RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was the youngest son of Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, which was a new religious sect in nineteenth-century Bengal and which attempted a revival of the ultimate monistic basis of Hinduism as laid down in the Upanishads. He was educated at home; and although at seventeen he was sent to England for formal schooling, he did not finish his studies there. In his mature years, in addition to his many-sided literary activities, he managed the family estates, a project which brought him into close touch with common humanity and increased his interest in social reforms. He also started an experimental school at Shantiniketan where he tried his Upanishadic ideals of education. From time to time he participated in the Indian nationalist movement, though in his own non-sentimental and visionary way; and Gandhi, the political father of modern India, was his devoted friend. Tagore was knighted by the ruling British Government in 1915, but within a few years he resigned the honour as a protest against British policies in India.

Tagore had early success as a writer in his native Bengal. With his translations of some of his poems he became rapidly known in the West. In fact his fame attained a luminous height, taking him across continents on lecture tours and tours of friendship. For the world he became the voice of India's spiritual heritage; and for India, especially for Bengal, he became a great living institution.

Although Tagore wrote successfully in all literary genres, he was first of all a poet. Among his fifty and odd volumes of poetry are Manasi (1890) [The Ideal One], Sonar Tari (1894) [The Golden Boat], GitanjaliGitimalya (1914) [Wreath of Songs], and Balaka (1916) [The Flight of Cranes]. The English renderings of his poetry, which include The Gardener (1913), Fruit-Gathering (1916), and The Fugitive (1921), do not generally correspond to particular volumes in the original Bengali; and in spite of its title, Gitanjali: Song Offerings (1912), the most acclaimed of them, contains poems from other works besides its namesake. Tagore's major plays are Raja (1910) [The King of the Dark Chamber], DakgharThe Post Office], Achalayatan (1912) [The Immovable], Muktadhara (1922) [The Waterfall], and Raktakaravi (1926) [Red Oleanders]. He is the author of several volumes of short stories and a number of novels, among them Gora (1910), Ghare-Baire (1916) [The Home and the World], and Yogayog (1929) [Crosscurrents]. Besides these, he wrote musical dramas, dance dramas, essays of all types, travel diaries, and two autobiographies, one in his middle years and the other shortly before his death in 1941. Tagore also left numerous drawings and paintings, and songs for which he wrote the music himself. (1910) [Song Offerings], (1912) [

CONTROVERSIES ON TAJ MAHAL

The story of the Taj Mahal that most of us have known about may not be the real truth. Herein Mr. P. N. Oak presents an interesting set of proofs that show a completely different story. Contrary to what visitors are made to believe the Tajmahal is not a Islamic mausoleum but an ancient Shiva Temple known as Tejo Mahalaya which the 5th generation Moghul emperor Shahjahan commandeered from the then Maharaja of Jaipur. The Taj Mahal, should therefore, be viewed as a temple palace and not as a tomb. That makes a vast difference. You miss the details of its size, grandeur, majesty and beauty when you take it to be a mere tomb. When told that you are visiting a temple palace you wont fail to notice its annexes, ruined defensive walls, hillocks, moats, cascades, fountains, majestic garden, hundreds of rooms archaded verendahs, terraces, multi stored towers, secret sealed chambers, guest rooms, stables, the trident (Trishul) pinnacle on the dome and the sacred, esoteric Hindu letter "OM" carved on the exterior of the wall of the sanctum sanctorum now occupied by the cenotaphs. For detailed proof of this breath taking discovery, you may read the well known historian Shri. P. N. Oak''s celebrated book titled " Tajmahal : The True Story". But let us place before you, for the time being an exhaustive summary of the massive evidence ranging over hundred points: NAMEterm Tajmahal itself never occurs in any mogul court paper or chronicle even in Aurangzeb''s time. The attempt to explain it away as Taj-i-mahal is therefore, ridiculous. 2.The ending "Mahal"is never muslim because in none of the muslim countries around the world from Afghanistan to Algeria is there a building known as "Mahal". 3.The unusual explanation of the term Tajmahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal, who is buried in it, is illogical in at least two respects viz., firstly her name was never Mumtaj Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani and secondly one cannot omit the first three letters "Mum" from a woman''s name to derive the remainder as the name of the building. 4.Since the lady''s name was Mumtaz (ending with ''Z'') the name of the building derived from her should have been Taz Mahal, if at all, and not Taj (spelled with a ''J''). 5.Several European visitors of Shahjahan''s time allude to the building as Taj-e-Mahal is almost the correct tradition, age old Sanskrit name Tej-o-Mahalaya, signifying a Shiva temple. Contrarily Shahjahan and Aurangzeb scrupulously avoid using the Sanskrit term and call it just a holy grave. 6.The tomb should be understood to signify NOT A BUILDING but only the grave or centotaph inside it. This would help people to realize that all dead muslim courtiers and royalty including Humayun, Akbar, Mumtaz, Etmad-ud-Daula and Safdarjang have been buried in capture Hindu mansions and temples. 7.Moreover, if the Taj is believed to be a burial place, how can the term Mahal, i.e., mansion apply to it? 8.Since the term Taj Mahal does not occur in mogul courts it is absurd to search for any mogul explanation for it. Both its components namely, ''Taj'' and'' Mahal'' are of Sanskrit origin. 1.The TEMPLE TRADITION9.The term Taj Mahal is a corrupt form of the sanskrit term TejoMahalay signifying a Shiva Temple. Agreshwar Mahadev i.e., The Lord of Agra was consecrated in it. 10.The tradition of removing the shoes before climbing the marble platform originates from pre Shahjahan times when the Taj was a Shiva Temple. Had the Taj originated as a tomb, shoes need not have to be removed because shoes are a necessity in a cemetery. 11.Visitors may notice that the base slab of the centotaph is the marble basement in plain white while its superstructure and the other three centotaphs on the two floors are covered with inlaid creeper designs. This indicates that the marble pedestal of the Shiva idol is still in place and Mumtaz''s centotaphs are fake. 12.The pitchers carved inside the upper bords those mounted on it number 108-a number sacred in Hindu Temple tradition. 13.There are persons who are connected with the repair and the maintainance of the Taj who have seen the ancient sacred Shiva Linga and other idols sealed in the thick walls and in chambers in the secret, sealed red stone stories below the marble basement. The Archaeological Survey of India is keeping discretely, politely and diplomatically silent about it to the point of dereliction of its own duty to probe into hidden historical evidence. 14.In India there are 12 Jyotirlingas i.e., the outstanding Shiva Temples. The Tejomahalaya alias The Tajmahal appears to be one of them known as Nagnatheshwar since its parapet is girdled with Naga, i.e., Cobra figures. Ever since Shahjahan''s capture of it the sacred temple has lost its Hindudom. 15.The famous Hindu treatise on architecture titled Vishwakarma Vastushastra mentions the ''Tej-Linga'' amongst the Shivalingas i.e., the stone emblems of Lord Shiva, the Hindu deity. Such a Tej Linga was consecrated in the Taj Mahal, hence the term Taj Mahal alias Tejo Mahalaya. 16.Agra city, in which the Taj Mahal is located, is an ancient centre of Shiva worship. Its orthodox residents have through ages continued the tradition of worshipping at five Shiva shrines before taking the last meal every night especially during the month of Shravan. During the last few centuries the residents of Agra had to be content with worshipping at only four prominent Shiva temples viz., Balkeshwar, Prithvinath, Manakameshwar and Rajarajeshwar. They had lost track of the fifth Shiva deity which their forefathers worshipped. Apparently the fifth was Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheshwar i.e., The Lord Great God of Agra, The Deity of the King of Cobras, consecrated in the Tejomahalay alias Tajmahal. 17.The people who dominate the Agra region are Jats. Their name of Shiva is Tejaji. The Jat special issue of The Illustrated Weekly of India (June 28,1971) mentions that the Jats have the Teja Mandirs i.e., Teja Temples. This is because Teja-Linga is among the several names of the Shiva Lingas. From this it is apparent that the Taj-Mahal is Tejo-Mahalaya, The Great Abode of Tej. DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE18. Shahjahan''s own court chronicle, the Badshahnama, admits (page 403, vol 1) that a grand mansion of unique splendor, capped with a dome (Imaarat-a-Alishan wa Gumbaze) was taken from the Jaipur Maharaja Jaisigh for Mumtaz''s burial, and the building was known as Raja Mansingh''s palace. 19. The plaque put the archealogy department outside the Tajmahal describes the edifice as a mausoleum built by Shahjahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal , over 22 years from 1631 to 1653. That plaque is a specimen of historical bungling. Firstly, the plaque sites no authority for its claim. Secondly the lady''s name was Mumtaz-ulZamani and not Mumtazmahal. Thirdly, the period of 22 years is taken from some mumbo jumbo noting by an unreliable French visitor Tavernier, to the exclusion of all muslim versions, which is an absurdity. 20. Prince Aurangzeb''s letter to his father,emperor Shahjahan,is recorded in atleast three chronicles titled `Aadaab-e-Alamgiri'', `Yadgarnama'', and the `Muruqqa-i-Akbarabadi'' (edited by Said Ahmed, Agra, 1931, page 43, footnote 2). In that letter Aurangzeb records in 1652 A.D itself that the several buildings in the fancied burial place of Mumtaz were seven storeyed and were so old that they were all leaking, while the dome had developed a crack on the northern side.Aurangzeb, therefore, ordered immediate repairs to the buildings at his own expense while recommending to the emperor that more elaborate repairs be carried out later. This is the proof that during Shahjahan''s reign itself that the Taj complex was so old as to need immediate repairs. 21. The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur retains in his secret personal `KapadDwara'' collection two orders from Shahjahan dated Dec 18, 1633 (bearing modern nos. R.176

