Madhura was the most gorgeous looking among the celestial nymphs. All gods secretly desired her, but in her heart she was in love with Shiva. She did years of penance to please him but to no effect, as Shiva was lost in his meditation. Finally she set out to find him and reached Kailash. Lo! There he was seated in deep meditation. She quietly sat before Shiva with folded hands. After a while Shiva opened his eyes and saw the beautiful young woman seating before him. He instantly fell in love, and as the night progressed they couldn’t resist making love.

(Click to listen to audio version of the story)

There are many narratives about Sita’s birth. Valmiki states that Janaka, king of Videha, is the foster father of Sita since he found her while ploughing the field. Appellations like Bhumija, Dharanisuta, Parthivi , suggest that Sita is the daughter of mother-earth and ‘not born from the womb’- ayonija. The question who is Sita’s biological father is mired in mystery.

However some folk narratives suggest Ravana fathered Sita, with his wife Mandodari. A folksong from the Dalit bards of Karnataka describe Ravana as father as well as ‘mother’ of Sita.