Ramayana Single Page

8/14/2019 Ramayana Single Page

1/5

Om ganapathy

Briefly The Ramayana Story

This is an epic poem of courage, magic and humor,containing 18 books and 24,000 verses divided into 500

songs. Set in India, Rama (avatar--incarnation--of the God

Vishnu) and his wife Sita have been banished from their

kingdom of Kosala for fourteen years, due to a plot by the

mother of one of Rama's four brothers to keep Rama from

the throne. Rama's brother, Laksmana, accompanies the

couple. King Rawana of Ceylon spies the beautiful Sita andcreates a plan to abduct her. He sends one of his minions,

magically disguised as a golden deer to entice Rama and

Laksmana away from Sita. Rama goes after the deer,

instructing Laksmana not to leave Sita. Rama brings down

the golden deer with his bow and arrow. The golden deer

reverts to its original shape and with its dying breath calls

out "Help, help, help" in Rama's voice. Sita, hearing

Rama's voice, entreats Laksmana to go and help Rama.When he refuses, she goads him into leaving. Laksmana

draws a magic circle around Sita and tells her that she must

stay inside it until he and Rama return. When Sita is alone,

Rawana appears, disguised as an ailing old man, who begs

Sita for help. When Sita steps out of the magic circle to aid

the old man, the old man changes into Rawana and abducts

Sita, telling her that Rama is dead. He rises in the air withher and flies to his Kingdom.

Jatayu, King of the Birds, (also known as Garuda) spies

Rawana carrying off Sita and they battle in the air. Rawana


2/5

delivers a fatal wound to Jatayu who falls to the ground,

where he is discovered by Rama and Laksmana. Jatayu is

near death and manages to tell Rama of his failure to rescue

Sita.

Rama and Laksmana travel onward and enlist the aid of the

army of wanaras, a race of huge monkeys. Sugriwa, King

of the wanaras, agrees to help Rama rescue Sita in return

for Rama's support of Sugriwa's attempt to regain his

rightful throne in the land of Guakiskenda. When Sugriwa

meets his nemesis, Subali, Rama saves Sugriwa's life with a

magic arrow which kills Subali. After Sugriwa is crownedKing of Guakiskenda, the white monkey general,

Hanuman, is sent to Alengka (Ceylon) to scout the defenses

and to deliver Rama's ring to Sita, so that she would know

that Rama was alive.

After a narrow escape from the stomach of Wikateksi, the

enormous sea monster which guarded the approaches toAlengka, Hanuman kills Wikateksi and flies to the capital

of Alengka, the kingdom of the giants. Fortunately, there

are many monkeys living among the giants, which provide

cover for Hanuman, who reduces his size. He looks

everywhere in the city for Sita. Eventually Hanuman finds

Rawana's palace and the women's quarters. Hanuman meets

Sita in the garden and gives her Rama's ring, which she

recognizes at once, and tells her that Rama is on his way to

rescue her.

Hanuman, in order to test the strength of the city, resumes

his normal size, climbs to the top of a tall building and


3/5

hurls a challenge to the awestruck crowd below. He begins

to destroy the buildings around him by using an uprooted

palm tree as a club. He is felled by an arrow shot by the

crown prince of Alengka, Hindrajit. Hanuman is shackledin chains and sentenced to die by slow fire. Hanuman

appeals to Agni, the god of fire, to save him. A wall of

flame springs up between Hanuman and the watching

crowd. With a burst of strength, Hanuman breaks his bonds,

and swinging a glowing torch picked up from the fire, goes

on a rampage which ends in the burning of a large part of

the city. Assuring himself that Sita's pavilion is safe,

Hanuman leaps into the air and flies back to Guakiskenda.

After hearing of Hanuman's exploits, Rama adopts him as

his own son. The army then heads for Alengka, which they

find surrounded by a boiling sea. By hurling huge boulders

into the sea, the monkey soldiers build a causeway to the

island. Rawana learns of the invasion and assembles his

generals. Some of the generals resent Rawana's evil rule,but heretofore have lacked the courage to oppose him.

Wibisana, Rawana's brother, as spokesman, points out that

it was because Rawana abducted Sita that Alengka is now

beset by enemy armies. He suggests that Rawana release

Sita and avoid bloodshed and loss of life and property.

Angered, Rawana strikes Wibisana, who then deserts to

Rama's army. Rawana is tempted to murder Sita, but is

thwarted by Trijata, Wibisana's beautiful daughter, who has

grown to love Sita as a sister. Rawana turns to another

brother, the giant Kumbakarna, who although disapproving

of Rawana's crimes and baseness, decides to help because

they are of the same blood.


4/5

After many guerilla attacks by the monkey soldiers, the two

armies finally face each other. Two opposing generals,

Kumbakarna and Laksmana challenge each other.Kumbakarna is killed by Laksmana's magic arrow. Other

duels take place on the battlefield. Rama spots Rawana and

pursues him, shooting showers of arrows, which seem to

have no effect on Rawana other than to make him back off.

Rawana backs in between two unusually formed rocks

which snap together and hold him in an inescapable grip.

These rocks are inhabited by the souls of two of his

daughters, who Rawana had murdered, and who are at lastable to avenge themselves on their father.

Rawana's army surrenders and Rama gives the throne of

Alengka to Wibisana. Rama and Sita are joyfully united.

The fourteen years of exile being over, Rama, Sita and

Laksmana return to Kosala, where they are welcomed by

all. However, rumors circulate about Sita's virtue. Sheoffers to test her virtue by fire. She enters the ring of fire

and emerges unscathed, her faithfulness confirmed. When

the rumors persist, she leaves the palace for the spiritual

life.

The Ramayana story is especially important to Hindus

because it is possible for ordinary people to identify with

the characters and situations. The heroes and heroines are

emulated for their positive qualities of honesty, devotion,

perseverance, fidelity, and bravery. Strongly evident in this

story is the portrayal of pure evil and those who have the

courage to resist and overcome that evil.


5/5

Thus, the Ramayana story in brief.

Ramayana Single Page

Documents

Transcript of Ramayana Single Page