Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Ka: Nu Asmin Sampratham Loke Gunavan Ka: Cha Veeryavan |
Dharmascha : Cha Kruthascha : Cha
Satya Vakyo Drudavrutha: ||
Prajapathi Sama: Sriman Dhadha
Ripu Nishoodhana:|
Rakshitha Jeevalokasya Dharmasya
Pari Rakshitha||
Rakshitha Swasya Dharmasya
Swajanasya Cha Rakshitha |
Veda Vedanga Thathwanjyo Dhanur
Vede Cha Nishtatha: ||
Vishnuna Sadhrusho Veerya
Somavath Priya Dharshana: |
Kalagni Sadhrusha: Krodhe
Kshamaya Prithvi Sama: ||
Dhanadhen Sama: Thyago Sathye
Dharma Iva Apara: |
Illustrious Sage Valmiki, who is
highly intellectual in scriptures, got out of meditation enquiring the sublime
enunciator Maharishi Narada about a person who has possessed all the
incomparable virtues and capabilities.
Sage Valmiki earnestly requests Maharishi Narada to explain about an
ideal person, who has all the righteousness/Gunavan, braveness/Veeryavan,
truthfulness and self-determination, a person
who has thoughtfulness mixed together with good character, benevolence,
cleverness and charismatic, a person who has fearlessness and complete control
over senses/Jithakrodha:, brilliant/Dyuthiman, free from jealous and
unconquerable. Sage Valmiki reveals his
immense desire to know about the person who has possessed all the qualities
mentioned above to Maharishi Narada.
After listening to Sage Valmiki, the illustrious Maharishi Narada
advised Sage Valmiki to listen attentively. Maharsihi Narada spoke ‘Oh! Sage,
the above mentioned virtues are countless, those are difficult to attain for
great emperors, but I have heard from Lord Brahma about a person who has
possessed all the virtues mentioned, I
will narrate to you’. Maharishi Narada
narrates the attributes of Lord Rama, there was an illustrious Rama born in the
Ikshvaku Dynasty, he was valorous, dedicated, glorious and has perfect control
over his senses. He was intellectual,
proficient and was the destroyer of enemies; he had stunning physical features
like attractive complexion, long arms, conch shaped neck, high cheek-bones,
wide chest, strong shoulders, wide forehead, beautiful eyes and he had the pace
of lion. He was the knower of righteousness,
extremely concerned about the welfare of his subjects; he was the guardian of
all the living beings on Earth, he was the sustainer of all worlds and
annihilates enemies. He was the
protector of righteousness and his subjects, he was knower of Veda and Vedanga,
and he was proficient in the science of archery. He was the knower of the essence of
scriptures and he was revered by the whole world, he was kind and highly
intelligent. Just like an ocean
accessible to its tributaries, he was always accessible for the wise and intelligent
and he treated them equally. He was the
embodiment of all the virtues which made his mother Kousalya extremely
blissful. He was possessed the knowledge
like an unfathomable ocean, he has the unquestionable power like Mount
Himalaya. He has the valor of Lord
Vishnu, he has charismatic features like full moon/Lord Chandra/Soma, he has
the perseverance like Earth/Prithvi, he has the wrath like fire/Lord
Agni/Kalagni, and he has the benevolence of Lord Kubera. Rama had the intrinsic
merits like truthfulness, courageousness, involved in the welfare of the
subject and was the dearest elder son of King Dasaratha, hence he was chosen to
be crowned as the King of Ayodhya.
Kaikeyi, the dearest wife of King Darasarath was not in favor of the
idea of King Dasaratha. She approached
King Dasaratha and claimed for the boons accorded that was banish Rama from the
Kingdom of Ayodhya and anointment of Bharatha as the King of Ayodhya. The righteous King Dasarasatha, bound by
promise exiled Rama from Ayodhya. Rama
sincerely followed the words of his father and honored the promise of his father
given to Kaikeyi. Lakshmana , younger
brother of Rama dutifully followed his brother to forest, thus augmented the happiness
of his mother Sumitra. Sita, the
virtuous daughter of Janaka and daughter-in-law of Dasaratha followed her
husband devotedly to forest like Rohini follows her husband Lord Chandra. The people of Ayodhya and Dasaratha
sorrowfully followed Rama in a chariot led by Sumantra up to Shrungaberpura, a
town near the river banks of Ganga. Rama
met the tribal chief Guha, an ardent devotee and bade farewell to the people of
Ayodhya.
Rama, Sita and Lakshman preceded
their journey through the woodlands, after crossing several miles of dense forests
and rivers; they arrived at the hermitage of Sage Bharadhwaja. At the instruction of Sage Bharadhwaja, they
moved to Chitrakooda, constructed a beautiful hermitage and settled there. They found immense pleasure in the life in
Chitrakooda in the middle of wild forest; they lived the life of deities and
celestials. It was the period; King
Dasaratha attained salvation at the separation from his dearest son Rama. Sage Vashishta and illustrious Brahmins
advised Bharatha, the intelligent and efficient to rule the Kingdom of Ayodhya
after his father to take up the monarchy, but he refused to accept the kingship
and proceeded to the forest seeking mercy at the feet of Rama. Bharatha reveals his powerlessness to rule
the Kingdom and pleads Rama to accept the Kingship, but Rama remains unyielding
against the sincere wish of his brother in order to protect the promise given
to his father. The compassionate Rama pleased
his brother by offering his sandals as a mark of his presence in the ruling of
Kingdom. Bharatha was deeply dejected
returned to Nandigrama, the place where Bharatha resided till Rama’s return
from the forest and administered the Kingdom of Ayodhya. Rama along with Sita and Lakshman moved to
Dandakavanam, the dwelling place of vicious demons. Rama killed the demon Viradha, met
illustrious Sage Sharabhanga, Sutheekshna, Sage Agastya etc…Sage Agastya
offered bow of Lord Indra to Rama. While
living in the hermitage of Sage Sharabhanga, many sages and holy men approached
Rama with a request to annihilate the demons of Dandakavanam, Rama promised
them to protect from the ferocious demons.
