Sita Navami: Embracing the Feminine Divine Within

Devi Sita exemplifies the perfect woman. She was the daughter of King Janaka and is believed to be an incarnation of Sri Laxmi. She was born in the Pushya nakshatra on the ninth day of the waxing phase of the Moon.

According to a notable legend, Janaka, the king of Ayodhya, found Devi Sita as a child while ploughing the piece of land. Janaka took the baby girl as a gift from the Prithvi Devi, or Earth Goddess. Thus, she is worshipped as an agricultural and fertility deity.

The child that King Janaka bore as a gift for his penance would later turn out to be an effulgent and all-pervading energy.

Devi Sita would dedicate her entire life to her husband, Sri Rama, the incarnation of Shri Vishnu. In the end, after serving her worldly duties, she would later return to the furrows of the earth from where she had come.

Sita Navami is celebrated with great vigour in many parts of India, especially in Ayodhya, the birthplace of Sri Rama, Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh, Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Sitamarhi in the Mithila region of Bihar. Sitamarhi is believed to be the birthplace of Devi Sita.

Sita Navami, for this year, falls on 29th April 2023, Saturday. The Navami tithi starts on 28th April at 4:01 PM and ends on 29th April at 6:22 PM. The Madhyahan muhurta will last exactly for 2 hours and 3 minutes, from 10:59 AM to 1:3 PM.

Sita Navami comes exactly after one month of Rama Navami. Sita Navami is celebrated by most people alike but is especially popular among married women.

1) Usually, married women keep a fast on the day of Sita Navami to ensure a long life for their husbands. But ultimately, Devi Sita is the Divine Mother to one and all. Having emerged from her, She is also believed to be an incarnation of Prithvi Devi.

2) Generally, people keep a strict fast by drinking water throughout the day. However, this could get too difficult. So, you may also eat a simple meal of milk, fruits, nuts and dried fruits.

3) The next day, you may break the fast by sipping water and eating your regular meals.

4) Before you break your fast on the next day, try to break your fast by listening to Sita Navami Vrat Katha.

5) If possible, begin your fast by wearing a 12 Mukhi Rudraksha as it represents lord Rama. Wearing this rudraksha before beginning Sita Navami will purify your inner self and also give you the power to carry on with the tough fasting procedure.

6) Eating satvik food during fasting is of utmost importance. Also, try to avoid tea, coffee and intoxicants as well.

1) Wake up before sunrise and finish with your cleansing rituals.

2) While bathing, try to chant the mantra,

This revered mantra is dedicated to the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. Through the chanting of this mantra, you invoke the holy waters of all these seven rivers.

3) After your cleansing rituals, install the deities of Mata Sita, her husband Shri Rama, Shri Hanuman and Shri Lakshmana in your home shrine. You can also install the pictures of King Janaka and his wife Sunayana also. It is absolutely not essential to install their idols if you do not have them. You may also install their pictures for worship.

4) Once you install their pictures/idols, decorate all the pictures/idols, especially that of Mata Sita, with flowers and garlands.

5) Along with the flowers and garlands, you may also offer sandalwood, fruits, sesame seeds, barley and rice to the deities. It is considered beneficial and also auspicious to offer vermillion to Maa Sita.

6) You may also offer the symbols of the plough and goddess Earth before the installed idols in your home shrine.

7) After you make your offerings to the deities, light the ghee lamp and burn the incense.

8) After the puja, perform the aarti and distribute the prasad among other devotees.

9) You may also keep the bhajans, kirtans or the recital of Ramayana in your house for the devotees.

10) On this auspicious occasion, try to visit the temple of Sri Rama and Maa Sita.

11) To turn your fast into a more auspicious one, you may also call upon qualified Brahmins to do the Ramayana paath. On a greater scale, you may also do the Ram Puja mantra Japa and Yajna.

Meditate on the idols of Maa Sita and Shri Rama. Seat yourself in a comfortable position and, with shut eyes, visualise the form of Maa Sita with her consort Shri Rama. It will be particularly beneficial if you do the mantra japa early in the morning.

While you meditate on their forms, you may choose to chant any of the following -

1) Om Sitaya Namah - This is a simple mantra and is effective in invoking Devi Sita. It is especially beneficial if you chant it 108 times.

2) Sundar Kand - You may recite the entire paath of Sundar Kand on the auspicious day of Sita Navami. Sundar Kand especially emphasises the search of Shri Hanuman for Maa Sita in Lanka.

3) Ram Raksha Stotra - Reciting Ram Raksha Stotra is especially auspicious as it gives you exceptional power, strength and intelligence. This stotra destroys the illness and gives you overall protection from all evils.

4) Sita-Rama - Simply chanting the mantra Sita-Rama will invoke the blessings of both the deities. Chanting the name Sri Rama and Maa Sita together will activate your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Besides the above mantras, you may also chant the Rama-Sita mantras like Rama Rama Jai Raja Rama, Rama Rama Jai Sita Rama, depending on your choice and inclinations. Whatever your choice of mantra.

Married women observe a strict fast on Sita Navami to ensure the health and long life of their husbands.

For newly married girls, observing a fast on Sita Navami promotes marital happiness.

Observing the Sita Navami fast will make you fearless, strengthen your character, enhance your spiritual evolution and give you the power to discriminate between good and evil.

It brings you overall health, peace and prosperity.

Observing the fast on this day will clear your body of toxins and your mind of impurities. The potent energy that this day carries will recharge your body, activate your awareness and prepare you for higher meditative states.

Maa Sita, the devoted wife of Shri Rama, is the revered Mahavidya. While Ravana abducted her to Lanka, she epitomised the real meaning of sensory control and surrender to one’s lord.

Maa Sita, though married and in her worldly duties, was completely detached and free from sensory enjoyment.

Worshipping her with complete faith and surrender on the Navami promises total freedom from worldly attachments.

Maa Sita was a true yogini, the significant other of Sri Hari Himself. Meditating on her form and fasting on her Navami will not only provide you with material prosperity but also free you from the vicious chakra of birth and death.