The Ramayana

1
The Ramayana

• Resources adapted from www.askasia.org

2
The King of Aydohya, had 3 wives and 4 sons. Rama
was the eldest.
3
A wise man took Rama and his three brothers out
to train them in archery. Rama managed to hit an
apple hanging from a string.
4
In a neighbouring city the ruler's daughter was
named Sita. When it was time for Sita to choose
her husband, the princes were asked to string a
giant bow. No one else could even lift the bow,
but as Rama bent it, he not only strung it but
broke it in two! Sita chose Rama as her husband
and put a garland around his neck.
5
The King decided it was time to give his throne
to his eldest son Rama and retire to the forest
to seek moksha. This is what good Hindus should
do. Everyone loved Rama but his step-mother, was
not pleased with the plan. She wanted her son,
Bharata, to rule. Because of an oath the King had
made to her she got the king to agree to banish
Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata,
even though the king, begged her not to do this.
The king was broken-hearted.
6
Rama, always obedient, was content to go into the
forest. Sita convinced Rama that she should stay
by his side and his brother Lakshman also
accompanied them. Rama, Sita and Lakshman set out
for the forest. Bharata, whose mother's evil
plot had won him the throne, was very upset when
he found out what had happened. He went to Rama's
forest retreat and begged Rama to return and
rule, but Rama refused. "We must obey father,"
Rama said. Bharata took Rama's sandals saying, "I
will put these on the throne, and every day I
shall place the fruits of my work at the feet of
my Lord." Embracing Rama, he took the sandals and
returned home.
7
Years pass and Rama, Sita and Lakshman were very
happy in the forest. They destroyed the rakshasas
(evil creatures) who disturbed the wise men in
their meditations. One day a rakshasa princess
tried to seduce Rama, but Lakshmana drove her
away. The princess returned to her brother
Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka, and told
him about the lovely Sita. Ravana plotted to
abduct Sita. He sent a magical golden deer which
Sita desired. Rama and Lakshman went off to hunt
the deer, first they drew a protective circle
around Sita and warned her she would be safe as
long as she did not step outside the circle. As
they went off, Ravana appeared as a holy man
begging for money. The moment Sita stepped
outside the circle to give him food, Ravana
grabbed her and carried her off to his kingdom.
8
Rama was broken-hearted when he returned to the
empty hut and could not find Sita. A band of
monkeys offered to help him find Sita. Ravana
had carried Sita to his palace in Lanka, but he
couldnt force her to be his wife. Sita would not
even look at him but thought only of her beloved
Rama. Hanuman, the general of the monkey band
could fly since his father was the wind. He flew
to Lanka, found Sita in the grove, comforted her
and told her Rama would soon come and save her.
9
Ravana's men captured Hanuman, and Ravana ordered
them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to set
it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman hopped
from house-top to house-top, setting Lanka on
fire. He then flew back to Rama to tell him where
Sita was.
10
Rama, Lakshman and the monkey army built a bridge
from the tip of India to Lanka and crossed over.
A might battle took place. Rama killed several of
Ravana's brothers and then Rama confronted
ten-headed Ravana himself. (Ravana was known for
his wisdom as well as for his weakness for women
which may explain why he is pictured as very
brainy.) Rama finally killed Ravana.
11
Rama freed Sita. After Sita proved her purity,
they returned home and Rama became king. His
rule, was an happy time when everyone did his or
her dharma and "fathers never had to light the
funeral pyres for their sons." Mahatma Gandhi
dreamed that one day modern India would become
like this again.