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Re: Rama's treatment of Sita

From the Bhakti List Archives

vidya • January 18, 1996 


> I am afraid this statement is not valid in the context that all the avathaaram> takes place
> as per the God's own will including that of PIRATTI's who is an eternal part o> HIM for "EVER".

This was in the context of a rationalization of Sita's banishment on the basis
of karma. Both Mani and Sempath Rangarajan pointed out that karma would be
inapplicable to Sita as a periya pirATTI. 

Coming from an advaitic background, this raises an interesting point for me. 
Aren't all jIvas supposed to be eternal parts of Him and for ever, according
to the SarIra-SArIrin analogy. But the ordinary jIvas are subject to the 
workings of karma. How come SrI is not subject to karma? If she is a special
jIva, does she still hold a special position in terms of enjoyment of
brahmAnandam? I thought that according to viSishTAdvaita, unlike in dvaita,
there is no Ananda tAratamyam.

When discussing these kinds of questions, we are constantly shifting back and
forth between mythology and theology/philosophy. Take for example, the story
of Siva incurring the sin of brahmahatyA by severing one of Brahma's heads. 
This story is designed to set Siva as superior to Vishnu and Brahma, but still
He does incur karma. 

Is there any official explanation for why SrI should not likewise incur karma? 

Vidyasankar