Reading Notes: Ramayana A
Authors: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.
Two Kingdoms existed. The kingdom of Koshala, the capital being Ayodhya, was ruled by Dasharatha, father of Rama. The other kingdom was Mithila, ruled by Janaka. The capital city Ayodhya flourished and the king, Dasharatha, was able to relax in his palace. The palace was guarded by a thousand powerful warriors, and he was served by eight sages along with two priests, Vashishtha and Vamadeva. Even with all of this prosperity the king was saddened because he had no son.
Dasharatha decided to proceed with a horse sacrifice to get him a son. Kaushalya, the king's main wife, slayed the horse after it was prepared for sacrifice. Offerings were also presented to the gods. The gods promised that the king would have four sons.
Ravana, the king of Lanka had exhibited piety that led to Brahma, the creator god, to bless him with protection from gods and devils. Ravana the oppressed all the gods, and they sought help from Vishnu. Vishnu said that Ravana could be hurt by monkeys and humans. The gods should go to earth and take on the form of apes. Vishnu would be born in four parts as the fours sons promised to the king. The fours sons being Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna. The child Rama was the most beautiful.
Ravana was still inhibiting sacrifices to other gods. Rama and Lakshmana were the only ones who could overcome the devils inhibiting the sacrifices. The brothers followed one of the kings priests to assist in a ritual.
Rama and Lakshmana did battle with a rakshasi. Rama took off her arms with arrows, and Lakshmana took out her nose and eyes. The devil went invisible and using sound alone Rama shot a final arrow to kill the devil. Rama was then given celestial weapons. Later on he used these weapons to slay a group of devils that attempted to attack some sages.
Rama and his brother explored the city and their looks were commented upon by the masses. The next day they decided to collect flowers and ended up finding the Garden of King Janaka. They admired the fruit trees, flowers, and peacocks. With the sound of bells Rama knew that the woman he would love approached. It was true with one look him and Sita, King Janaka's daughter fell in love. They parted and Sita prayed for their love to flourish.
To win the hand of Sita, Rama had to draw the bow of Shiva. Many had attempted, but none had succeeded. He unsurprisingly was able to draw the bow. He used so much force that the bow broke. He had won Sita's hand in marriage. Rama married Sita, but his brothers also married Sita's sisters. All the brothers would be married to Janaka's daughters.
The king Dasharatha decide he had to decide on an heir among his sons. He sought to make Rama his heir, but he asked his advisors and lords underneath him for their opinion. They all were of the same mind, the wanted Rama, the eldest, to be the heir. They said he exhibited great values and would be a great king.
The Kings youngest wife, mother of Bharata, had in the past saved the King's life and had been promised two favors in the future. Convinced by her slave, the hunch-backed Maharajah, who hated Rama; the queen sought out the king and asked for her favors. She wanted her son to be the heir and for Rama to be sent to exile.
This news when given to Rama was told to him by the young wife for the king was so grief stricken that he could not speak. Rama was more than willing to accept the new orders to maintain his father's honor.
Rama told the news to others, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshman. They both decided to follow him, and many of the villagers had similar thoughts. They could follow Rama to the jungle. In the castle the king sought to give him many things to make his exile easier. Rama refused and asked only for a rainment of bark, a spade, and a basket. Rama and Lakshmana quickly put on the bark, but Sita who had lived only in comfort would not wear the bark.
With the beginning of the exile Rama and Lakshman dress their hair in the fashion of hermits. They then crossed the Ganga river. Sita promised to worship the River-Queen if she could allow them to pass the river safely again after fourteen years. The brother agreed to protect Sita and each other.
Shortly after Rama departed, the king died. The king died as a result of karma. The king when he was young killed a young hermit. The father of the hermit in grief cursed the king to lose his son and die of grief, just like the old hermit had experienced.
Dasharatha and the curse from the Freer Ramayana
No comments:
Post a Comment