RAMAYANA - THE LEGEND OF PRINCE RAMA !!!

Once upon a time in northern part of ancient India, King Dasharath was the ruler of Kosala Kingdom. King Dasharath was a very benevolent and liberal ruler. On the other hand, King Ravan was the ruler of a small island kingdom, Lanka. Lanka kingdom was at the south of the southern part of ancient India. King Ravan was a very cruel and evil King. Ayodhya was the capital city of Kosala kingdom. King Dasharath had three wives; Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Despite having three wives, King Dasharath had no children. That was the biggest cause of concern for King Dasharath. Hermit Vashistha, the Royal Priest of Kosala Kingdom suggested King Dasharath to perform a Putrakameshti yajna with the help of Rishishringa Muni. In that Putrakameshti yajna; Agnidev, the Lord of Fire gave two plates of divine dessert to King Dasharath. Those two plates of divine dessert were shared by three queens. Sumitra tasted the divine dessert from both the plates. Kaushalya gave birth to Ram. Sumitra gave birth to Lakshman and Shatrughna. Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharat.

Whenever there had been a crisis in the Universe; Vishnudev, the Lord of Peace and Preservation took birth in the Planet Earth as an avatar. Vishnudev has ten avatars, i.e. Dashavatars. Ram was the seventh avatar of Vishnudev. When Ram was at his age of fifteen years, King Ravan was at its peak of supremacy all over the world. Marich, Subhayu and Kaikesi were the children of Taraka, a demoness. Kaikesi seduced Hermit Vishrava, the father of Lord Kuber. Later on, Hermit Vishrava left his first wife and got married to Kaikesi. Kaikesi gave birth to Ravan, Bibhishan, Kumbhakarna and Surpanakha. Hermit Viswamitra used to perform yajna in a nearby forest of Ayodhya city, but, everyday, Taraka and her son, Marich used to interrupt in that yajna. Hermit Viswamitra requested for help from Lord Vishnu to get rid of Taraka demoness. Vishnudev told him to take help from the eldest Prince of Ayodhya city. The King of Suryavanshi dynasty gave the permission to Ram to help Hermit Viswamitra. Lakshman accompanied his elder brother. Hermit Viswamitra taught some mantras to Ram and Lakshman to save themselves in the times of danger. Those mantras started its actions by creating some pains in the heart of Taraka demoness. Taraka attacked them. ‘Ram mantra japo.’ Ram killed Taraka. Hermit Viswamitra gifted some divine weapons to Ram as a reward. ‘Ab yeh tumhare, inse sadaa dharam ki raksha karna.’

King Janak was the ruler of Videha Kingdom. Mithila City was the capital of Videha Kingdom. The announcement was made throughout ancient India about the Swayamvar Sabha of Sita, the daughter of King Janak. The task was to lift the bow of Lord Shiva and string it. Ram succeeded in lifting that bow of Lord Shiva but he broke that bow while trying to string it up. ‘Vivah ke liye badhai ho Shri Ram.’ Ram and Sita got married to each other. King Dasharath was growing old and that’s why he decided to crown Ram as the next King of Ayodhya. Manthara, the maid poisoned Kaikeyi’s mentality about Kaushalya and Ram. Few years back, Kaikeyi saved the life of King Dasharath and at that juncture, King Dasharath requested Kaikeyi to ask for two boons. At that time, Kaikeyi didn’t ask for those two boons, but, now, she requested for those two boons. The first boon was to make Bharat as the King of Ayodhya. The second boon was to send Ram to Vanaprastha for 14 years. Lakshman and Sita accompanied Ram. The people of Ayodhya City started weeping. ‘Shri Ram, humein chorh ke naa jaaiye. Aap hee hamare Raja hain.’ Ram, Lakshman and Sita started their journey of Vanaprastha. ‘Raghukul Reet sadaa chali aaye, pran jaaye par bachan na jaaye. Dharam desh jyoti ki raksha, Ram naam se kar le bhai.’ After six months, King Dasharath took his last breath. ‘Yeh sansarik peerayon aur saari dukhon se mukt ho gaye.’ Bharat returned to Ayodhya from Kekeya. After hearing the entire incident, Bharat became furious on Manthara and Kaikeyi, though he forgave both of them. Bharat met Ram in the forest to give the sad news of King Dasharath’s death. Bharat requested Ram to return back to Ayodhya to become the King of Ayodhya. Ram didn’t return. Bharat took Ram’s golden padukas and kept those padukas on the throne to rule the Kosala Kingdom for fourteen years on behalf of Ram.

