Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part A
Ramayana by M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder link
There were once two kings: Dasharatha and Janaka. Dasharatha was the Kingdom of Koshala and lived in Ayodha. King in the Solar dynasty.: father of Rama. Janaka: Kingdom of Videha, lives in Mithila: father of Sita
Capital of Koshala: Ayodhya, beautiful and full of prosperous people. King Dasharatha of Koshala was mighty and powerful, but did not bear any sons. So they perform a Ashwamedha horse sacrifice (for the purpose that the gods will grant him heir who would perpetuate his race) and ends up with four sons. It was the chief queen, Kaushalya, who slew the horse.
Drama in the heavens: Ravana, king of the Rakshasas, needs to be defeated but only by a human or monkey. So the god Vishnu borns Rama as the son of Dasharatha. Of the four children, Rama was the most beautiful.
Great sage Vishvamitra asks King Dasharatha a favor: Rama and Lakshmana battle evil rakshasas (demons_ who are of disturbance. (Rakshasas were supported by wicked Ravana and disturbed his sacrifices and only Rama could overcome these devils.
Rama and Lakshmana embarked upon a haunted jungle, where rakshasa woman dwelled. The princes were reluctant to kill her at first. Vishwamitra demanded Rama to kill her so he did. And as a reward, Rama was awarded with spirit weapons who were to serve as servants. Rama battles the rakshasi, female rakshasa. Receives supernatural weapons as rewards, which end up speaking to him.
God Indra fell in love with Ahalya and in an attempt to seduce, he disguised himself as Gautama. When Gautama found out what happened, he cursed both of them. The only way to undo her curse is for Rama to end it and bring her back to life, which is what happens at the end of the story.
Rama falls in love with Sita. Rama is avatar for Vishnu and Sita is for Lakshmi so they share eternal love. King Janaka challenges any man to bend the bow of the god Shiva and as a reward, he will marry the king’s daughter, Sita. Rama ends up winning King Janaka’s challenge and marries Sita. Parashurama, avatar of Vishnu, tests Rama again. He wins and is rewarded with another weapon. Rama marries Sita and the other princes of Dasharata find wives from Janaka’s family as well.
King Dasharatha chooses Rama to be his heir. Dasharatha’s youngest wife, Kaikeyi, had a servant, Manthara, who thought Rama should not be the crown prince but that it should be Bharata. Manthara basically brainwashes Kaikeyi into demanding that Rama is banished and her son, Bharata, be made Dasharatha’s heir. Rama does not question Dasharatha’s wish for him to go into exile and leaves at once. Rama’s wife, Sita, and Prince Lakshmana also go with Rama into exile. Rama leaves Koshala. Along with Sita and Lakshmana, they crossed the river to Ayodhya.
Dasharatha recalls cursing his son and thinks karma is the reason for why he falls sick. Dasharatha dies. Two of his wives, Kaushalya and Sumnitra, are by his side during his death but none of his sons are present.
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| Rama and Sita after leaving into exile. Source: flickr |
Capital of Koshala: Ayodhya, beautiful and full of prosperous people. King Dasharatha of Koshala was mighty and powerful, but did not bear any sons. So they perform a Ashwamedha horse sacrifice (for the purpose that the gods will grant him heir who would perpetuate his race) and ends up with four sons. It was the chief queen, Kaushalya, who slew the horse.
Drama in the heavens: Ravana, king of the Rakshasas, needs to be defeated but only by a human or monkey. So the god Vishnu borns Rama as the son of Dasharatha. Of the four children, Rama was the most beautiful.
Great sage Vishvamitra asks King Dasharatha a favor: Rama and Lakshmana battle evil rakshasas (demons_ who are of disturbance. (Rakshasas were supported by wicked Ravana and disturbed his sacrifices and only Rama could overcome these devils.
Rama and Lakshmana embarked upon a haunted jungle, where rakshasa woman dwelled. The princes were reluctant to kill her at first. Vishwamitra demanded Rama to kill her so he did. And as a reward, Rama was awarded with spirit weapons who were to serve as servants. Rama battles the rakshasi, female rakshasa. Receives supernatural weapons as rewards, which end up speaking to him.
God Indra fell in love with Ahalya and in an attempt to seduce, he disguised himself as Gautama. When Gautama found out what happened, he cursed both of them. The only way to undo her curse is for Rama to end it and bring her back to life, which is what happens at the end of the story.
Rama falls in love with Sita. Rama is avatar for Vishnu and Sita is for Lakshmi so they share eternal love. King Janaka challenges any man to bend the bow of the god Shiva and as a reward, he will marry the king’s daughter, Sita. Rama ends up winning King Janaka’s challenge and marries Sita. Parashurama, avatar of Vishnu, tests Rama again. He wins and is rewarded with another weapon. Rama marries Sita and the other princes of Dasharata find wives from Janaka’s family as well.
King Dasharatha chooses Rama to be his heir. Dasharatha’s youngest wife, Kaikeyi, had a servant, Manthara, who thought Rama should not be the crown prince but that it should be Bharata. Manthara basically brainwashes Kaikeyi into demanding that Rama is banished and her son, Bharata, be made Dasharatha’s heir. Rama does not question Dasharatha’s wish for him to go into exile and leaves at once. Rama’s wife, Sita, and Prince Lakshmana also go with Rama into exile. Rama leaves Koshala. Along with Sita and Lakshmana, they crossed the river to Ayodhya.
Dasharatha recalls cursing his son and thinks karma is the reason for why he falls sick. Dasharatha dies. Two of his wives, Kaushalya and Sumnitra, are by his side during his death but none of his sons are present.
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