The Story of Ramayana

The Story of Ramayana
by Maharshi Valmiki
Long ago, Dasharatha, the wise king of Ayodhya of Sarayu, India had three wives. Though the King had
three wives, he didn’t have any children with them. The Chief priest Vasishta advised the king to make fire
sacrifice to obtain a blessing from the gods.
After the gods were pleased, one of

them appeared out of the flame and handed him a
pot full of nectar. The god told the king to share
the nectar with his three queens namely
Kausalya, Kaikeye, and Sumitra.
While the nectar had been shared, the three

queens gave birth to sons: Kausalya had Rama;
Kaikeye had Bharatha; and Sumitra had twins
Lakshmana and Shatrughna. A sage took the boys
out to train them in archery.
In a neighboring city, the ruler's daughter was

named Sita. When it was time for Sita to choose her bridegroom, at a ceremony called a Swayamvara, the
princes were asked to string a giant bow. No one else could even lift the bow, but as Rama bent it, he did
not only string it but also broke it into two. Sita indicated that she chose Rama as her husband by putting a
garland around his neck. The disappointed suitors were watching.
King Dasharatha, Rama's father, decided it was time to give his throne to his eldest son Rama and
retired to the forest to seek moksha. Everyone seems pleased. This plan fulfilled the rules of dharma
because an eldest son should rule and, if a son can take over one's
responsibilities, one's last years may be spent in a search for
moksha.
In addition, everyone loved Rama. However, Rama's

stepmother, the king's second wife, was not pleased. She wanted
her son, Bharata, to rule. Because of an oath Dasharatha had made
to her years before, she got the king to agree to banish Rama for
fourteen years and to crown Bharata even though the king, on
bended knee, begged her not to demand such things. Broken-
hearted, the devastated king could not face Rama with the news
that Kaikeyi 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-headed ruler of Lanka (Sri Lanka,
formerly Ceylon), and told her brother, who is always attracted to beautiful women, about lovely Sita.
Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita. He sent a magical golden deer which Sita desired Rama to
hunt. A long time had passed, but Rama didn’t return. Thus, Lakshmana went off to find his brother. Before
leaving Sita, Lakshmana drew a protective circle around Sita and warned her that she would be safe if she
would stay within the circle. As they went off, Ravana, who could change his shape, appeared as a holy
man begging alms. The moment Sita stepped outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabbed her and
carried her off to his kingdom in Lanka.
Rama was broken-hearted when he returned to the empty hut and could not find Sita. A band of
monkeys led by Hanuman offered to help him find Sita. Ravana carried Sita to his palace in Lanka, but he
could not force her to be his wife. So, he put her in a grove and alternately sweet-talked her and threatened
her in an attempt to get her to agree to marry him. Sita would not even look at him but thought only of her
beloved Rama. Hanuman, the general of the monkey band could fly since his father was the wind, and he
flew to Lanka and found Sita in the grove, comforted her, and told her Rama would come soon and save
her.
Ravana's men captured Hanuman, and Ravana ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to
set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman hopped from house-top to house-top, setting Lanka a fire. He
then flew back to Rama to tell him where Sita was.
Rama, Lakshmana, and the monkey
army built a causeway from the tip of India
crossing over to Lanka. A mighty battle took
place.
Rama killed several of Ravana's
brothers and then Rama confronted ten-headed
Ravana. Rama finally killed Ravana and freed
Sita. After Sita gained her freedom from
Ravana, she proved her purity through the trial
by fire. Then, they returned to Ayodhya and
Rama became the king.
As Rama became the king, he ruled
Ayodhya with Ramrajya - an ideal time when
everyone does his or her duties and responsibilities.

The Story of Ramayana

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The Story of Ramayana

After the gods were pleased, one of

While the nectar had been shared, the three

In a neighboring city, the ruler's daughter was

In addition, everyone loved Rama. However, Rama's

Rama, always obedient, was as content to go into banishment

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