TAJ MAHAL

Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra

Year of Construction: 1631-1653

Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

Spread Over: 42 acres

Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.

History of Taj Mahal 

The history of the Taj Mahal tells us "why was the Taj Mahal built" and many other myths and facts associated with this wonderful structure. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan erected the Taj Mahal in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan (then Prince Khurram) met Mumtaz Mahal (then Arjumand Banu Begum) at the age of fourteen and fell in love at the first sight. She was a Muslim Persian princess and Shah Jahan was the son of the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir. Five years later, in 1612, they got married. As you read further you will come to know more about the history of the Taj Mahal at Agra…

Mumtaz Mahal, an inseparable companion of Shah Jahan, died in 1631, while giving birth to their 14th child. It is believed that during her last moments, Mumtaz Mahal obtained a promise from Shah Jahan that he will build world's most beautiful monument in her memory. But this has not been proven to be true, till date. However, Shah Jahan did indeed build a magnificent monument as a tribute to her wife, which we today know as the "Taj Mahal". Shah Jahan, himself also, lies entombed in this mausoleum along with his wife.

The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631 and it took approximately 22 years to build it. An epitome of love, it made use of the services of 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants. It was built entirely out of white marble, which was brought in from all over India and central Asia. After an expenditure of approximately 32 million rupees (approx US $68000), Taj Mahal was finally completed in the year 1653. However, the history of Taj Mahal of India still has some gaps. For example, there are many theories regarding the architect of this magnificent monument.

Taj Mahal Architecture

A beautifully laid out walled garden encloses the magnificent monument "Taj Mahal". The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely

• Darwaza (The main gateway)
• Bageecha (The gardens)
• Masjid (The mosque)
• Naqqar Khana (The rest house)

Taj Mahal architecture is a kind of fusion of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. The main gateway, with its domed central chamber, is situated at the end of the long watercourse. On one side of the Taj Mahal is the Mosque and on the other, the Naqqar Khana, built mainly to maintain its symmetry. The main building, that of the Taj itself, stands on a raised, square platform with its four abridged corners, forming an unequal octagon. The architecture of Taj Mahal of Agra has made use of the interlocking arabesque concept.

As per this concept, each element maintains its own identity and yet perfectly merges with the main structure. The principles of self-replicating geometry, along with symmetry of architectural elements are also seen in the design and layout of Taj Mahal. The four 162.5 feet minarets have been consciously shortened a bit to emphasize the faintly spherical dome. The central dome, 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet in height, stand bordered with four subsidiary domed chambers.

A shadowy burial crypt inside the Taj Mahal houses the tombs of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Above these tombs is the main chamber that has the false tombs, typical of mausoleums of the Mughals. Perforated marble screens were used to transmit light into the central chamber. A major irony behind Taj Mahal is that the man who got this magnificent monument built is himself responsible for disturbing its symmetry. His tomb, which lies next to that of Mumtaz Mahal, was never planned and deranges Taj's interior.

Taj Mahal Calligraphy

One of the ornamentations done on the surface of the Taj Mahal is the beautiful calligraphic work. The calligraphy of the Taj Mahal mainly consists of the verses and passages from the holy book of Koran. It was done by inlaying jasper in the white marble panels. These passages were inscribed by a Persian calligrapher, Amanat Khan in an illegible Thuluth script. A number of the panels also bear his signatures.

It is believed that Amanat Khan even chose the passages for the calligraphy of Taj Mahal, Agra. Taj Mahal inscriptions consist of the following passages from the Koran:

• Surah 91 (The Sun)
• Surah 112 (The Purity of Faith)
• Surah 89 (Daybreak)
• Surah 93 (Morning Light)
• Surah 95 (The Fig)
• Surah 94 (The Solace)
• Surah 36 (Ya Sin)
• Surah 81 (The Folding Up)
• Surah 82 (The Cleaving Asunder)
• Surah 84 (The Rending Asunder)
• Surah 98 (The Evidence)
• Surah 67 (Dominion)
• Surah 48 (Victory)
• Surah 77 (Those Sent Forth)
• Surah 39 (The Crowds)

Taj Mahal Impressions

• Taj Mahal impressions consist of the things that people have said after experiencing the magnificence of this outstanding monument. From awe to delight to sheer ecstasy, impressions of Taj Mahal depict each and every conceivable feeling. Some of the famous sayings about Taj Mahal are as follows:
• "The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs and makes sun and moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this edifice has been made to display, thereby, the Creator's glory." Shah Jahan (Badshah Nama)
  
• "It appears like a perfect pearl on an azure ground. The effect is such I have never experienced from any work of art." British painter Hodges
  
• "I cannot tell what I think. I do not know how to criticize such a building but I can tell what I feel. I would die tomorrow to have such another over me." British officer, Colonel Sleeman's wife
  
• "Did you ever build a castle in the Air? Here is one, brought down to earth and fixed for the wonder of ages".American novelist, Bayard Taylor
  
• "If I had never done anything else in India, I have written my name here, and the letters are a living joy."Lord Curzon, the British Governor-General
  
• "You know Shah Jahan, life and youth, wealth and glory, they all drift away in the current of time. You strove therefore, to perpetuate only the sorrow of your heart? Let the splendor of diamond, pearl and ruby vanish? Only let this one teardrop, this Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time, forever and ever." Rabindranath Tagore

