Sagar World | Ramayan

Story, Ramayan

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Birth of Rama and Gurukul

The terror and torment of Ravana had burdened the Dharti (earth) with an immense load of sins. The anguished Dharti (earth) appealed to Indra who in turn appealed to Brahma. Then Brahma took all the Gods and Dharti to Shiva and then all of them together went to Vishnudham where Lord Vishnu was reclining on his Sheshshaiyya (serpent seat). Goddess Lakshmi was seated at his feet, gently massaging his feet.

The Gods appealed to Vishnu to help Dharti (earth) and rid it of the trouble and turmoil. Lord Vishnu promised to appear on earth in a human form in a new avatar.

Meanwhile King Dashratha of Ayodhya had reached middle age but did not have any son of continue his lineage. He appealed to his Guru Vashishtha to resolve his problem. Sage Vashishtha called for Shringi Rishi to perform Putreshti Yagna (fire sacrifice for obtaining sons). King Dashratha arranged the Yagna. At the end of the ritual, Agni, the Lord of Fire, appeared with a bowl of Kheer, a rice pudding. Dashratha gave the Kheer (rice pudding) to his three queens, Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. At the end of nine months, Rama was born to Kaushalya, Bharata to Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Shatrughna to Sumitra.

As soon as he was born, Rama appeared before Kaushalya in his divine, four-armed form. Kaushalya bowed before him and requested the joy of motherhood. Therefore Rama used his miraculous powers to make her forget the episode and took the form of a crying new born baby. The Gods in heaven rained down flowers in celebration.

Once, while playing, baby Rama ate some mud. His mother asked him to open his mouth. When he did so, she saw the entire universe inside. She was puzzled and mystified but Rama began to laugh merrily.

Once he appeared to be in two places at once, in the cradle and in the courtyard. Kaushalya ran from one place to the other to find her baby bouncing in the cradle and at the same time crawling in the courtyard. Just in time Rama used his power to make her forget this and began to cry. She cuddled him and held him lovingly in her arms.

One day as a toddler, Rama wanted the moon to play with like a ball. He wailed and wept for the shining ball. So Kaushalya filled a huge platter with water and placed it so that the orb of the moon was reflected in it and Rama played with his own moon happily!

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Characters

Rama

In Treta Yuga (there are four Yugas according to Hindu mythology- Sat (Krita) Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapar Yuga and Kali Yuga), Ramkatha, the story of Rama, the eldest son of Ayodhya king Dashratha. After King Dashratha organized Putreshthi yagya (a sacrifice performed for having a son), Rama was born to the eldest Queen Kaushalya. According to the ancient stories, the demon King of Lanka, Ravan had acquired a boon from Lord Shiva that he will not be killed by the hands of a deity, demon, demigod or a Kinnar (a demigod with a head of a horse). Due to this boon, Ravan had become fearless and so he had started attrociting the Saints, Sages and gentlemen. Even the deities had started getting scared of Ravan. Religion was getting destroyed and injustice was increasing. In this condition, to protect religion and to reduce the pain of gentlemen, Lord Vishnu took birth at King Dashratha’s house in the form of a human. In Vishnu- puran, Rama is said to be the incarnation of Vishnu. Ramnavami or the birthday of Lord Rama falls on the 9th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra (March-April).

Sita

Sita was the daughter of Janaka, the King of Mithila (modern day Janakpur in Nepal – refer map). Her mother’s name was Sunayana. It was a divine plan to annihilate the Rakshasas (demons or evil forces) that led to her birth in Raja Janaka ’s house. Sita was actually the human incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) who is the wife of Lord Vishnu (part of Hindu trinity of Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver) and Shiva (destroyer), who incarnated as Shri Ram. Hence the divine couple played the role of being together on the earth as they are in the heavens. The story of Sita’s birth is truly amazing and awe inspiring.

Once upon a time a great famine befell on Janaka ’s kingdom. The subjects were in dire straits and miserable. When the royal priest was consulted, he suggested that the King should conduct a Yagna (a fire sacrifice) and then till the land with a golden plough.

Lakshmana

Two sons were born to Sumitra, the second wife of Dashratha, Lakshmana and his twin Shatrughna. According to some Puranic lore, Lakshmana was an incarnation of Sheshnaga, the divine serpent that supports Vishnu while he reclines. Just as Sheshnaga is always close to Vishnu so too Lakshmana is always by Rama’s side.

Lakshmana was completely devoted to Rama and stayed close to him like a living shadow. He was always resolute in his thought and firm in action and was thus named Lakshmana by sage Vashishtha. To obey Rama and to serve him, this was his goal in life. Kaikeyi, his stepmother asked two boons from Dashratha, an exile of fourteen years for Rama and the throne for her son Bharata. When Rama prepared to leave for the forest, Lakshmana insisted on going too, leaving with ease the comfort and luxury of the palace. He even tore himself away from the loving care of his mother and the affection of his newly wedded wife Urmila, to serve Rama and Sita.

Hanuman

Veer (brave) Hanuman was a minister and friend of Sugreeva. He is the greatest devotee of Shri Rama, ever at his service and very devoted to the Lord. Hanuman’s father was Kesari and his mother Anjana. She was an Apsara (a celestial damsel) called Punjiksthala in her earlier life. As a result of a curse, she was born as a vanara, in the house of a vanara king called Kunjar. Hanuman is also called pavanputra (son of the wind god). Vanarraj (king of the monkeys) Kesari once undertook a severe penance and at the end, Brahma asked him for a boon. Kesari said, “I want a son as strong and powerful as the wind God, Vayu.” Brahma granted his wish.

Videos

Birth of Ram		Education of Ram




Tadka Vadh		Sita Swayamvar













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Map

There are two routes shown in the map
1) Shri Ram’s Journey with Sage Vishwamitra” or “Ram Janki Marg” and
2) Shri Ram’s Vanvas Journey

“Shri Ram’s Journey with Sage Vishwamitra” “Ram Janki Marg”

The road from Ayodhya to Janakpur, which was the route, used by the bridegroom and his “baraatis” (family) to reach Ayodhya after the Ram-Sita marriage in Janakpur acquired the name “Ram-Sita Marg” long ago. The route of the “baraatis” is known as Ram-Sita Marg and it is now a proper road. Millions of pilgrims actually cover the distance on foot till today to enact the marriage of Ram and Sita.

Shri Ram and Rishi Vishwamitra, however, took another route to reach Janakpur after the slaying of Tadaka in Tadakavan (Forest of Tadka).

“Shri Ram’s Vanvas Journey”

It is more difficult to chart a route for Ram’s journey during his period of exile. Firstly this is pan-India journey, secondly, Ram, Lakshman and Sita also wandered in the Dandaka Forest for more than 10 years. This mighty forest would encompass in today’s date almost the entire state of Madhya Pradesh including parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra on the West and Karnataka on the South. Hence this makes it even more difficult. Still we have charted a basic route, which can be seen here in this map.

There are many places that Ram visited during this 14 year period during which he had the good fortune of meeting with some of most enlightened sages and beings of that period. They were of course very delighted to meet with Ram themselves with many of them having been foretold the coming of Ram, they waited for years conducting severe penance for that fortunate time to arrive.

Story, Ramayan

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