Rāma in the Padma Purāṇa

The Padma Mahā Purāṇa gives a long account of Bhagavān Rāma in Chapter 242 of its Uttara Khaṇḍa. It begins with Svāyambhuva Manu’s vara (boon) and ends with Rāma, Lakshmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna going to Vaikuṇṭha. In between come Rāma’s birth, his life in Ayodhyā and in the forest, the stealing and rescue of Sītā, the death of Rāvaṇa, Rāma’s reign, Sītā’s being sent away and her proof of purity.

Svāyambhuva Manu’s vara and Daśaratha’s line

The Padma Purāṇa begins the story with Svāyambhuva Manu. He had prayed that Bhagavān Vishṇu would be born in his line. This vara was fulfilled. Daśaratha was born in the solar dynasty, the Raghu line that comes from the children of Svāyambhuva Manu, and Bhagavān Vishṇu came down as Rāma in his family. Daśaratha had three wives: Kauśalyā, Sumitrā and Kaikeyī.

Birth of the four brothers

Rāma was born to Kauśalyā on Caitra śukla navamī, the ninth bright day of the month of Caitra. The Purāṇa says:

  • Bharata was born carrying the essence of Pāñcajanya, the conch of Kṛshṇa.
  • Lakshmaṇa was born carrying the essence of Ananta, the great serpent.
  • Śatrughna was born carrying the essence of Sudarśana, the disc.

Sītā’s birth

Sītā was born in the field of King Janaka of Mithilā. She came out of the earth while Janaka was ploughing the furrow for the yajña. So she is the daughter of the earth (Bhūmijā). She is also known as an avatāra of Lakshmī.

Viśvāmitra’s request and the rākshasas of the forest

The ṛshi Viśvāmitra came to Daśaratha and asked for Rāma and Lakshmaṇa, to guard his yajña from rākshasas. Rāma and Lakshmaṇa went with him.

  • Rāma killed Tāḍakā in the Tāḍakā forest.
  • Subāhu was killed.
  • Mārīcha was thrown into the far ocean by a weapon. He was not killed at this point.

Sītā’s svayaṃvara and the four marriages

At Sītā’s svayaṃvara in Mithilā, the test was to lift and string the great bow of Bhagavān Śiva. Rāma alone did this, and he broke the bow. So he won Sītā as his wife. At the same time the four brothers were married:

  • Rāma married Sītā, Janaka’s daughter.
  • Lakshmaṇa married Ūrmilā, Janaka’s other daughter.
  • Bharata married Māṇḍavī, daughter of Kuśadhvaja, Janaka’s brother.
  • Śatrughna married Śrutakīrti, Kuśadhvaja’s other daughter.

On the way home they met Paraśurāma. He was angry that the bow of Bhagavān Śiva, the weapon of his ancestor, had been broken. Rāma humbled him, and Paraśurāma knew Rāma as Vishṇu.

The exile and the Daṇḍaka forest

Kaikeyī’s two varas (boons) led to Bharata’s crowning and Rāma’s exile for fourteen years. Rāma went to the forest with Sītā and Lakshmaṇa.

At Chitrakūṭa a crow attacked Sītā. The text names the crow as Jayanta, the son of Indra. Rāma shot at it with a blade of grass charged with the Brahmāstra. The crow could not escape, so it took shelter with Rāma himself. He forgave it, and it lost one eye. At the āśrama of Atri and Anasūyā they were received with honour. They then went deep into the Daṇḍaka forest, where they met many ṛshis.

The account names these events in the forest:

  • The ṛshi Śarabhaṅga, who was waiting for Rāma before leaving his body.
  • The killing of the rākshasa Virādha.
  • The meeting with Agastya, who gave Rāma divine weapons.
  • The camp at Pañchavaṭī on the bank of the Godāvarī.

The Godāvarī and Rāma’s śāpa

When Rāma was grieving after Sītā was taken, he searched for her along the Godāvarī river. He was so angry and sad that he laid a śāpa (a curse) on the Godāvarī, and its water flowed red.

Śūrpaṇakhā, Khara, Dūshaṇa and the taking of Sītā

Śūrpaṇakhā, Rāvaṇa’s sister, came to Pañchavaṭī wanting Rāma. Lakshmaṇa cut off her nose and ears. She went to her brothers Khara and Dūshaṇa, who came with an army. Rāma killed them, together with Triśiras.

Śūrpaṇakhā then went to Rāvaṇa, who planned to carry Sītā away. Rāvaṇa used the rākshasa Mārīcha, in the form of a golden deer, to draw Rāma away. Rāma killed the golden deer, who was Mārīcha. Rāvaṇa then came in the dress of a wandering ascetic and carried off Sītā. He killed Jaṭāyu, the great eagle who tried to stop him.

Hanumān, Sugrīva and the search for Sītā

After Sītā was taken, Rāma met Śabarī and the rākshasa Kabandha, who had been transformed. Kabandha sent him to Sugrīva on Mount Ṛshyamūka. Rāma killed Vālin and made Sugrīva king of the monkeys. Hanumān was sent to Laṅkā and found Sītā in the Aśoka grove.

The battle and the death of Rāvaṇa

The monkey army under Nala built the great bridge, the Rāmasetu, across the ocean. In the battle at Laṅkā, Kumbhakarṇa died, then Indrajit (Meghanāda), and at last Rāvaṇa himself, who fell to Rāma’s arrows. After the battle Sītā went through the fire trial (agni-parīkshā) to prove her purity. She came out unharmed.

Rāma’s reign and Sītā’s being sent away

Rāma returned to Ayodhyā and was crowned king. He ruled with righteousness for a long time. Then a washerman questioned Sītā’s purity, because she had lived in Rāvaṇa’s palace. Rāma, bound by his duty as king to respect the voice of the people, gave up Sītā and sent her to the forest.

Sītā lived in the āśrama of Vālmīki and gave birth to twin sons, Lava and Kuśa. At the great horse yajña, Lava and Kuśa recited Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa before Rāma. Sītā’s purity was shown when the earth herself opened and received Sītā.

The departure to Vaikuṇṭha

After Sītā returned to the earth, Rāma finished his divine work on earth. Rāma, with Lakshmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna, left this world. All four brothers rose to Vaikuṇṭha, the eternal world of Vishṇu.

Sources

  • Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 242