ECONOMY OF INDIA

India is developing into an open-market economy, yet traces of its past autarkic policies remain. Economic liberalization, including reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s and has served to accelerate the country's growth, which has averaged more than 7% since 1997. India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Slightly more than half of the work force is in agriculture, but services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output, with less than one-third of its labor force. India has capitalized on its large numbers of well-educated people, skilled in the English language, to become a major exporter of software services and software workers. An industrial slowdown early in 2008, followed by the global financial crisis, contributed to the deceleration in annual GDP growth to 6.1% in 2009. However, India escaped the brunt of the global financial crisis because of cautious banking policies and a relatively low dependence on exports for growth. Domestic demand, driven by purchases of consumer durables and automobiles, has re-emerged as a key driver of the economy, as exports have fallen since the global crisis started. India's fiscal deficit increased substantially in 2008 due to fuel and fertilizer subsidies, a debt waiver program for farmers, a job guarantee program for rural workers, and stimulus expenditures. The government abandoned its deficit target and allowed the deficit to reach 6.8% of GDP in FY09. The government has expressed a commitment to fiscal stimulus in 2010, and to deficit reduction the following two years. It has proposed limited privatization of government-owned industries, in part to offset the deficit. India's long term challenges include inadequate physical and social infrastructure, limited employment opportunities, and insufficient basic and higher education opportunities. In the long run, however, the huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

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$3.548 trillion (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$3.344 trillion (2008 est.)

$3.113 trillion (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

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$1.243 trillion (2009 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

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6.1% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

7.4% (2008 est.)

9% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

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$3,100 (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 165

$2,900 (2008 est.)

$2,800 (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

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agriculture: 17.5%

industry: 20%

services: 62.6% (2009 est.)

Labor force:

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467 million (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

Labor force - by occupation:

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agriculture: 52%

industry: 14%

services: 34% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

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9.5% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 110

9.1% (2008 est.)

Population below poverty line:

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25% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

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lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 31.1% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

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36.8 (2004)

country comparison to the world: 79

37.8 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

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33.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

Budget:

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revenues: $122.7 billion

expenditures: $223 billion (2009 est.)

Public debt:

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60.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 31

56.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

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9.8% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 192

8.3% (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

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6% (31 December 2008)

country comparison to the world: 76

6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

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13.31% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

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$NA (31 December 2008)

$250.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

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$NA (31 December 2008)

$647.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

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$NA (31 December 2008)

$769.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

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$645.5 billion (31 December 2008)

country comparison to the world: 9

$1.819 trillion (31 December 2007)

$818.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

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rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, lentils, potatoes; onions, dairy products, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Industries:

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textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

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5.2% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - production:

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761.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - consumption:

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568 billion kWh (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - exports:

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216 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

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4.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

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883,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - consumption:

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2.94 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

Oil - exports:

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671,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - imports:

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2.518 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - proved reserves:

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5.625 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - production:

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32.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - consumption:

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42.99 billion cu m (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - exports:

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0 cu m (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - imports:

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10.79 billion cu m (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - proved reserves:

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1.075 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

Current account balance:

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$-4.294 billion (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 169

$-36.09 billion (2008 est.)

Exports:

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$155 billion (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

$187.9 billion (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities:

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petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures

Exports - partners:

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US 12.3%, UAE 9.4%, China 9.3% (2008)

Imports:

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$232.3 billion (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

$315.1 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:

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China 11.1%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 6.6%, UAE 5.1%, Iran 4.2%, Singapore 4.2%, Germany 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

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$282 billion (31 October 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

$254 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external:

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$232.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

$229.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

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$156.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

$144.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

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$76.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

$61.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Exchange rates:

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Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - 48.766 (2009), 43.319 (2008), 41.487 (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005)

COURTESY:https://www.cia.gov

SHORT SYNOPSIS OF RAMAYANA

In the era of Treta Yuga, king Dasharatha of the dynasty of Ikshwakas was ruling northern India with Ayodhya as his capital. He was married to three queens – Kausalya, Sumitra and Kikeyi- but none of them bore any children for him. Desperate for an heir, the king consulted his guru who advised him to perform the Putra Kameshti Yajna. Dasharatha performed the yajna with the help of the sages, priests and gurus as prescribed in the Vedas. The gods were pleased by his yajna and a divine being came out of the yajna fire and offered the king a vessel of prasadam. The divine being told the king to distribute the prasadam equally among his three wives and they would soon bear sons who would be the incarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu Himself.
Dasharatha was pleased and parceled the prasadam out to his three wives equally. However, Kausalya gave a part of her portion to Sumitra. So did Kikeyi. Thus Sumitra partook twice as much of the prasadam as either Kausalya or Kikeyi. In due time, they all became pregnant. To Kausalya was born Rama and to Kikeyi was born Bharata. Sumitra gave birth to twins who were named Lakshmana and Shatrugna. Rama was the incarnation of Vishnu Himself. Lakshmana was His serpent bed, Adi Shesha. Bharata and Shatrugna were the conch Panchajanya and the discuss weapon Sudarshana of Lord Vishnu. The three wives showed love and affection to each other's sons and the brothers grew up happy. The brothers were very much fond of each other. However, Rama and Lakshmana shared a special bond between them and they were inseparable.
Ram completed their education under the Vashishtha
Ram completed their education under the Vashishtha
The princes completed their education under the tutelage of sage Vashishtha. One day while they were still teenagers, the sage Vishwamitra came to king Dasharatha and asked him to send Rama and Lakshmana with him to fight the asuras who were disrupting his yajna. He assured Dasharatha that no harm would come to them. Dasharatha agreed very reluctantly. Rama and Lakshmana accompanied the sage to his ashram and there they safeguarded his yajna by killing the asura lady Tataki and her friends. Vishwamitra completed his yajna without disruption. He was pleased and taught the two brothers some very useful and powerful warfare secrets. The education of Rama and Lakshmana was now complete with the knowledge to deploy many powerful weapons with the help of the mantras that Vishwamitra taught them.

Vishwamitra now took the princes to Mithila where the king Janaka was conducting a swayamvara for his daughter, Sita. Janaka was a devotee of Lord Shiva who had given him His bow as a gift. As a condition of the swayamvara, Janaka declared that his daughter will marry whoever could lift, set and shoot an arrow from that huge bow that formerly belonged to Shiva. The bow was so heavy that it took three hundred men to carry it to the court where the swayamvara was being held. A great number of princes from all over the land came to claim Sita. They were all handsome and strong but none could even lift the bow up much less set the string and shoot an arrow from it. One by one they all tried but failed miserably. Then Vishwamitra encouraged Rama to try the Shiva’s bow. Rama stood up and strolled towards the bow. This handsome young man was immediately noticed by everyone present there. He approached the platform where the bow was placed and with one hand lifted the bow while with the other he set the string on it. All the princes who were present in the court were astonished at the ease with which Rama handled the bow. To their amazement Rama set an arrow in the bow and pulled on it so hard that the bow broke in to two. People in the court were awe-struck. Some clapped their hands while others bent their heads in shame.
Sita declared Rama to be the winner
Janaka declared Rama to be the winner. Sita was very happy because the moment she saw Rama, she had fallen in love with Him. She slowly walked to Rama and placed the garland in Rama’s neck. Janaka celebrated the wedding of Rama and Sita with great pomp and grandeur. On the same occasion, Lakshmana married Urimila, Bharata married Shrutakirtini and Shatrugna married Mandavi. The four brothers returned home with their brides to the delight of the people of Ayodhya who welcomed them with great joy and pride.


