Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.19.5

martyāvatāras tv iha martya-śikshanam

raksho-vadhāyaiva na kevalam vibhoh

kuto 'nyathā syād ramatah sva ātmanah

sītā-kritāni vyasanānīśvarasya

SYNONYMS

martya — as a human being; avatārah — whose incarnation; tu — however; iha — in the material world; martya-śikshanam — for teaching all the living entities, especially human beings; rakshah-vadhāya — to kill the demon Rāvana; eva — certainly; na — not; kevalam — only; vibhoh — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kutah — from where; anyathā — otherwise; syāt — there would be; ramatah — of one enjoying; sve — in Himself; ātmanah — the spiritual identity of the universe; sītā — of the wife of Lord Rāmacandra; kritāni — appearing due to the separation; vyasanāni — all the miseries; īśvarasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

It was ordained that Rāvana, chief of the Rākshasas, could not be killed by anyone but a man, and for this reason Lord Rāmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in the form of a human being. Lord Rāmacandra's mission, however, was not only to kill Rāvana but also to teach mortal beings that material happiness centered around sex life or centered around one's wife is the cause of many miseries. He is the self-sufficient Supreme Personality of Godhead, and nothing is lamentable for Him. Therefore why else could He be subjected to tribulations by the kidnapping of mother Sītā?

PURPORT

When the Lord appears in this universe in the form of a human being, He has two purposes, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā [Bg. 4.8] — paritrānāya sādhūnām vināśāya ca dushkritām: to destroy the demons and protect the devotees. To protect the devotees, the Lord not only satisfies them by His personal presence but also teaches them so that they will not fall down from devotional service. By His personal example, Lord Rāmacandra taught the devotees that it is better not to enter married life, which is certainly followed by many tribulations. As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.45):

yan maithunādi-grihamedhi-sukham hi tuccham

kandūyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham

tripyanti neha kripanā bahu-duhkha-bhājah

kandūtivan manasijam vishaheta-dhīrah

Kripanas, those who are not advanced in spiritual knowledge and who are therefore just the opposite of brāhmanas, generally take to family life, which is a concession for sex. Thus they enjoy sex again and again, although that sex is followed by many tribulations. This is a warning to devotees. To teach this lesson to devotees and to human society in general, Lord Śrī Rāmacandra, although the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, underwent a series of tribulations because He accepted a wife, mother Sītā. Lord Rāmacandra underwent these austerities, of course, only to instruct us; actually He never has any reason to lament for anything.

Another aspect of the Lord's instructions is that one who accepts a wife must be a faithful husband and give her full protection. Human society is divided into two classes of men — those who strictly follow the religious principles and those who are devotees. By His personal example, Lord Rāmacandra wanted to instruct both of them how to fully adopt the discipline of the religious system and how to be a beloved and dutiful husband. Otherwise He had no reason to undergo apparent tribulations. One who strictly follows religious principles must not neglect to provide all facilities for the complete protection of his wife. There may be some suffering because of this, but one must nevertheless endure it. That is the duty of a faithful husband. By His personal example, Lord Rāmacandra demonstrated this duty. Lord Rāmacandra could have produced hundreds and thousands of Sītās from His pleasure energy, but just to show the duty of a faithful husband, He not only rescued Sītā from the hands of Rāvana but also killed Rāvana and all the members of his family.

Another aspect of the teachings of Lord Rāmacandra is that although Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His devotees may apparently suffer from material tribulations, they have nothing to do with such tribulations. They are mukta-purushas, liberated persons, under all circumstances. It is therefore said in the Caitanya-bhāgavata:

yata dekha vaishnavera vyavahāra duhkha

niścaya jāniha tāhā paramānanda-sukha

A Vaishnava is always firmly situated in transcendental bliss because of engagement in devotional service. Although he may appear to suffer material pains, his position is called transcendental bliss in separation (viraha). The emotions a lover and beloved feel when separated from one another are actually very blissful, although apparently painful. Therefore the separation of Lord Rāmacandra from Sītādevī, as well as the consequent tribulation they suffered, is but another display of transcendental bliss. That is the opinion of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness