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Moral
Dillemas :Lesson 5
RAMA
PUTS SITA THROUGH ORDEAL BY FIRE
"On
hearing this, Sita broke down. 'My trials are not ended
yet, ' she cried. 'I thought with your victory all our troubles
were at an end... ! So be it.' She beckoned to Lakshmana
and ordered, 'Light a fire at once, on this very spot.'"
(from Valmiki, trans. R.K. Narayan)
Defining
the Dilemma
After Sita is rescued by Hanuman, Ram asks to have her brought
to him. She is so happy to at last see him, to be reunited.
Ram is very cold to her and speaks cruelly. He tells her
and the world he cannot accept her as his wife after she
has spent so long in another man's house -- "in Ravana's
lap." He tells her the only reason he had Hanuman rescue
her was to save his own honor. Sita proclaims her chastity,
unswerving devotion, and her innocence and then instructs
Lakshmana to light a fire to prove her chastity. She walks
into the fire and comes out of it unscathed (the sweat on
her brow due to her rage at Rama is still there after the
ordeal). The lotus in her hair is still fresh. Rama claims
he knew she was innocent all along but wanted her to prove
it to the people.
Outcomes
/ Consequences
Rama must reflect on his true identity -- "Who am I
really?" The gods berate him for sending Sita to the
fire. Ordeal by fire is more a test for Rama than for Sita;
he confronts his own divinity. For Rama to learn to comprehend
that he is a god, he must conduct this ordeal. He is enacting
his dharma -- he is upholding the honor of his family --
however, he may be doing the opposite in the eyes of others.
Dharma
According to dharma, a woman in the house of another man
is impure.
Questions
1. What is Rama's correct decision in terms of Dharma?
2. Was it realistic according to human nature?
3. What would you have chosen in this decision?
4. Do you know of other situations that involve similar
choices?
Extensions
1. Ask students what current or historical issue illustrates
the same type of dilemma.
2. Ask students what comparable piece of literature illustrates
similar dilemmas.
3. If this were to be viewed as a contemporary dilemma,
what factors or variables would contribute to the outcome?
