Is Ravana The Father of Sita?

Folks, what if we ask you what pops up in your mind when you hear the word ‘Ramayana’? We bet that for most of you, Ramayana reminisces about your childhood. Remember when your grandparents told you stories about Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Panchtantra before bedtime? Then you learned about the main protagonists of this epic called Ramayana, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Ravana. Folks, what if we ask you who was Sita? It will not take long to answer that Sita was the princess and the only daughter of the king of Mithila (present-day Janakpur), Janaka. Until this, all of our statements seemed correct, right? 

But what if we say that King Janaka was not the birth father of Sita? Our last statement made you scratch your head? Never in all your life have you heard that Sita was not the daughter of King Janaka but Ravana instead. Have you? Don’t get confused, as we will keep all your doubts and confusion at bay. It begs the following question: How Sita and Ravana were connected? Is Ravana the father of Sita?  Didn’t Ravana kidnap Sita brimmed with lust and vengeance for his sister Surpanaka? So, sit back and relax as we unravel the mystery of whether is Sita daughter of Ravana.

Is Ravana The Father of Sita: What do the different versions of Ramayana say about this theory? 

The Ramayana we saw on TV, or heard in the form of stories from our grandparents, is solely based on the version written by Valmiki. In case you have yet to learn who, Valmiki was, we must tell you that Valmiki was considered the greatest sage who composed the most famous version of Ramayana that we know today. 

But to your surprise, this is not the only version of Ramayana that exists. Out of all of the versions of Ramayana, there comes the Buddhist version: Dasaratha Jakarta, the Gond version: Gond Ramayani, the Thai version: Ramakein, and so on. You must think that the different versions of Ramayana follow the same story where Ravana abducts Sita for vengeance. Right? If yes, then we are not on the same page. The different versions of Ramayana, such as Gondi Ramayani, have excluded the story’s main antagonist, Ravana. Surprising, isn’t it? 

Is Ravana The Father of Sita: What does the Sanghadasa’s Jain version of Ramayana say? 

Just like the other versions of Ramayana, here comes the version that entails the story of sita daughter of Ravana. Scroll through as many shockers are coming your way.

We have been told for all these years that the king and queen of Mithila, Janaka, and Sunaina found Sita. But this version begins with the story of Vedavati. Just like Ravana was mesmerized by the beauty of Sita in Valmiki’s version, here Ravana is enthralled by Vedavati and wants to have her. However, Vedavati’s shrewdness did not let Ravana’s evil plan succeed. Before Ravana could do something, Vedavati immolated herself in the fire. However, this story continues further. Vedavati cursed Ravana that she would be the reason for his demise in her next birth. 

As promised, Ravana and his wife are blessed with a baby girl named Vasudevahindi (Vedavati’s resurrection). But, scared of the curse of Vedavati, Ravana tried to get rid of the girl by drowning her in the ocean. Luckily, the baby girl got saved by the goddess Varuni(ocean), and later she gave the baby to the goddess Bhumi(land). 

Is Ravana The Father of Sita: What does the Valmiki’s version of Ramayana say? 

The 66th chapter(sarga) of Baala Kanda mentions the origin of Sita. According to the Ramayana penned by Valmiki, Sita was not the biological daughter of King Janaka and Sunaina. Unlike the other versions of Ramayana, such as Sanghadasa’s Jaina Ramayana and Uttar Purana, the mention of Sita’s origin in Valmiki’s version is a tad vague. In this version, we don’t get to know who were Sita parents. 

 What does Manivati’s version of Uttar Purana say? 

Now let us hop on to the Manivati’s version of Uttar Purana in order to unravel the mystery: Is Ravana the father of Sita? According to the Jaina’s version of Ramayana, Vedavati, reincarnated as Sita, was the reason for Ravana’s end. But to everyone’s surprise, Uttar Purana reveals an entirely different story. Instead of Vedavati, Manivati became the reason for Ravana’s death. How? Give us a minute to explain. Just like in Vedavati’s version, Ravana tries to molest her; here, too, Manivati falls prey to Ravana’s evil eye. In her next birth, instead of Vedavati, Manivati is born as the daughter of Ravana and Mandodari. Aware of the curse, Ravana orders to kill the baby girl. 

If you are curious about how King Janaka found the baby, then we must tell you that instead of killing the baby girl, Ravana’s servant buries her in the barren land near Mithila. When it comes to the question of who was the real daughter of Ravana that became the reason for his own death, here forms two schools of opinion. The first flock of people still believe that Vedavati’s version of the story is authentic, and the rest believe that Manivati is the child that killed Ravana. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 

How many daughters of Ravana are there? 

Valmiki’s version of Ramayana mentions the seven sons of Ravana. But little did we know that besides seven sons, Ravana had a daughter too. Yes, you read it right. You would be surprised to learn that the Thai and Cambodian versions of Ramayana mention the daughter of Ravana, a blend of a fish and a man named Suvarnamatsya. 

Who is the father of Sita in Ramayana? 

This fact is not hidden from anyone that King Janaka was not the biological father of Sita in Ramayana. However, Valmiki’s Ramayana fails to mention the real father of Sita. Thus, we can assume that King Dashratha, along with his wife Sunaina, adopted Sita and brought her as their own daughter. 

What was Sita devi birthplace? 

There are two schools of opinion when deciding the birthplace of devi Sita. First, some say that Sita’s real birthplace is in Sitamarhi(Bihar). However, others believe that the birthplace is situated in Sitamarhi (also known as Janakpur), Nepal.  

Who was the mother of Lordess Sita? 

According to the Valmiki’s version of Ramayana, Godess Sita was not the biological daughter of King Dashratha and Sunaina. So, the queen of Mithila was not the biological mother of Sita. However, Lord Bhumi is said to be the spiritual mother of Sita. 

How many children did Ravana have? 

Several versions of Ramayana mention that Ravana had only two wives, Mandodari and Dhanyamalini. Mandodari, who was Ravana’s patrani had three sons, Meghanada, Akshay and Prahasta. Whereas his second wife, Dhanyamalini, gave birth to four of his sons named, Narantaka, Devantaka, Trishira and Atikaya. 

How many wives does King Dashratha have? 

If we ask you how many wives King Dashratha has, we bet you would only name three, Sumitra, Keikayi, and Kausalya. What if we tell you that King Dashratha had 350 wives instead of three? Yes, it’s true. The movie adaptation of Ramayana only mentions the main three wives of King Dashratha. However, chapter 34( sarga) of Ayodhya Kanda mentions the 350 wives of Dashratha.  

Also Read: Why Does Lord Krishna Wear A Peacock Feather?

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