All the hermits started to return back to Dandakaranya as they were having confidence on the strength of Ram. Ravan got this message while sitting inside the Nikumbhila Cave. Surpanakha decided to meet Ram, the handsome prince of Ayodhya in Dandakaranya. Panchavati was the most beautiful region of Dandakaranya. ‘Panchavati mann bhavan upavan, jish upavan mein mann ko mohe Shri Raghuvar ki chitvan, mohak chitvan, sundar chitvan.’ Surpanakha came to Panchavati and gave the marriage offer to Ram. Ram declined her offer. Lakshman also declined Surpanakha’s marriage offer. Surpanakha felt frustrated. Out of jealousy, Surpanakha tried to kill Sita. Lakshman cut off Surpanakha’s nose and she ran away. Surpanakha complained about Ram to Ravan. Ravan ordered his soldiers to wake up Kumbhakarna but they failed to do so as Kumbhakarna was on a sleep for another six months. Now, Surpanakha applied another trick. Surpanakha told Ravan that Sita is the most beautiful woman of the world. ‘Kya itni khubsoorat hain woh!’ Ravan got provoked by the flattery of Surpanakha about Sita. Ravan decided to take the revenge of his younger sister’s wounded nose by kidnapping Sita.  

Marich, the maternal uncle of Ram took the disguise of a golden coloured deer. Sita requested her husband to get that golden coloured deer for her. Ram chased that golden coloured deer. Ram understood the trick. ‘Woh toh yeh rakshas hain!’ Before dying, Marich also played a trick by doing the perfect mimicry of Ram. ‘Lakshman, Sita, meri sahayta karo.’ Lakshman understood that someone is playing a trick, but, Sita ordered Lakshman to go and protect Ram. Lakshman made a line outside their house and told Sita to stay inside that line. ‘Sita maayia, ish rekha ke ush paar aap mat jaaiye.’ Ravan took the disguise of a hermit. The hermit played his trick and Sita came out of that Lakshman Rekha. Ravan kidnapped Sita and his chariot started its journey towards Lanka. Jatayu, the King of Vultures tried to rescue Sita but Ravan detached one wing of Jatayu from Jatayu’s body. While on her way to Lanka, Sita threw away all her ornaments in the jungles of South India. The monkeys of the jungles collected all those ornaments. Jatayu died due to severe injuries. Ram and Lakshman started their journey to find Sita. A heavenly creature was cursed to an ugly demon. That heavenly creature suggested Ram to find Sugriv. Hanuman, the minister of King Sugriv welcomed Ram and Lakshman at Rishyamukha Hill. Sugriv used to rule in Rishyamukha Hill, but his brother Bali snatched away all his powers. Sugriv made an agreement with Ram. Ram promised to kill Bali and Sugriv promised to help Ram in finding Sita with his monkey soldiers. Bali got killed by Ram while Bali was wrestling with Sugriv. Sugriv became the Monkey King and ordered his monkey soldiers to search for Sita in four directions. Hanuman, Jambhuban and his soldiers met Sampaati in Rameswaram. Sampaati told them that Ravan took Sita to Lanka, the island across the sea waters. Jambhuban unlocked the divine powers of Lord Hanuman to help Hanuman to cross the sea. Hanuman killed the sea monster, Sindhika while on his way to Lanka. Hanuman met the weeping Sita inside Lanka to give some information. ‘Janani main Ram doot Hanuman, charan kamal mein sath sath bandan, kar do maa kalyan, milaa hain absaar aaj mahaan.’ Ravan ordered his soldiers to light up fire on Hanuman’s tail. Hanuman burned down Lanka with the fire at his tail.

Bibhishan joined Ram’s camp as Ravan kicked out Bibhishan from Lanka. Bibhishan suggested Ram to take the help of Sea God. ‘Shri Ram ne 7 din aur 7 raatein samudra devtaa ki puja ki.’ On the 8^th day, Sea God told Ram to create a Ram Setu from Rameshwaram to Lanka with stones. In every stone, the letters ‘Shri Ram’ to be written in Devnagari Script to ensure that those stones will remain floated on the sea water forever. Also, all the creatures will help Ram to construct that Ram Setu. ‘Shri Raghuvar ki vanar sena setu baandh rahi.’ Ram and his soldiers entered Lanka through that Ram Setu. The battle started in Lanka. What happened to Kumbha and Nikhumbha? Did Kumbhakarna wake up from his long sleep? Why Hanuman carried the entire Gandhamadhan Parvat to Lanka? Who killed Indrajit, the son of 10-headed Ravan? Who won the battle of Lanka? What reward was given to Bibhishan? Did Ram succeed in rescuing Sita from Lanka to end the story of “RAMAYANA –THE LEGEND OF PRINCE RAMA”?