Manthara and Kaikeyi
Dasharatha was proud of his son Rama and his accomplishments. Already his fame was heard all over the land. He thought that it was time for him to give the reins of the kingdom to Rama. There was no need to wait. So he consulted his guru Vashishtha and fixed an auspicious date for Rama’s coronation. All the people of the kingdom were happy at the announcement of the coronation ceremony of Rama. Kausalya was ecstatic and busied herself in the preparations. Rama’s step mothers, Kikeyi and Sumitra, were delighted to see their beloved Rama becoming the king. However, there was a woman named Manthara who was the personal maid of queen Kaikeyi and very close to her. She did not see any reason to celebrate. She saw it as loss of prestige for her and her mistress because her mistress would not be the mother of the king anymore. Her son Bharata would only be subservient to Rama. Her jealousy of Kausalya and her son Rama drove her to approach Kikeyi with some malicious advice. She told Kikeyi that it was not a time to be joyful but a time of distress because her son Bharata is being deprived of his rightful claim to the kingdom. "Just imagine! Not only your son, but his sons and their sons and so on will never hope to become kings because only the eldest son becomes the king. Now is the time to secure the future of Bharata and his future progeny. After all isn’t Bharata, same age as Rama and Kikeyi more beloved to Dasharatha than Kausalya? Bharata deserves to be the king and not Rama." Kikeyi never thought of her relation to Rama in those terms. She loved Rama as much as she did her own son Bharata. But Manthara’s logic appealed to her motherly instincts. The more Manthara made her case, the less Kikeyi was able to rebut her and more she forgot her love for Rama. Manthara finally succeeded in convincing Kikeyi that she should somehow persuade Dasharatha to exile Rama in to the forest and make Bharata the king instead.

The ceremonial preparations were in full swing but Kaikeyi confined herself to a corner room in her quarters and refused to participate in the jovialities. Dasharatha noticed that her youngest queen was unhappy. He approached her lovingly and asked her why she was unhappy. Kaikeyi replied that she did not feel loved. She accused him of loving his other queens more than her. Dasharatha’s pleadings to the contrary went unheard. Finally he asked her what would make her feel happy and loved. She replied that if only he could deliver on the promise he had made to her sometime ago, she would be happy. Dasharatha had granted Kikeyi two wishes in appreciation of her help which secured his victory over his enemy in one of his many battles with his enemies. Dasharatha told her to claim her two wishes now and that he would not flinch no matter what she asked for. He did not quite fathom Kikeyi’s scheme for he never suspected any ill will or rivalry among his queens. Kikeyi seized the opportunity. She said, "I want Rama exiled to the forest for fourteen years as my first wish. For my second wish, I want my son Bharata made the king in place of Rama." Dasharatha was devastated. He could not bear the thought of exiling Rama to the forest. The very thought had made him numb. But he could not deny Kikeyi her wishes for that would mean that he did not keep his word. The dynasty of Ikshwakas was known for its fidelity and no one ever went back on a promise made. It had to be done. He conveyed Kikeyi’s wishes to Rama and his inability to deny her because of his prior promise to her. He also summoned Bharata who was in his maternal uncle’s town at that time to return immediately to Ayodhya.

Rama readily agreed to his father’s wishes to exile him and to make Bharata the king of Ayodhya. It is a son’s duty to his father to obey him. Rama reassured his father that he was happy for Bharata and he wished him and Kikeyi well. Lakshmana and Sita learned of the king’s orders and were astounded. They both begged Rama to let them accompany Him to the forest, for they could not bear to imagine Rama alone in the forest. "Moreover," Sita said, "this palace is worse than a forest when you are absent and the forest will be my heaven if I am with you." Rama had to agree reluctantly for neither agreed to stay back however much he dissuaded them.
Rama accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana left the capital
Rama accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana left the capital on foot to the forest. The people of Ayodhya sent them off with tears in their eyes. Meanwhile Bharata had returned from his maternal uncle’s home to Ayodhya. When his mother told him about the news of Rama’s exile and his own coronation as the king, he was bewildered. He could not understand his mother’s actions. He told her that he never wanted to be the king and that she was wrong in assuming that he would want to usurp on Rama’s claim to the throne. Perhaps it was not too late to reverse the events. So he immediately went in search of Rama in the hope that he would persuade him to return back to Ayodhya. After a few days of travel, he caught up with Rama, Sita and Lakshmana traveling south. He apologized to them on his mother’s behalf and humbly requested Rama to disregard his father’s orders and return back to Ayodhya to claim his throne. Rama politely refused and told him that he would not go back on his word. His coming back would also make Dasharatha’s promise to Kikeyi broken. When Rama would not budge from his decision, Bharata asked him to give him his slippers at least which he would place on the throne to represent Rama and he would only be an interim caretaker king until Rama returned. Rama agreed and gave him his slippers and sent him back to Ayodhya.

They came to the shores of the river Ganga and were helped by a boatman named Guha to cross it. From there they crossed the Chitrakoota mountain and continued south to reach the thick dense Dandaka forest. In that forest, in a place called Panchavati, they made themselves a small hut for their home.

Time passed with difficulty. The princess Sita who used to sleep on the softest of beds, now slept on the hard floor. Instead of clothing made of silk laced with golden embroidery, she wore coarse clothes made of tree barks. The brothers also had to adopt their princely ways to the harsh realities of the forest. However, their love for each other kept them happy. Sita was ever eager to look after the comforts of Rama. Lakshmana was ever vigilant in guarding Rama and Sita from any danger. The forest was home for not just wild and cruel animals; it was also a hunting ground for cannibalistic asuras of all kinds who used their magical powers on unsuspecting humans.

One day an asura lady, Shurpanakha, came upon the hut of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana while wandering about in the forest. She was mesmerized by the beauty of the princes and the princess. She was especially attracted to Rama whose handsome figure had made her lustful. She took on the form of a beautiful damsel and, approaching Rama asked him to take her as his mistress. Rama replied that He was married and can not think of consorting with any woman other than his wife. He was committed to practicing monogamy as his ideal. He directed her to Lakshmana who recognized her true demonic nature and cut off her nose and two ears with his sword. Shurpanakha left the human form and ran off crying in pain.

She went to her brother Ravana in Lanka. There she described to Ravana Sita’s beauty and told him that all his wealth and power equals nothing if he did not possess Sita. It was true, she told Ravana, that he had in possession several hundred women taken from heaven and the three worlds that he had conquered, but their beauty compared to Sita’s was like a candle in front of the midday sun. She further enraged him with her words that the humans, Rama and Lakshmana, had insulted him who was the most powerful man in the three worlds by insulting her, his sister. For her sake, she goaded him, he should take revenge.

Ravana was a proud king. Having done the most severe tapas, he had pleased Lord Shiva and obtained several boons from him. Empowered by the boon, he conquered all the three worlds and subdued all the kings. His capital city was beautiful and prosperous. There was nothing he could not conquer or possess. Besides, he hated the humans. And now the two of them living in the forest are making life miserable to all the asuras of his kind. It is time to teach those two lowly creatures a lesson. The humans believed that taking another man’s wife was a sin. For them sanctity of marriage was unbreakable. If Sita is half as beautiful as Shurpanakha had described her to him, she would be a prize in his possessions. What else would be a more painful insult than taking the man’s wife? Taking Sita away from Rama would insult Rama and enhance his prestige.

He summoned his trusted lieutenants, Khara and Dooshana and sent them off on the mission to kill the two brothers living in the Dandaka forest and bring the lady Sita alive to him. These two asuras were very powerful and experts in magical warfare. They came to the place where Rama and Lakshmana were living and started a war. Rama and Lakshmana killed them both with their arrows along with the army they had brought with them. Ravana came to know of their deaths from the few survivors who fled the scene. It was obvious to him that these two are not to be engaged in a direct fight but a plan had to be devised to take Sita away from them. He called Maricha. Together, they hatched a plan to steal Sita away from Rama.
beautiful deer
One morning Sita was admiring the beauty of the forest in front of her hut. There, among the flower bushes, she spotted the most beautiful deer of a bright golden hue roaming about in delightful innocence. How nice would it be to have him for a pet! She tried to catch him but the deer was too nimble for her. He did not run away but hung around as if to be caught. Presently Rama came to her. Sita pointed the golden-hued deer to Rama excitedly and told him that she wanted him caught alive so she can keep him as a pet. Something about the deer did not seem authentic to Rama. He tried to dissuade Sita from wanting the deer saying that the deer probably was not a real deer but some asura roaming around in disguise to snare gullible people. But Sita had fallen in love with the deer and she insisted on having him as a pet. So Rama, in spite of his better judgment, agreed. He called Lakshmana and told him to guard Sita very vigilantly while he went to catch the deer. Under no circumstances was Lakshmana to leave the sight of Sita. Then he tried to catch the deer but now the deer started running away. Rama had chased the deer too deep in to the forest before he realized that he was chasing an asura disguised as a deer. So he drew his arrow and shot the deer fatally which fell assuming the natural form of the asura. He was Maricha sent by Ravana to lure Rama away from the hut. But before he died, Maricha, mimicking Rama, cried loudly, "Help me Lakshmana! Help me Lakshmana!"

Rama realized that he had been deceived. He hurried back. But back at the hut, Sita and Lakshmana had heard the cry for help from what seemed to be Rama. Sita became anxious and distraught. Lakshmana tried to reassure her that no harm can come to Rama and that the cry for help probably was a trick from the asura. Lakshmana reasoned that this may be some kind of trick by one of the numerous asuras roaming in the forest. Sita could not be convinced. There was no harm in going for His help, she countered. Even if it turns out to be a hoax, what have they got to loose? She could take care of herself for the brief period he would be away.
Lakshmana Rekha
Lakshmana reluctantly agreed to go to help Rama but before leaving he drew a line around the perimeter of the hut with his arrow and told Sita that as long as she remained inside of the line, no harm would come to her as he had endowed the area with his protection. But if she stepped out side of the line, she would loose his protection. Sita agreed to remain inside of the line. Lakshmana was off in search of his brother.

Sita was waiting anxiously looking towards the way Rama and Lakshmana went. Then there came a sage-like looking man to her hut and said, "Mother, I come to ask you for some food." It was not unusual for forest dwelling munis and monks to live on alms. Sita thought that this man at the door of her hut deserved to be treated as a guest and given food. She offered him some food and asked him to step forward to receive it as it would mean that she would be crossing the line that Lakshmana drew for her protection if she stepped out to meet the stranger. The man insisted that she come out to the perimeter and serve it to him. Otherwise, he would walk away and the sin of turning a guest away would be hers. Sita could not deny the guest and turn him away. She stepped outside of the line to give the alms to the man but the sage-like looking man now turned in to a demon with ten heads and twenty arms. It was Ravana who came in the disguise of the sage. His plan to corner Sita alone had succeeded. Sita looking at his fierce dreadful form at once fainted. Ravana carried Sita to his airplane, Pushpaka, and started flying towards Lanka.

When Rama met his brother Lakshmana, his suspicions grew. Sure, this was a trick played on them and now not only he but his brother also fell for it and had left Sita alone. They hurried back to the hut as fast as they could but it was too late. Sita was nowhere. The hut was empty. The food that Sita carried to Ravana lay strewn around at the gate. Rama called out for her as loud as He could, "Sitaaaa! Siiiiiitaaaaa!" The forest echoed back his calls and it seemed like the entire universe fell silent. They searched for her in every direction. There was hope that she might have gone for a walk and would be returning safe soon. Or perhaps she went to fetch some flowers for her daily puja! "O God let it be so," wished Rama but His Sita could not be found anywhere. It was evening and after the initial hope had vanished, grief stricken Rama lost his composure and started crying for Sita. The brothers searched the forest all night and all day. She was not found.

Meanwhile, Jathayu witnessed Sita being carried away in the Pushpaka. Jathayu was a big bird of the hawk family and an admirer and friend of Rama. He flew in to the path of Ravana’s airplane and tried to stop him but he was no match to Ravana. Ravana cut her wings off and he fell to the ground deeply sorry for Rama. He knew he was going to die but he had to keep alive as long as possible in the hope that he could give Rama the news about Ravana. His wish came true, for Rama and Lakshmana came upon him while searching for Sita and found him deeply wounded. Jathayu gave Rama the details of Sita’s abduction by Ravana and told him that Sita is probably somewhere in Lanka. Jathayu offered Rama many prayers and told him that he was sorry that he was not strong enough to stop Ravana and breathed his last. Rama performed the last rites to His loyal friend Jathayu as prescribed by scriptures and continued his search for Sita.
Hanuman
Presently they reached the outskirts of the Rushyashringa mountain. Tired, hungry and thirsty they decided to take a rest when a great ape approached them. "My name is Hanuman. I live here on this mountain with my friends. May I know who you are and what brings you here?" enquired the ape. Rama replied, "We are the princes of Ayodhya. Because of a promise that my father made to my mother, we have to spend time in the forest. My wife Sita has been abducted recently and we reached here searching for her." Hanuman was satisfied that the strangers were not enemies and meant no harm to him or his friends. He recalled the small bundle of jewelry tied in a piece of cloth that he found a few days back. Perhaps that jewelry belonged to this man’s wife? "Dear sirs, please allow me to take you to my friend Sugreeva. I think we may have something that interests you," said Hanuman. He led them to a large cave inside of which they saw an ape with his friends and followers. Hanuman introduced the ape to Rama and Lakshmana as the king Sugreeva. He also told Sugreeva that Rama had lost his wife to some asura and he is in search of her. Hanuman showed Rama the package of jewelry that he had found at the base of the mountain. Rama immediately recognized all the jewelry as those belonging to Sita and the piece of cloth as that of her sari. He could not restrain himself and tears poured out of his eyes profusely. With a voice that was laden with grief he addressed Sugreeva and said, "King! These are my wife’s jewelry and this is my wife’s sari. If you have any information about my wife, I would be grateful if you tell me."

Sugreeva then narrated his own story to Rama. He was the king of Kishkindha where he had a wife named Tara. His brother Vali was serving him. One day he and his brother chased an invading asura who lead them to a mountain and entered a cave at its base. "I will go inside the cave and kill the asura. You wait here outside keeping guard to the entrance," Vali had said to Sugreeva. So Sugreeva waited outside while Vali fought the asura inside the cave. Time passed but Vali did not return. There was no sign of Vali’s fight with the asura in the cave either. The cave was silent. After about a year, Sugreeva decided that his brother must have been killed and that there was no point in waiting for him outside anymore. So he placed a large boulder at the entrance of the cave to cover it and went back to his city. But Vali was not dead. He had killed the asura after a long fight. When he tried to exit out of the cave he saw the boulder blocking the entrance. He pushed the boulder aside with great effort and reached Kishkindha where he saw Sugreeva enjoying the palace pleasures. He accused Sugreeva of intentionally trying to kill him by blocking the entrance to the cave. A fight erupted in which Vali defeated Sugreeva and drove him out of the city. He also kept Sugreeva’s wife for himself. Sugreeva had fled to the Rushyashringa mountain along with his key followers – Hanuman, Jambavanta and his son Angada.

