The Story of Ramayana

The Story of Ramayana headed ruler of Lanka (Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon), and told her brother, who
formerly Ceylon), and told her brother, who is always

by Maharshi Valmiki attracted to beautiful women, about lovely Sita.
Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita. He sent a magical golden deer which Sita
Long ago, Dasharatha, the wise king of Ayodhya of Sarayu, India had three wives. desired Rama to hunt. A long time had passed, but Rama didn’t return. Thus, Lakshmana
Though the King had three wives, he didn’t have any children with them. The Chief priest went off to find his brother. Before leaving Sita, Lakshmana drew a protective circle around
Vasishta advised the king to make fire sacrifice to obtain a blessing from the gods. Sita and warned her that she would be safe if she would stay within the circle. As they went
After the gods were pleased, one of them appeared out of the flame and handed him a off, Ravana, who could change his shape, appeared as a holy man begging alms. The moment
pot full of nectar. The god told the king to share the nectar with his three queens namely Sita stepped outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabbed her and carried her off to his
Kausalya, Kaikeye, and Sumitra. kingdom in Lanka.
While the nectar had been shared, the three queens gave birth to sons: Kausalya had Rama was broken-hearted when he returned to the empty hut and could not find Sita.
Rama; Kaikeye had Bharatha; and Sumitra had twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna. A sage A band of monkeys led by Hanuman offered to help him find Sita. Ravana carried Sita to his
took the boys out to train them in archery. palace in Lanka, but he could not force her to be his wife. So, he put her in a grove and
In a neighboring city, the ruler's daughter was named Sita. When it was time for Sita alternately sweet-talked her and threatened her to get her to agree to marry him. Sita would
to choose her bridegroom, at a ceremony called a Swayamvara, the princes were asked to not even look at him but thought only of her beloved Rama. Hanuman, the general of the
string a giant bow. No one else could even lift the bow, but as Rama bent it, he did not only monkey band could fly since his father was the wind, and he flew to Lanka and found Sita in
string it but also broke it into two. Sita indicated that she chose Rama as her husband by the grove, comforted her, and told her Rama would come soon and save her.
putting a garland around his neck. The disappointed suitors were watching. Ravana's men captured Hanuman, and Ravana ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail
King Dasharatha, Rama's father, decided it was time to give his throne to his eldest in cloth and to set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman hopped from house-top to house-
son Rama and retired to the forest to seek moksha. Everyone seems pleased. This plan top, setting Lanka a fire. He then flew back to Rama to tell him where Sita was.
fulfilled the rules of dharma because an eldest son should rule and, if a son can take over Rama, Lakshmana, and the monkey army built a causeway from the tip of India
one's responsibilities, one's last years may be spent in a search for moksha. crossing over to Lanka. A mighty battle took place. Rama killed several of Ravana's brothers
In addition, everyone loved Rama. However, Rama's stepmother, the king's second and then Rama confronted ten-headed Ravana. Rama finally killed Ravana and freed Sita.
wife, was not pleased. She wanted her son, Bharata, to rule. Because of an oath Dasharatha After Sita gained her freedom from Ravana, she proved her purity through the trial by fire.
had made to her years before, she got the king to agree to banish Rama for fourteen years and Then, they returned to Ayodhya and Rama became the king. As Rama became the king, he
to crown Bharata even though the king, on bended knee, begged her not to demand such ruled Ayodhya with Ramrajya - an ideal time when everyone does his or her duties and
things. Broken-hearted, the devastated king could not face Rama with the news that Kaikeyi responsibilities.
must tell him.
Rama, always obedient, was as content to go into banishment in the forest as to be
crowned king. Sita convinced Rama that she would always be at his side and his brother
Lakshmana also begged to accompany them. Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana set out to the forest.
Bharata, whose mother's evil plot had won him the throne, was very upset when he
found out what had happened. Not for a moment he did consider breaking the rules of dharma
and becoming king in Rama's place. He went to Rama's forest retreat and begged Rama to
return and rule, but Rama refused. "We must obey father," Rama says. Bharata then took
Rama's sandals saying, "I will put these on the throne, and every day I shall place the fruits of
my work at the feet of my Lord." Embracing Rama, he took the sandals and returned to
Ayodhya.
Years passed and Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana were very happy in the forest. Rama
and Lakshmana destroyed the rakshasas (evil creatures) who disturbed the sages in their
meditations.
One day a rakshasa princess named Shurpanakha tried to seduce Rama, and
Lakshmana wounded her and drove her away. She returned to her brother Ravana, the ten-

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The Story of Ramayana headed ruler of Lanka (Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon), and told her brother, who

formerly Ceylon), and told her brother, who is always

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