Sumatī, Wife of Lava
Sumatī was the younger granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti Mahārāja, king of Vaṭapura on the eastern sea coast. At her svayaṃvara (a ceremony where a bride chooses her husband) she chose Lava, the younger son of Bhagavān Rāma. She put her māla (garland) on him. The Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa says she bore Lava eight sons and one daughter.
Other women in the Purāṇas also bear the name Sumatī. This Sumatī is the granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti and the wife of Lava.
Family and background
Sumatī was the younger of two granddaughters of Bhūrikīrti Mahārāja. His capital Vaṭapura was a great city on the eastern sea coast. It was about twenty days’ journey from Ayodhyā.
Her elder sister was Campikā. Campikā held her svayaṃvara on the same occasion and chose Kuśa. The two sisters held their svayaṃvaras together, before an assembly of all the kings of the world. It was a grand event of Rāma-rājya (the rule of Bhagavān Rāma). (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 1)
The svayaṃvara
At Sumatī’s svayaṃvara, the elder attendant Sunanda led her through the assembly hall. He described each king and prince in turn. The ones he described and passed over were:
- Ugrabāhu, king of Avantī
- Aṅganādha, king of Vidarbha
- Paraṃtapa, king of Magadha
- Kambukantha, king of the Draviḍa realm (Kāñcīpura)
- Vijaya, king of Karnāṭa
- Yūpaketu, Subāhu, Puṣkara, Takṣa, Citraketu and Aṅgada
When the procession reached Lava, Sumatī placed the māla on him with quiet joy. Wedding preparations began that same day. The wedding night of Sumatī and Lava was kept with all proper ceremony and rejoicing. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 3)
Wedding and family life
The Vedic wedding rites were done at Vaṭapura, together with the wedding of Campikā and Kuśa. These rites were pāṇigrahaṇa (taking the hand), lājāhoma (the offering of parched grain into the fire) and saptapadī (the seven steps).
After the celebrations, Sumatī came to Ayodhyā as Lava’s wife. She became part of the large household of Rāma-rājya. She shared the daily life of the court. She joined the morning worship, attended Sītā’s court, and ate with the family in Rāma’s household. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 3–4, 7)
Children
The Vivāha Kāṇḍa gives the family line and says that Sumatī bore Lava eight sons and one daughter. It gives the same pattern for the wives of all the sons of Rāma. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 9)
Not to be confused with
This Sumatī, the granddaughter of Bhūrikīrti and wife of Lava, is not the same as:
- Sumatī, the second wife of Sagara, who is named in the Sagara line
- Other women named Sumatī in the Purāṇas
Sources
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 1, 2–4, 7 and 9