"I can help you search and rescue your wife, if you help me regain my kingdom," proposed Sugreeva to Rama. "Vali is powerful. I can not dream of defeating him in direct fight for he gets his strength from his opponents. Whoever fights with him looses a third of his strength and Vali becomes that much stronger. Therefore I need your help."

Rama agreed and sent Sugreeva to challenge Vali to a fight. While they were fighting, Rama standing behind a tree shot an arrow from a distance and killed Vali. Rama then made Sugreeva the king of Kishkindha. Tara now became the queen of Sugreeva once again.

As agreed, Sugreeva sent his army of apes in all directions to search for clues of whereabouts of Sita. In particular, he commissioned Hanuman to look for Sita in Lanka because that is where Ravana probably took her. Rama gave Hanuman the golden hair piece of Sita from the bundle of jewelry that she had dropped so Hanuman can identify himself as the messenger of Rama. Hanuman, along with some other apes, reached the sea shore but faced the problem of crossing the ocean to reach Lanka which was at about one hundred miles away from the shore. Hanuman is the son of the wind god and was a very strong and powerful ape. He also had the eight siddhis that only the perfect yogis possessed. With the help of these siddhis, taking the name of Rama, he jumped across the ocean and landed on the shore of Lanka.

Hanuman searched for Sita all over the city of Lanka but could not locate her. He also entered the bedroom of Ravana in his palace and saw many ladies attending on Ravana or asleep but he could not be sure if Sita was among them because he had never seen her. He decided that Sita could not possibly be in Ravana’s bedroom. She would rather die than even so much as look at Ravana. So Hanuman continued his search and reached the Ashoka garden at the outskirts of the city. There under a tree he spotted a lady being cajoled by asura women to accept Ravana. Hanuman immediately concluded that the lady must be Sita. He waited patiently atop the tree and when the asura women were tired of harassing Sita and went back, he came down and identified himself to her by showing her the piece of jewelry. He further described how Rama and Lakshmana looked like. When she heard the description of physical appearance of Rama, she believed him. Hanuman conveyed to her the safety of her husband and his brother and that they would be coming soon to fetch her. Sita was very happy hearing about her beloved Rama ad Lakshmana. She gave him her ring to take back to Rama. She told Hanuman to convey to Rama her love.
Hanuman was happy. He started to return to Rama for sooner the news conveyed to him the better. But before he left Lanka, he succumbed to his desire for leaving the mark of his visit there. He started destroying the Ashoka garden, the word of which reached Ravana who was also told that all efforts to catch the monkey were in vain. So Ravana sent his younger son Akshay to catch the monkey but in the battle with Hanuman Akshay was killed. Enraged, Ravana sent his eldest son, Meghanatha to fetch the monkey. Meghanatha, using his magic weapon made Hanuman to faint and brought him to his father. Ravana was angry at seeing him because he had killed his younger son Akshay. He was about to kill Hanuman but his brother Vibhishana intervened by saying that it is not proper for kings to kill another king’s messenger. Ravana therefore ordered that Hanuman’s tail be set on fire instead. However Hanuman, with his tail ablaze, set the entire Lanka on fire by jumping roof top to roof top and starting a fire wherever he went. He finally got to the shore and jumped across the ocean once again. Rama was very happy to receive Sita’s ring. His hopes have revived on hearing the news.

Rama mobilized the ape army of Sugreeva immediately and asked Hanuman, Jambavanta, Angada, and other powerful leaders to lead the army towards Lanka. But how are they going to get this large contingent of the army across the waters? Rama then ordered the god of the ocean to help Him build the bridge by letting the bridge float on water. The god of the ocean agreed and the bridge was built. The army crossed the ocean with ease and reached the shores of Lanka. Rama wanted to follow the accepted behavior for kings before they resorted to war. He has to send a messenger offering for negotiation. So he sent Angada to Ravana with the message that if Ravana returned Sita with all honor, Rama would spare him and there would be no need for war. Otherwise certain destruction was in store for Ravana. When Angada delivered the message to Ravana, he ridiculed both Angada and Rama and asked Angada to take the message back that he was ready to fight. Ravana’s brother Vibhishana was present when Angada’s message was delivered. He argued for accepting the overture of peace from Rama and advised Ravana to return Sita to Rama with full honor due to a queen. Ravana got angry with Vibhishana and drove him out of the city. Vibhishana left Ravana in disgust and approached Rama for protection. Rama not only gave him his protection but made him one of his close confidants.

Angada’s mission thus foiled, both sides engaged in full scale war. Many were killed on both sides. Rama and Lakshmana killed all most all the lieutenants of Ravana who was left with only his son Indrajit and brother Kumbhakarna to fight for him. Kumbhakarna was an asura who ate excessively and slept rest of the time. He was a colossal figure and when he walked, he trampled ordinary humans under his feet. It was impossible to wake him up as it usually took bells, cymbals, trumpets and other instruments that made huge noise. Ravana woke him up and deployed him to fight the army of Rama. When he was awakened from his sleep, the asura was angry and hungry. He attacked Rama’s army with great vigor and killed most of the monkeys. The leaders of Rama’s army were afraid because they could not counter Kumbhakarna. But Lakshmana shot a powerful arrow and killed the asura.

News of Kumbhakarna’s death has enraged Ravana. He loved his brother. Now he is dead. He immediately sent his son Indrajit to go and kill the two human princes. Indrajit was a ferocious fighter and had acquired many magic powers of war fare. He could fight by being invisible. He had many weapons of destruction in his possession. Taking his father’s orders he left for the battle field determined to kill Rama and Lakshmana. The first to fight him was Lakshmana. Both of them were extremely skillful in warfare. Every weapon that was hurled at him by Indrajit was countered by Lakshmana and vice versa. Finally, Indrajit used his magical weapon which would make Lakshmana faint. Lakshmana had no match for Indrajit’s weapon and he fainted. He would die by the morning if he is not awakened from his coma.

Rama was confounded. He did not know what to do. Vibhishana advised him to send Hanuman to fetch the revivification herb from the Sanjeevani mountain. Hanuman immediately flew in the direction of Sanjeevani mountain and approached the glittering mountain but he did not know how to identify the herb. So he picked up the whole mountain on his strong shoulders and flew back to Rama. Rama revived his brother by administering him the medicine from the herb.

Indrajit was of course not happy to hear the news. He engaged Lakshmana again in battle. Lakshmana fought Indrajit with increased vigor this time because now he was immune to the magic of Indrajit’s weapons. Indrajit noticed his enemy’s increased power and ineffectiveness of his magic against him. He also fought back with doubled fervor. In the end Lakshmana killed Indrajit with his powerful arrows. The entire army of Rama was happy at the news for it meant that there was no one but Ravana left to fight and he had to come out to fight them the next day.

The great fight between Rama and Ravana ensued the next day. Ravana had ten heads and twenty arms and he had the boon from Parameshwara that he would not be killed

by anyone. But the boon did not include protection from humans and apes because Ravana never asked Parameshwara for protection from them. He thought humans and apes are weak and he needed no special protection against them. Now he found himself facing a human king with ape army.

They fought fiercely for several days. Rama did not have a chariot or a horse from where to fight but Ravana had a chariot and an expert charioteer. Indra, the king of gods noticed it and he gifted his chariot and his charioteer, Matali, to Rama. From inside the chariot, Rama was no longer an easy target for Ravana’s weapons. Rama had in his possession all the weapons that his guru Vashishtha had taught him as well as those granted by Vishwamitra. He used them all very effectively against Ravana’s immensely powerful weapons. But each time Rama shot an arrow and cut off one of Ravana’s heads, it miraculously re-attached itself to Ravana’s body. It was impossible to kill him as long as the secret to this miraculous power of him remained hidden.

