the form of Sita would be violative of ethical norms, and that Lord Shiva would not
like her doubting his wisdom and assuming the form of the divine consort of the Lord
whom her husband worships. Assuming the form of Sita would mean trying to cheat
Lord Ram on the one hand, and assuming the form of another person’s wife would be
betrayal of loyalty vows with her own husband, Lord Shiva. It would be a
compounded crime, a deceit that would be multiplied two times over.(^1) Refer similar idea expressed in Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes
Doha no. 55 herein below.
It is pertinent to note here that Sati’s questions to Lord Shiva about who Lord
Ram actually was is the basis of the telling of the entire story of the Adhyatma
Ramayan written by sage Veda Vyas—refer: Adhyatma Ramayan, Baal Kand, Canto
no. 1.
Besides this, this entire episode of Sati getting deluded regarding the authenticity
of Lord Ram’s divine form is narrated in detail in ‘Shiva Puran, Rudra Samhita’, in
its Canto no. 24. Incidentally, this Puran (ancient mythological history), as its name
suggests, is entirely dedicated to the theme of Lord Shiva.
(^2) Refer also to Baal Kand, Doha no. 50 and its follwing Chaupai line nos. 1-4
herein below.]
ŒÊ0. ’ ̋rÊÔ ¡Ù Cÿʬ∑§ Á’⁄U¡ •¡ •∑§‹ •ŸË„U •÷Œ–
‚Ù Á∑§ Œ„U œÁ⁄U „UÙß Ÿ⁄U ¡ÊÁ„U Ÿ ¡ÊŸÃ ’ŒH 50H
dōhā.
brahma jō byāpaka biraja aja akala anīha abhēda.
sō ki dēha dhari hō'i nara jāhi na jānata bēda. 50.
Does it make sense to assume that Brahm, the supreme Lord of creation—who is all-
pervading and immanent (“Vyaapak”), is immaculate and holy (“Viraj”), is eternal
and without a birth (“Aja”), who is free from all attributes and qualities associated
with this creation (“Akal”), who is free from having desires and ambitions (“Aniha”),
is uniform and without distinct parts (“Avedha”), and is so mysterious and mystical
that he is beyond the reach of the knowledge of the Vedas (i.e. whom even the great
scriptures have not been able to know and define)—will ever take the gross form of
the body of a human being? (Doha no. 50)
[Note—Sati was confused because the virtues of Brahm are in sharp contrast with and
opposite to those of a human being. There is no comparison between the two. None of
the attributes of Brahm are applicable to a human. So, thought Sati, why would
Brahm volunteer to demote himself to the lowly stature of a human being?
Even if it is assumed that Brahm had to eliminate the scourage of the evil
demons, he could do it by his mere wish as he is the almighty and all-powerful
“Supreme Being”, without the need to come down on the earth and undergo all the
hardships and sufferings like an ordinary man. How can Brahm wail and grieve for a
woman like Ram is doing for his abducted wife Sita? Why would Brahm have to take
a birth and grow up like a man when he can simply reveal his divine form anywhere
and in any shape he wants? Does not Brahm, who is all-knowing and all-pervading,
even know where Sita is that he has to go and search for her in the wilderness like a
man as Ram is doing?
None of the external deeds and behaviours of Lord Ram show that he is Brahm,
then why did her husband Shiva bow before him, and why was he so enchanted by
the sight of Lord Ram that he had lost awareness of everything else? Sati was
confounded as she could not understand it!]