Sita sat in the Ashoka vatika, grove, beneath a tree, weeping for Rama. Despite her despair and the relentless pleas of her captors, she refused to touch any food or drink offered to her, resolute in her devotion and longing for her husband.
In the celestial realm, Brahma, the creator, observed Sita's
plight with great concern. The sight of her suffering and her potential demise
due to starvation deeply disturbed him. Such a turn of events could complicate
the divine plan that was unfolding. To prevent this, Brahma summoned Indra, the
king of the gods, and handed him a bowl filled with divine kheer (a sweet, rice
pudding).
"Take this to Sita," Brahma instructed. "It
will sustain her and ensure she survives this ordeal."
Indra descended swiftly to the earthly plane and approached
the sorrowful Sita. "Noble Sita," he said gently, "when Rama and
Lakshmana went to catch a golden deer for you, the demon king Ravana seized
that opportunity to bring you here. But fear not, for Rama is coming. He will
cross the vast ocean with his mighty army and vanquish all who oppose
him."
Sita, recognizing the divine messenger, accepted the bowl of
kheer from Indra. The celestial nourishment glowed with a light of its own, and
as she ate, an immediate sense of peace and strength washed over her. Her
hunger and thirst were sated, her spirit renewed with hope and patience.