxRu72M3fgm2K4Q2uc3I.html |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Ramayana]]
[[Category:Mithila (region)]]
[[Category:Hinduism]]

Sita Swayamvara - Revision history

Mihmbathinda at 07:59, 26 April 2026