Vibhishana knew the secret to Ravana’s immortality. Ravana had the elixir of immortality, Amritam, hidden in his stomach. So unless he is shot in the abdomen and the secret vessel of the elixir broken, he will continue to live no matter how many times shot. Vibhishana divulged the secret to Rama in confidence. This time, Rama instead of aiming at Ravana’s heads, aimed his very powerful arrow at Ravana’s abdomen. The arrow pierced Ravana’s belly and broke the secret vessel of Amritam in his stomach. In pain and crying loudly, Ravana at once fell to the ground and died.

The war was over. The gods were happy. They rained flowers on Rama. All the three worlds which were harassed by Ravana before felt relieved. All the celestials, Siddhas, Sadhyas, Kinneras, Khecharas and other celestial beings praised Rama profusely and expressed their joy at the killing of Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna. These two brothers had been Hiranyaksha and Hiranya Kashyapa in their previous birth whom the Lord had killed by taking on the incarnations of Varaha and Nrisimha.

Rama sent for Sita immediately. However, even though he knew she was faultless, he had to ask her to enter a fire to prove her innocence to satisfy all those assembled. If she were innocent, she would emerge out of the fire unharmed. Sita gladly entered the blazing fire. The god of fire brought Sita back from the flames and told Rama that he need not doubt Sita’s innocence because she is pure as fire itself. Rama received Sita with love and joy.

Rama then made Vibhishana the king of Lanka. It was almost fourteen years since he had left Ayodhya; so it was time to return home since his word to stay in exile for fourteen years has been fulfilled. Vibhishana offered the Pushpaka airplane for Rama to fly back to Ayodhya. Rama accompanied by Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman reached Ayodhya to the greatest welcome by the people there. Bharata gave his slippers back and asked him to be the king. Vashishtha then coronated Rama as the king of Ayodhya on an auspicious day.

Rama ruled the earth for ten thousand years very morally. People in his rule always behaved morally and ethically. His reign has remained as an example to succeeding generations as Rama Rajya.

RAMAYANA [PART 13]

CONCLUSION

In the concluding portion of the Uttara or Supplemental Book, the descendants of Rama and his brothers are described as the founders of the great cities and kingdoms which flourished in Western India in the fourth and fifth centuries before the Christian Era.

Bharat had two sons, Taksha and Pushkala. The former founded Taksha-sila, to the east of the Indus, and known to Alexander and the Greeks as Taxila. The latter founded Pushkala-vati, to the west of the Indus, and known to Alexander and the Greeks as Peukelaotis. Thus the sons of Bharat are said to have founded kingdoms which flourished on either side of the Indus river in the fourth century before Christ.

Lakshman had two sons, Angada and Chandraketu. The former founded the kingdom of Karupada, and the latter founded the city of Chandrakanti in the Malwa country.

Satrughna had two sons, Suvahu and Satrughati. The former became king of Mathura, and the latter ruled in Vidisha.

Rama had two sons, Lava and Kusa. The former ruled in Sravasti, which was the capital of Oudh at the time of the Buddha in the fifth and sixth centuries before Christ. The latter founded Kusavati at the foot of the Vindhya mountains.

The death of Rama and his brothers was in accordance with Hindu ideas of the death of the righteous. Lakshman died under somewhat peculiar circumstances. A messenger from heaven sought a secret conference with Rama, and Rama placed Lakshman at the gate, with strict injunctions that whoever intruded on the private conference should be slain. Lakshman himself had to disturb the conference by the solicitation of the celestial rishi Durvasa, who always appears on earth to create mischief. And true to the orders passed by Rama, he surrendered his life by penances, and went to heaven.

In the fulness of time, Rama and his other brothers left Ayodhya, crossed the Sarayu, surrendered their mortal life, and entered heaven.

N:B THE POSTS OF RAMAYANA ARE DEPICTED FROM ABOUT.COM.SO SPECAIL THANKS TO THEM FROM MY SIDE.

RAMAYANA [PART-12]

(Sacrifice of the Horse)

THE real Epic ends with Rama's happy return to Ayodhya. An Uttara-Kanda or Supplement is added, describing the fate of Sita, and giving the poem a sad ending.

The dark cloud of suspicion still hung on the fame of Sita, and the people of Ayodhya made reflections on the conduct of their king, who had taken back into his house a woman who had lived in the palace of Ravan. Rama gave way to the opinion of his people, and he sent away his loving and faithful Sita to live in forests once more.

Sita found an asylum in the hermitage of Valmiki, the reputed author of this Epic, and there gave birth to twins, Lava and Kusa. Years passed on, and Lava and Kusa grew up as hermit boys, and as pupils of Valmiki.

After years had passed, Rama performed a great Horse-sacrifice. Kings and princes were invited from neighbouring countries, and a great feast was held. Valmiki came to the sacrifice, and his pupils, Lava and Kusa, chanted there the great Epic, the Ramayana, describing the deeds of Rama. In this interesting portion of the poem we find how songs and poetry were handed down in ancient India by memory. The boys had learnt the whole of the Epic by heart, and chanted portions of it, day after day, till the recital was completed. We are told that the poem consists of seven books, 500 cantos, and 24,000 couplets. Twenty cantos were recited each day, so that the recital of the whole poem must have taken twenty-five days. It was by such feats of memory and by such recitals that literature was preserved in ancient times in India. Rama recognised his sons in the boy-minstrels, and his heart yearned once more for Sita, whom he had banished but never forgotten. He asked the Poet Valmiki to restore his wife to him, and he desired that Sita might once more prove her purity in the great assembly, so that he might take her back with the approval of his people.

Sita came. But her life had been darkened by an unjust suspicion, her heart was broken, and she invoked the Earth to take her back. And the Earth, which had given Sita birth, yawned and took back her suffering child into her bosom.

In the ancient hymns of the Rig Veda, Sita is simply the goddess of the field-furrow which bears crops for men. We find how that simple conception is concealed in the Ramayana, where Sita the heroine of the Epic is still born of the field-furrow, and after all her adventures returns to the Earth. To the millions of men and women in India, however, Sita is not an allegory; she lives in their hearts and affections as the model of womanly love, womanly devotion. and a wife's noble self -abnegation.

The portions translated in this Book form the whole or portions of Sections xcii., xciii., xciv., and xcvii. of Book vii, of the original text.
I
THE SACRIFICE

Years have passed; the lonely Rama in his joyless palace reigned,
And for righteous duty yearning, Aswa-medha rite ordained,

And a steed of darkest sable with the valiant Lakshman sent,
And with troops and faithful courtiers to Naimisha's forest went.

Fair was far Naimisha's forest by the limpid Gumti's shom.
Monarchs came and warlike chieftains, Brahmans versed in sacred lore,

Bharat with each friend and kinsman served them with the choicest food,
Proud retainers by each chieftain and each crownéd monarch stood.

Palaces and stately mansions were for royal guests assigned,
Peaceful homes for learnéd Brahmans were with trees umbrageous lined,

Gifts were made unto the needy, cloth by skilful weavers wrought,
Ere the suppliants spake their wishes, ere they shaped their inmost thought!

Rice unto the helpless widow, to the orphan wealth and gold,
Gifts they gave to holy Brahmans, shelter to the weak and old,

Garments to the grateful people crowding by their monarch's door,
Food and drink unto the hungry, home unto the orphan poor.