During this process, Rama disfigured Shoorpanakha, a demon resided in
Janasthana, and killed fourteen thousand demons lived in Dandakavana. Khara, Thrishira and Dhushan, cousins of
Shurpanakha also had the same fate.
Ravana was infuriated at the valorous deed of Rama and sought the help
of Mareecha to ploy against Rama. Mareecha dissuades Ravana informing the
valiant nature of Rama who exterminated fourteen thousands of demons in
Janasthana. Ravana refused to pay
attention to Mareecha, appeared before the hermitage of Rama, eventually
distracted Rama & Lakshman from the sight and abducted Sita. The eagle king Jatayu who was fought against
Ravana to retrieve Sita was seriously wounded conveyed the message to Raghava
and attained salvation. The
compassionate Rama performed last rites of Jatayu and continued his
journey. On his way, Rama met the
vicious demon Kabandha and provided salvation to him, before leaving his mortal
coil Kabandha informs Rama about Shabari, a righteous and zealous devotee of
Rama; Shabari was received Rama with
great honor. Rama met the valorous
Hanuman on the banks of Pampa and had a intellectual conversation with him,
eventually Rama had companionship with Sugriva, monkey King who was equally
bereaved at the separation from his wife abducted by his brother Vali. Rama explained to Hanuman & Sugriva about
the abduction of Sita, in return Sugriva narrated the untoward happenings caused
by his brother Vali. Sugriva was not
satisfied with the powers of Raghava, he advised Rama to encounter the remnants
of a powerful demon Dhundubhi, Rama trampled Dhundubhi under his feet toe and
ripped off seven trees in single shot of an arrow and proved his matchless
proficiency before Sugriva. It made Sugriva overjoyed; he witnessed his
own victory over Vali in Rama’s triumph.
Shortly, Rama had a fierce battle with Vali and he was killed in the
battle. Eventually Sugriva was crowned
as the King of Kishkindha. Sugriva
summoned huge army of monkeys to four directions in search of Sita, daughter of
Janaka. Hanuman crossed hundred yojana
of vast ocean upon the encouraging words of Sampathi, elder brother of eagle
King Jatayu about the existence of Sita.
Hanuman located Sita in the Ashoka Vatika, pleasure garden in the
Kingdom of Lanka ruled by the demon King Ravana. Sita was detained under the custody of
vicious demons, she was meditating upon Rama; she was surrounded by numerous
horrendous demons. Hanuman pacified Sita
and presented her with the Ring of Lord Rama.
Soon, he started to thrash the pleasure gardens, killed five army chief
of Ravana, Seven sons of minister and the powerful Akshakumara, shortly Hanuman
was tied up with Brahmastra by Indrajith.
Though Hanuman was well capable to release himself from the Brahmastra
as he was received boon from Lord Brahma, he remained immovable to observe
Ravana and have a word with him and witness the strength of his army. Hanuman burned the entire city of Lanka with
the fire on his tail except the Ashoka Vatika.
He returns to Rama with the nectar like message that he has witnessed
Sita in Ashoka Vatika. Rama along with Lakshman
and Sugriva with a huge army of monkeys arrived at the seashore, Rama paid
salutations to King of Ocean, but he was unyielding. Rama propels arrows into Ocean, eventually
built a bridge across the vast ocean with the help of the enormous army of monkeys
led by Nala. Rama entered in a fierce
battle with Ravana and released Sita from his clutches. Sita had to face humiliation as she was
resided in the custody of Ravana, the honorable Sita proved her chastity by
entering into the fire. All the deities
and celestials praised Rama on his victory over the demon King Ravana and
eulogized Raghava in his great accomplishment. Rama crowned Vibhishana as the
King of Lanka and returned with all the monkey warriors to Ayodhya in Pushpaka
Vimanam. On his way back to Ayodhya,
Rama visited Sage Bharadhwaja, deputed Hanuman to convey the message of his
arrival to Bharatha in Nandigrama. The
four brothers removed their matted hair locks at Nandigrama, accepted the
Gruhasthashrama once again. Consequently,
Rama was crowned as the King of Ayodhya, the people of Ayodhya rejoiced over
the abundance of wealth, predominance of righteousness and enjoyed living a
life free from illnesses, fear, famine etc… There were no widows or unfortunate death of
children, there was no natural calamities or thieves. The people of Ayodhya were righteous and
lived a blissful life. Rama performed
countless Yagnas and Yagas and pleased the deities, offered abundance of wealth,
gold, millions of cows as alms to Brahmins and scholars. People of Ayodhya lived in perfect harmony
and the four Varnas such as Brahman, Kshyatriya, Vaishya & Shudra followed
their customs sincerely. In this way,
Rama ruled the Kingdom of Ayodhya for glorious eleven thousands years and
established righteousness on this land and proceeded to the Abode of Lords.
Whoever reads or listens to the
glories of Rama would be eradicated from the sins, she/he will enjoy all the
worldly pleasures with his sons, grandsons etc.. Finally attain salvation at the lotus feet of
Lord. Ramayan should be taught by a
teaching-class/Brahmin who has the excellence in speech to Kshtriya the ruling
class, Vaishya/trading-class and Shudra/working-class. Thus Maharishi Narada described the glorious
Ramayan to Sage Valmiki.
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
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