The thought of killing Sita

 

We all know the basic story of Ravana abducting Sita, Rama fighting with Ravana and saving Sita. But, as we go deep into the nuances of Ravana abducting Sita, holding her captive, Rama searching for Sita, Rama meeting Sugriva, Hanuman, and the vanara sena, Hanuman going to Lanka, Hanuman's diplomacy with Ravana, Vibeeshana changing sides, Rama crossing the ocean, and the innumerable rakshasas Rama and his army encountered in Lanka, the story becomes so intriguing. 

When we start reading the Valmiki Ramayana, we will be so mesmerised by Valmiki's storytelling that we feel all the movies and serials didn't do justice to the description and detail in the Valmiki Ramayana. The fight between Rama and Ravana from movies and serials, it.  

On the same note, if we recall the fight between Rama and Ravana from movies and serials, it was short. Rama enters Lanka with the vanara sena, a small volley of arrows and spades ensues, then Lakshmana becomes unconscious when Indrajith uses Brahmastra, Hanuman brings the medicinal herbs, Lakshmana recovers, Vibheeshana gives away the secret to Rama, Rama kills Ravana, and the war ends.

This sequence cannot justify the Yudhakanda with 131 Sargas. Yudhakanda itself can make a full-length action movie. It describes in detail the warriors like Hanuman, Sugriva, Angada, Neela, Jambavan, and of course, Rama and Lakshmana's valour. It also describes the reactions of different rakshasas as they see their side becoming weak, especially the responses of Ravana. 

Ravana becomes furious many times from the start of Yudhakanda. But he lost all his sanity when he heard the news of Indrajith's death. At that point, he becomes so furious that he goes straight to Sita and tries to kill her. So, who stopped Ravana from killing Sita? 

It was a rakshasa woman, Suparsva, who stopped the mighty Ravana from killing Sita. This was beautifully described in the 93rd Sarga of Yudhakanda.

विक्रमे च बलेचैवनास्त्यस्यसदृशोभुवि ।
तेषांसञ्जल्पमानामशोकवनिकांगताम् ।।6.93.44।।

vikrame ca balecaivanāstyasyasadṛśobhuvi |

teṣāṃsañjalpamānāmaśokavanikāṃgatām ||6.93.44||

अभिदुद्राववैदेहींरावणःक्रोधमूर्छितः ।
वार्यमाणःसुसङ्क्रुद्धःसुहृद्भिर्हितबुद्धिभिः ।।6.93.45।।

abhidudrāvavaidehīṃrāvaṇaḥkrodhamūrchitaḥ |

vāryamāṇaḥsusaṅkruddhaḥsuhṛdbhirhitabuddhibhiḥ ||6.93.45||

While Ravana was approaching Sita with a sharp sword, Sita laments over her position and repents for not going along with Hanuman. Looking at all this, Suparsva, one of the ministers of Ravana, reminds him of his path as a warrior and suggests not to act like a coward.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेतस्यअमात्यःशीलवान् शुचिः ।

सुपार्श्वोनाममेधावीरावणंरक्षसेश्वरम् ।।6.93.62।।

etasminnantaretasyaamātyaḥśīlavān śuciḥ |

supārśvonāmamedhāvīrāvaṇaṃrakṣaseśvaram ||6.93.62||

हन्तुमिच्छसिवैदेहींक्रोधाद्धर्ममपास्य च ।

वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातःस्वकर्मनिरतस्तथा ।।6.93.64।।

hantumicchasivaidehīṃkrodhāddharmamapāsya ca |

vedavidyāvratasnātaḥsvakarmaniratastathā ||6.93.64||

स्त्रियःकस्माद्वधंवीरमन्यसेराक्षसेश्वर ।

मैथिलींरूपसम्पन्नांप्रत्यवेक्षस्वपार्थिव ।।6.93.65।।

striyaḥkasmādvadhaṃvīramanyaserākṣaseśvara |

maithilīṃrūpasampannāṃpratyavekṣasvapārthiva ||6.93.65||

Suparsva just didn't stop Ravana from killing Sita. He indeed challenged Ravana to channelise his fury towards a warrior like Rama, and not towards a harmless and unarmed Sita.

This incident is similar to Mareecha warning Ravana about the valour of Rama. If we observe, even at the height of Ravana's fury, there was someone like Suparsva still left in Lanka, to counsel Ravana about his dharma. This is the beauty of Valmiki Ramayana. We get the rules of dharma explained by unexpected characters like Mareecha, Vibheeshana, and Suparsva.