Sunayana

Sunayana / Sunaina is the foster mother of Sita in the Valmiki Ramayana. She is the wife of King Janaka of Mithila, and she is a kind and compassionate woman. Sunaina is devoted to Sita, and she raises her as her own child.

Sunaina is present when Sita is found in a furrow in the ground by King Janaka. She is the first to recognize Sita as a special child, and she is the one who suggests that Janaka hold a swayamvara (a bride-choosing ceremony) to find a suitable husband for her.

Sunaina was overjoyed when Rama and Sita are reunited after Sita's abduction by Ravana. She was the daughter of a serpent who was an ardent devotee of Shiva. She was gifted two jewels by Shiva, one in the form of Chudamani and the other encrusted on a ring. Thus Sita acquired these divine jewels that once belonged to her mother Sunaina. When Sita left for exile, she left all other royal ornaments in the palace but carried with her these two ornaments affixed with these jewels, a ring and the chudamani. When Hanuman came to Lanka in search of Sita; she gave her ring to Hanuman as her insignia, by which Ram could recognise her. The second jewel was on her chudamani, given to boatman Kevat as an appreciation for his service as mentioned above.