Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 1.117
The Real Sītā Was Not Kidnapped
“At Rāmeśvara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had a chance to read the Kūrma Purāṇa, in which He discovered that the form of Sītā kidnapped by Rāvaṇa was not that of the real Sītā but a mere shadow representation.”
What the purport teaches
- At Rāmeśvara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu read the Kūrma Purāṇa. He discovered that Rāvaṇa had kidnapped a shadow representation of Sītā, not the real Sītā.
- The Kūrma Purāṇa states that this shadowy Sītā was placed into a fire as a test of chastity.
- Māyā-sītā entered the fire, and the real Sītā came out of the fire.
Try this today
Write one sentence distinguishing Māyā-sītā from the real Sītā in this account.
Ask yourself
How does the account in the Kūrma Purāṇa clarify what happened to Sītā?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.