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When one thinks of the Sun, he thinks of its radiance, its brightness. Just as brightness and the Sun can never be separated, in the same way Seetaa and Raam also can never be viewed separately, and should not be viewed separately. Raam with Seetaa is benevolent. Raam without Seetaa is dangerous.

One can see this in Raamaayan. Whenever Raam has killed any Raakshas, Seetaa was not with Him. He killed Taadakaa, Subaahu, before marriage to Seetaa. When He had to kill Khar and Dooshan, He asked Lakshman to take Seetaa away from the place. He killed Baali, Kumbhkarn, Raavan etc when Seetaa was already abducted. Thus whenever he killed any Raakshas he killed only when Seetaa was not with Him.

But there comes one incident in Raamaayan (as well as in Maanas - Aranya Kaand, although with a different version) and that is the incident of Indra's son Jayant when he assumed the form of a crow (Kaag) and pecked at Seetaa's breast. Raam did not kill that Kaag just like that because Seetaa was with Him at that time. This is a very interesting episode, which highlights the importance of approaching Raam only when He is with Seetaa. It appears in Sundar Kaand/67 when Hanumaan is telling Raam his description of Seetaa's meeting. Thus it is a shorter version and casual mention in Vaalmeeki Raamaaayan

Raavan's sin of coveting another man's wife and then carrying Her away was certainly unpardonable. This is another matter that he did not cause Seetaa any physical harm in Lankaa, but still he abducted her. The Crow, on the other hand, pecked at Seetaa's breast. If compared with Raavan's act of kidnapping Seetaa, the Crow's sin is more serious. One, he pecked at her breast, two he dared this to do in the presence of Raam, while Raavan abducted Seetaa only in the absence of Raam. Yet the Crow got spared by Raam by just piercing his only one eye.

Then how did that Crow get away with that mild punishment? The answer lies in the fact that it was because Seetaa was with Raam, when the Crow surrendered himself to Raam. It should be noted here that Raam sent a message of this matter to Raavan also that if he surrendered Seetaa to Him peacefully He would go back, but Raavan did not listen to it.  But when the Crow had wandered everywhere in the Universe and could not get protection even with his father Indra, he had to come back to Raam for His forgiveness.

Note
I read somewhere the following - "In fact, even this Sharanaagati (surrender) of Kaag was deficient, for instead of placing his head at the Lord's feet, the demon placed his feet at the Lord's feet. This is not the way to surrender, for the act of surrender must be done with humility, by placing one's head at the feet of Raam. Seetaa, noticing that the Kaag had not surrendered as required, turned him over so that his head now rested near the Lord's feet. Thus it was through Seetaa's act of kindness that Kaag was saved." But I am sure that this version is not in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan. Did I miss it?

Tulasaee Daas Jee gives this incident as a full version and main incident in Aranya Kaand where it really happened. He could not have dared to let the Crow peck his beak on Seetaa'a breast. He describes that the Crow pecked his beak on Her foot, and when Raam shot the arrow of the straw at him, it followed him all around the Trilok. Then Naarad Jee got pity on him and advised him to go back to Raam, so he came back to Raam and fell on His feet. Then Raam forgave him but pierced his one eye and he went away praying King Dasharath and Raam.

Raam is the Lord of the universe, yet it is the presence of Seetaa that makes Him our protector. Raam is every inch a king, and the way Raam sits on His throne definitely indicates His Supremacy. Such is His bearing. But Raam is like a cool ocean. Just as we retire to the seaside on a hot day and find the sea breeze soothing, so can we approach Raam too, for His mercy will rid us of the heat from our sins. The feeling of safety we get in His presence comes only from the fact that Seetaa is with Him.

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