Sri Sita Naumi
The day is observed as the birth of Sri Sita or Janki Devi
- the wife of Lord Ram.
Sri Sita Devi is considered a reincarnation of Goddess
Laxmi just as Lord Ram is a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.
In the great Hindu epic, Ramayana the tale behind Sri
Devi is best remembered about her tapasya to find her
perfect marriage partner. Literally thousands of kings
turned up at her father, King Janakji's palace to lift the auspicious danush baan to
earn the right to marry Sri Sita Devi.
It was her father, King Janak's condition that whoever could lift the
divinely dhanush baan - given by Lord Shiva will marry her daughter.
However, as Sita's destiny has it - only her own choice would be able to lift Lord
Shiva's dhanush baan and actual break it. And her choice was made after years of
her tapasya to Devi Parvathi, wife of Lord Shiva.
Sri Sita Naumi is not celebrated with as much flair and festivity as Sri Ram Naumi is
in the month of Chaitra - last month. However without Sita, bhakti or worshipping
of Lord Ram's would be considered greatly inadequate because of the immense
closeness between Lord Ram - the beloved King of Ajoydhya and her queen, Sita.
Sri Sita Devi is also remembered in the Ramayana as setting role model for Hindu
society especially in her devotion and commitment to Lord Ram during his time in
14-year exile.
Sri Sita was born as Jhanki - meaning daughter of King Janak but was later
renamed as Sri Sita Devi by Maharishi, Saint Naradh Muni.
She was actually given to King Janak by Mother Earth whilst he was on his farm
during a prolonged drought period in the Tretha Yugh.
Sri Sita Devi was married to Lord Ram on the same day as her cousins, Urmila was
married to Lord Ram's brother Laxman; Madhvi to Bharat and Sutkriti to Satrughan,
the youngest of the four Ajoydhya brothers.
VEISHAAKI FESTIVAL
While the month of Chaitra was regarded as very divine and highly spiritual last
month because of Sri Ram Navmi (31st March to 8th April), Nav Ratri and Sri
Hanuman Jayanti/Chaitra Purnima (April 4th) and New Year (May 31st) with the start
of Vikram Somvat (2071), the month of Veishak promises to be as important.
In Chaitra, we welcomed one of four most celebrated avtaars (reincarnations) of Sri
Hari Vishnu - that of Sri Ram and his three brothers, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrugan.
However, apart from commemorating two avtaars of Goddesses, we have
reincarnation of two other Sri Hari Vishnu in Veishak. In this month - sometimes
referred as Veishaki, we have abundance of Jayantis - from Sri Sita Navmi, Sri
Ganga Jayanti, Sri Parshuman Jayanti to Sri Narsingh Jayanti.
Then we have Akshay trithya, one of the year's most significant dates as good
deeds and bhakti done on this day derives puun or blessings for a long time.