Ancient rishis had not witnessed feast like this in any land,
Bright Immortals in their bounty blest not with a kinder hand,

Through the year and circling seasons lasted Rama's sacred feast,
And the untold wealth of Rama by his kindly gifts increased!
II
VALMIKI AND HIS PUPILS

Foremost midst the gathered Sages to the holy yajna came
Deathless Bard of Lay Immortal--Saint Valmiki rich in fame,

Midst the humble homes of rishis, on the confines of the wood,
Cottage of the Saint Valmiki in the shady garden stood.

Fruits and berries from the jungle, water from the crystal spring,
With a careful hand Valmiki did unto his cottage bring,

And he spake to gentle Lava, Kusa child of righteous fame,
Sita's sons, as youthful hermits to the sacred feast they came:

Lift your voices, righteous pupils, and your richest music lend,
Sing the Lay of Ramayana from the first unto the end,

Sing it to the holy Brahman, to the warrior fair and tall,
In the crowded street and pathway, in the monarch's palace hall,

Sing it by the door of Rama,--he ordains this mighty feast,
Sing it to the royal ladies,--they shall to the story list,

Sing from day to day unwearied, in this sacrificial site,
Chant to all the gathered nations Rama's deeds of matchless might,

And this store of fruits and berries will allay your thirst and toil,
Gentle children of the forest, unknown strangers in this soil!

Twenty cantos of the Epic, morn to night, recite each day,
Till from end to end is chanted Ramayana's deathless Lay,

Ask no alms, receive no riches, nor of your misfortunes tell,
Useless unto us is bounty who in darksome forests dwell,

Children of the wood and mountain, cruel fortune clouds your birth,
Stainless virtue be your shelter, virtue be your wealth on earth!

If the royal Rama questions and your lineage seeks to know,
Say,--Valmiki is our Teacher and our Sire on earth below,

Wake your harps to notes of rapture and your softest accents lend,
With the music of the poet music of your voices blend,

Bow unto the mighty monarch, bow to Rama fair and tall,
He is father of his subjects, he is lord of creatures all!"
III
RECITAL OF THE RAMAYANA

When the silent night was ended, and their pure ablutions done,
Joyous went the minstrel brothers, and their lofty lay begun,

Rama to the hermit minstrels lent a monarch's willing car,
Blended with the simple music dulcet was the lay to hear,

And so sweet the chanted accents, Rama's inmost soul was stirred,
With his royal guests and courtiers still the deathless lay he heard!

Heralds versed in old Puranas, Brahmans skilled in pious rite,
Minstrels deep in lore of music, poets fired by heavenly might,

Watchers of the constellations, min'sters of the festive day,
Men of science and of logic, bards who sang the ancient lay,

Painters skilled and merry dancers who the festive joy prolong
Hushed and silent in their wonder listed to the wondrous song!

And as poured the flood of music through the bright and livelong day,
Eyes and ears and hearts insatiate drank the nectar of the lay,

And the eager people whispered: "See the boys, how like our king
As two drops of limpid water from the parent bubble spring!

Were the boys no hermit-children, in the hermit's garments clad,
We would deem them Rama's image,--Rama as a youthful lad!"

Twenty cantos of the Epic thus the youthful minstrels sung,
And the voice of stringéd music through the Epic rolled along,

Out spake Rama in his wonder: "Scarce I know who these may be,
Eighteen thousand golden pieces be the children -minstrels' fee!"

"Not so," answered thus the children, "we in darksome forests dwell,
Gold and silver, bounteous monarch, forest life beseem not well!"

"Noble children!" uttered Rama, "dear to me the words you say,
Tell me who composed this Epic,--Father of this deathless Lay?"

"Saint Valmiki," spake the minstrels, "framed the great immortal song
Four and twenty thousand verses to this noble Lay belong,

Untold tales of deathless virtue sanctify his sacred line,
And five hundred glorious cantos in this glorious Epic shine,

In six Books of mighty splendour was the poet's task begun,
With a seventh Book, supplemental is the poet's labour done,

All thy matchless deeds, O monarch, in this Lay will brighter shine,
List to us from first to ending if thy royal heart incline!"

"Be it so," thus Rama answered, but the hours of day were o'er,
And Valmiki's youthful pupils to their cottage came once more.

Rama with his guests and courtiers slowly left the royal hall,
Eager was his heart to listen, eager were the monarchs all,

And the voice of song and music thus was lifted day to day,
And from day to day they listened to Valmiki's deathless Lay!
IV
LAVA AND KUSARA RECOGNISED

Flashed upon the contrite Rama glimpses of the dawning truth,
And with tears of love paternal Rama clasped each minstrel youth,

Yearned his sorrow-stricken bosom for his pure and peerless dame,
Sita banished to the forest, stainless in her righteous fame!

In his tears repentant Rama to Valmiki message sent,
That his heart with eager longing sought her from her banishment:

"Pure in soul! before these monarchs may she yet her virtue prove,
Grace once more my throne and kingdom, share my unforgotten love,

Pure in soul! before my subjects may her truth and virtue shine,
Queen of Rama's heart and empire may she once again be mine!"
V
SITA LOST

Morning dawned; and with Valmiki, Sita to the gathering came,
Banished wife and weeping mother, sorrow-stricken, suffering dame,

Pure in thought and deed, Valmiki gave his troth and plighted word,--
Faithful still the banished Sita, in her bosom held her lord!

Mighty Saint," so Rama answered as he bowed his humble head,
'Listening world will hear thy mandate and the word that thou hast said,

Never in his bosom Rama questioned Sita's faithful love,
And the God of Fire incarnate did her stainless virtue prove!

Pardon, if the voice of rumour drove me to a deed of shame,
Bowing to my people's wishes I disowned my sinless dame,

Pardon, if to please my subjects I have bade my Sita, roam,
Tore her from my throne and empire, tore her from my heart and home!

In the dark and dreary forest was my Sita left to mourn,
In the lone and gloomy jungle were my royal children born,

Help me, Gods, to wipe this error and this deed of sinful pride,
May my Sita prove her virtue, be again my loving bride!"

Gods and Spirits, bright Immortals to that royal Yajna came,
Hen of every race and nation, kings and chiefs of righteous fame,

Softly through the halls of splendour cool and scented breezes blew,
Fragrance of celestial blossoms o'er the royal chambers flew.

Sita, saw the bright Celestials, monarchs gathered from afar,
Saw her royal lord and husband bright as heaven-ascending star,

Saw her sons as hermit -minstrels beaming with a radiance high,
Milk of love suffused her bosom, tear of sorrow filled her eye!

Rama's queen and Janak's daughter, will she stoop her cause to plead,
Witness of her truth and virtue can a loving woman need?

Oh! her woman~s heart is bursting, and her day on earth is done,
And she pressed her heaving bosom, slow and sadly thus begun:

"If unstained in thought and action I have lived from day of birth,
Spare a daughter's shame and anguish and receive her, Mother Earth!

If in duty and devotion I have laboured undefiled,
After Earth I who bore this woman, once again, receive thy child!

If in truth unto my husband I have proved a faithful wife,
Mother Earth I relieve thy Sita from the burden of this life!"

Then the earth was rent and parted, and a golden throne arose,
Held aloft by jewelled Nagas as the leaves enfold the rose,

And the Mother in embraces held her spotless sinless Child,
Saintly Janak's saintly daughter, pure and true and undefiled,

Gods and men proclaim her virtue! But fair Sita is no more,
Lone is Rama's loveless bosom and his days of bliss are o'er!