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It wasn't the first time. And for a matter of fact, she knew that it wasn't the last time either.
Everyone from the town, her family, extended family, her friends and foes, stood there with judging little eyes and ready to jump to conclusions. But this didn't scare Sita. What she was actually scared of, was the power she was about to posses after going through the Agnipariksha.
Nobody knew about this other than Sita herself. When she had went through the Agnipariksha the very first time, to prove her purity and loyalty to her husband, she had come out of the fire unscathed. But something in her had changed. And she could feel it very distinctly. She felt as if she had come out of the fire with a portion of it inside her, because she felt it burning inside her ever since. And that had completely changed her life. She no more remained the same person. She left her husband, Ram, not because she felt guilty or embarrassed but because she felt the need to take a stand for herself and her self-respect. Because Ram's incapability of trusting in his wife more than being worried about keeping the request or taking the suggestion of the society, had made Sita lose all respect for him. She started living with her parents in her father's house and started training at the Gurukul to become a soldier. She swore to herself that she would not only fight in battles on the battlefield but also in those battles which hurt the dignity of women. She started fighting for the distressed and abused women of the society. This new way of life gave her new reasons to live. She was learning to control and channel the power coming from the fire within. The fire that she had consumed during her Agnipariksha.
The fire had taken a greater shape and the power had magnified when she had gone through another Agnipariksha a second time, absolutely secretively. She had been very hurt at that time but she never mentioned it to anyone. It was when her Guru had betrayed her. After that first time, she had thought that she would never have to go through another Agnipariksha, ever in her life. But there she was, proving her loyalties both towards her passion as well as her Guru. She had to be true to her passion and yet not harm her Guru in the process. As easy as it sounded, as difficult it was to be carried out in action especially when the mind wasn't fully conscious. But this time also she came out of the fire unscathed. What worried her was the fire, burning even more profoundly inside her. The power which had magnified and would need to be attended to, with much more care than before. But she had managed to set her command over the power extremely well. Yes, it took some time but she had managed to befriend it. It was her own little secret.
And now she was again standing in front of the fire, a third time. Everyone thought this was her second time and they were scared that it might just be the last as well. But somehow, as a matter of fact, Sita knew that it wouldn't be the last time. Like the others, she was scared too. Sita could tell, from her prior experiences that this time also she was going to come out with a power stronger than she ever had. She knew that even though she wasn't ready, she was going to come out with a flame of greater intensity. It was a bigger test this time. This time she had chosen her dignity over her parents. Her parents had abandoned her. She was all alone now. Fearless. She promised to herself that she would watch over her parents and protect them, but would never go back to them.
As she started walking towards the fire, she watched everyone. Some were happy to think that they might just finally get rid of her and some were genuinely worried that the fire was about to consume her. But she was scared that this time if she returned with a greater flame in her, she might just explode. And that would consume every single soul guilty of their sins.
Everyone from the town, her family, extended family, her friends and foes, stood there with judging little eyes and ready to jump to conclusions. But this didn't scare Sita. What she was actually scared of, was the power she was about to posses after going through the Agnipariksha.
Nobody knew about this other than Sita herself. When she had went through the Agnipariksha the very first time, to prove her purity and loyalty to her husband, she had come out of the fire unscathed. But something in her had changed. And she could feel it very distinctly. She felt as if she had come out of the fire with a portion of it inside her, because she felt it burning inside her ever since. And that had completely changed her life. She no more remained the same person. She left her husband, Ram, not because she felt guilty or embarrassed but because she felt the need to take a stand for herself and her self-respect. Because Ram's incapability of trusting in his wife more than being worried about keeping the request or taking the suggestion of the society, had made Sita lose all respect for him. She started living with her parents in her father's house and started training at the Gurukul to become a soldier. She swore to herself that she would not only fight in battles on the battlefield but also in those battles which hurt the dignity of women. She started fighting for the distressed and abused women of the society. This new way of life gave her new reasons to live. She was learning to control and channel the power coming from the fire within. The fire that she had consumed during her Agnipariksha.
The fire had taken a greater shape and the power had magnified when she had gone through another Agnipariksha a second time, absolutely secretively. She had been very hurt at that time but she never mentioned it to anyone. It was when her Guru had betrayed her. After that first time, she had thought that she would never have to go through another Agnipariksha, ever in her life. But there she was, proving her loyalties both towards her passion as well as her Guru. She had to be true to her passion and yet not harm her Guru in the process. As easy as it sounded, as difficult it was to be carried out in action especially when the mind wasn't fully conscious. But this time also she came out of the fire unscathed. What worried her was the fire, burning even more profoundly inside her. The power which had magnified and would need to be attended to, with much more care than before. But she had managed to set her command over the power extremely well. Yes, it took some time but she had managed to befriend it. It was her own little secret.
And now she was again standing in front of the fire, a third time. Everyone thought this was her second time and they were scared that it might just be the last as well. But somehow, as a matter of fact, Sita knew that it wouldn't be the last time. Like the others, she was scared too. Sita could tell, from her prior experiences that this time also she was going to come out with a power stronger than she ever had. She knew that even though she wasn't ready, she was going to come out with a flame of greater intensity. It was a bigger test this time. This time she had chosen her dignity over her parents. Her parents had abandoned her. She was all alone now. Fearless. She promised to herself that she would watch over her parents and protect them, but would never go back to them.
As she started walking towards the fire, she watched everyone. Some were happy to think that they might just finally get rid of her and some were genuinely worried that the fire was about to consume her. But she was scared that this time if she returned with a greater flame in her, she might just explode. And that would consume every single soul guilty of their sins.
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