Written by Bhu__2007

The daughter of River Narmada, sister of Sati Sulochana, wife of Rajrishi Janak, Queen of Mithila, the foster mother of Sita, the mother of Urmila. She is SUNAINA.

Let's check her life's short story now.

Legends about Sunaina's birth says that she was born from the tears of Vasuki when Devi Parvathi tied Vasuki tightly to Shiva's neck. Since, both Parvathi and Vasuki fought for the children, Shiva decided to give one child to Parvathi and the other to Vasuki. Parvathi gave her child to River Narmada to take care of her and the other child that is Sulochana grew in Naglok.

Sunaina was married to the ruler of the Videha kingdom, Janak. Details of her marriage is unknown.

For more than 10 years, the couple didn't have any children. The pain that she could not bear any child is unexplainable. After few months, Mithila didn't rain even a single drop of water. Following the advice of the Rajguru, Janaka ploughed fields of Mithila when he found a child. As soon as he picked the child in his arms, the sky started pouring rain. The couple's happiness knew no bounds. Firstly, after so many months it rained in Mithila and the childless parents found a baby girl. As, the child didn't have anyone Queen Sunaina wished to have the child and Maharaj Janak heartfully agreed!

Few months later, Sunaina conceived and it was when Urmila, the second daughter of Rajrishi Janak and Maharani Sunaina. The couples considered Sita as their first born and was not partial.

During the swayamvar of Sita, Sunaina was very much tensed whether her daughter will get a suitable match and also was afraid of the thought of Ravan. But her tension was soon relaxed when Sri Ram broke the bow. She was so happy that her daughter is at safe hands and she would forever be happy!

But her happiness was short lived. After a few months of the marriage of her 4 daughters, the news of the exile wiped off the smile from her face. Her eldest daughter Sita had to spend 14 years of her life in the forest, her second daughter Mandavi had to manage the elders in the palace and to leave without her husband, her third gem Urmila had to wait for 14 long years for the arrival of her husband, sister and brother-in-law, and the youngest Shrutakirthi had a lot of responsibilities on her head and had to manage the state affairs. (though Mandavi and Shrutakirti were the daughters of Kushadwaj and Chandrabhaga, she looked after them as her own daughters)

The pain of separation from their beloved that her 4 gems were suffering ached her from inside. When she had requested them to come to Mithila for 14 years, they had politely refused saying that they had responsibilities as the daughters-in-law of Raghukul.

Though she was proud of her daughters, she couldn't bear the pain that they were hiding it inside.

When the news arrived that Sita had been abducted by Ravan, Ram and Lakshman fighting to bring her back, and Lakshman's death shocked her and she became mentally disturbed. One side was her sister's husband and on the other side, her daughter's husband! For whom should she pray for? Her beloved sister Sulochana's saubhagya or her dearest daughter Urmila's saubhagya?

The ultimate truth is that DHARMA WILL ALWAYS WIN. But to digest that fact is tough. After getting the news about Lakshman's victory and Indrajit's death and her beloved sister commiting sati, she didn't know whether she should be happy that Ram and Lakshman are one step ahead for their victory or cry for her sister. Imagine yourself in that situation and what would you all have done!?

She was recovering herself until Sita's banishment. After she got the news, she mentally and physically became weak. Her health started deteriorating. She had fallen seriously ill. And after that there are no information about her death or nothing.

A/N: Stand in the shoes of Sunaina and think about her whole life journey. What would you all have done? Adopting a child and taking care of her, fulfilling the responsibilities as a Queen, looking after the daughters of her brother-in-law like her own daughter, getting tensed for the wellbeing of her daughters. Her life was tough. But she thought us that we should be happy with what we have.

Being the mother of the incarnation of Devi Lakshmi, we have very less information about her. She is one of the most underrated character of Ramayan.

14th January 2021

Thursday