Once, in the grand halls of Lanka, Ravana devised a deceitful plan to break Sita's spirit. Using his dark magic, he conjured an illusion: a severed head resembling that of Rama, along with his unmistakable bow. Ravana presented these gruesome objects to Sita, hoping to convince her that her beloved Rama was dead. The sight of the head and bow plunged Sita into an abyss of despair, and she cried inconsolably, wishing for death to escape her unbearable grief.
In her desperation, Sita turned to Sarama, the wife of
Vibhishana, who had been a compassionate caretaker during her captivity.
"Bring me poison, Sarama," Sita implored, her voice broken by sobs.
"I cannot live with this sorrow. I need to end my life." Sarama,
understanding the gravity of the situation and suspecting Ravana's treachery,
decided to uncover the truth. She transformed into a bird and flew out to
gather information.
Meanwhile, Ravana watched with satisfaction as Sita wept
over the illusory head. But his triumph was interrupted by the sudden, joyous
shouts proclaiming Rama's name, resonating throughout Lanka. Startled and
fearful that his ruse was exposed, Ravana hastily took the fake head and
retreated to his court, summoning his ministers for an urgent meeting.
Sita, still consumed by grief, awaited Sarama's return. When
Sarama arrived, Sita begged her for poison once more, desperate to end her
suffering. But Sarama, determined to find the truth, promised Sita that she
would uncover the reason behind Ravana's sudden departure with the head.
Sarama, in her bird form, flew to the court where Ravana was
conferring with his ministers. She perched discreetly and listened intently to
their conversation. The ministers advised Ravana that it was too late to return
Sita; the only course of action was to confront Rama directly and defeat him in
battle. Amidst this counsel, Ravana's mother entered the hall and implored her
son to make peace with Rama and return Sita, arguing that it was the only way
to save Lanka. Ravana, infuriated by her plea, threatened violence, declaring
that anyone else suggesting such a course would have been killed on the spot.
Malyavan, Ravana's wise grandfather, also advised returning Sita, but Ravana
dismissed his words as well.
Determined to defend Lanka, Ravana commanded his greatest
warriors to guard the gates and prevent Rama's army from entering the city.
Having heard enough, Sarama flew back to Sita. She reverted to her original form and recounted all that she had witnessed and heard in Ravana's palace.
A happy Sita wiped her tears.