Sītā Ashṭottara-Śata-Nāma

The Sītā Ashṭottara-Śata-Nāma is the list of the 108 names of Devī Sītā. Agastya Maharshi taught it to Sutīkshṇa in the fourteenth sarga of the Manohara Khaṇḍa of the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa. He gave it together with the Sītā Kavaca in that sarga.

The 108 names show Devī Sītā as Mahālakshmī, as the daughter of the earth and of Janaka, as the consort of Bhagavān Rāma and queen of Ayodhyā, and as the one who holds compassion, purity and courage.

The count of 108

Ashṭottara-śata means one hundred and eight. This is the count of names for the main devas and devīs. Reciting all 108 names is ashṭottara-śata-nāmāvalī, a common form of devotion. Each name is said after “Oṃ” and before “Namaḥ”. So the recitation is 108 acts of surrender.

Kinds of names

The 108 names of Sītā include names of these kinds.

Names of her divine origin

  • Names that make her one with Mahālakshmī and Śrī, the first śakti (power).
  • Names that join her to the kshīra-sāgara (ocean of milk), from which Lakshmī arose.

Names of her birth on earth

  • Sītā: “furrow”, for she was born from the furrow of the earth.
  • Bhūmiputrī: daughter of Bhūmi, the earth devī.
  • Jānakī: daughter of Janaka.
  • Vaidehī: of the kingdom of Videha, which is Mithilā.
  • Maithilī: daughter of the king of Mithilā.

Names of her divine marriage

  • Rāmapriyā: beloved of Rāma.
  • Rāghavapatnī: wife of Rāghava.
  • Padmākshavallabhā: beloved of the lotus-eyed one.
  • Ayodhyādevī: queen of Ayodhyā.

Names of her trials and virtues

  • Sativratā: she who keeps the highest vow of faithfulness.
  • Pativratā: the devoted wife.
  • Śuddhacitta: pure-minded.
  • Dharmaśīlā: she whose nature is dharma.
  • Agniśuddha: made pure by fire, she who passed through the trial of Agni.

Names of her power over all

  • Sarvaśaktimayī: she in whom all powers rest.
  • Jagadambā: Mother of the Universe.
  • Māyādevī: the great māyā herself.
  • Rāmeśvarī: ruler of Rāma’s realm.

Use in pūjā

The Sītā Ashṭottara-Śata-Nāma is recited in Sītā pūjā, above all on these days.

  • Sītā Navamī, which is Vaiśākha Śukla Navamī, the birth day of Sītā in the tradition.
  • Rāma Navamī, when Sītā and Rāma are worshipped together.
  • Phalāshṭamī and other days linked with the life of Sītā.
  • Observances of the month of Caitra, above all Caitra snāna (holy bath) at the tīrthas where Sītā’s presence is called upon.

Sources

  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Manohara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 14