Sita Devi: Exemplar of Dharmic Virtues and Female Agency in Hindu Tradition

Professor Dr. Harikumar Pallathadka, Professor Dr. Parag Deb Roy

Abstract- This research paper presents a comprehensive analysis of Sita Devi as portrayed in Hindu sacred literature, examining the exemplary qualities that establish her as a paradigmatic figure of feminine strength, wisdom, and virtue. Through critical examination of primary texts—principally the Valmiki Ramayana and its significant retellings—alongside contemporary scholarly interpretations, this study identifies and analyzes the core virtues that constitute Sita’s ethical model. The research demonstrates how Sita’s characterization transcends simplistic interpretations as merely a suffering, submissive wife, revealing instead a figure of remarkable integrity, courage, and spiritual power. By examining Sita’s responses to hardship, her autonomous moral choices, and her embodiment of shakti (divine feminine energy), this paper illuminates how Sita serves as both a theological entity and a practical ethical exemplar whose qualities represent an integrated vision of feminine empowerment within dharmic traditions. This analysis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of feminine ideals in Hindu thought, relevant to contemporary discourse on gender, ethics, and spirituality.