62 - The life story of Rama 

Narada said- О Brahman, when did Rama the son of Dasharatha an incarnation of Vishnu redeems Ahalya, in which yuga did he do so and at which place? 

O virtuous one, you kindly narrate to me the pleasant story of the incarnation of Rama for which I am getting anxious. Therefore, you narrate the story in brief. 

Narayana said- At the request of Brahma, Narayana narrated the story of lord Vishnu’s incarnation as Rama in the Tretayuga who was born out of the womb of Kaushalya. Similarly, Bharata who was equal in qualities with Rama was born of Kaikeyi and Lakshmana the ocean of virtues and Shatrughna were born of the womb of Sumitra. 

Thereafter with the influence of Vishvamitra, Rama visited Mithila together with Lakshmana and accepted the hand of Janaki in marriage.  While moving on the way Rama the lord of the universe looked at a rock in the form of a damsel and enquired from Vishvamitra the reason for its existence at that place. 

Thereafter, the extremely religious and the greatest and the great tapasvi Vishvamitra narrated to Rama the story relating to the turning of Ahalya into a stone. Rama who could purify the universe, on hearing the story from the mouth of Vishvamitra pleased his toe on the stone as a result of which she was instantaneously turned into a human figure of a beautiful woman. 

Thereafter pronouncing a blessing on Rama, she at once proceeded towards the abode of her husband. Gautama also on finding his wife back blessed Sri Rama immensely. 

О Narada, thereafter Rama on reaching Mithila broke the bow of Shiva and got Sita's hand in marriage.

О best of the king, Sri Rama after the marriage, shattered the pride of Parashurama and playfully performed the welfare sports and moved on to the city of Ayodhya. 

The king Dasharatha gracefully intended to enthrone Rama as the king. The water from seven holy places was collected and all the sages were gracefully invited.  

With all the welfare ceremonies the Adhivasa was performed but Kaikeyi, the mother of Bharata, felt extremely envious at the thought of the crowning of Rama. She asked for the encashment of the two boons she had received from Dasharatha in earlier times. According to one boon Rama was to be exciled and Bharata was to be crowned as the king. 

Filled with the love of Rama the king was reluctant to grant the boons. But Rama who was well-versed in the scriptures and the dharma insisted on the king to be truthful. 

Sri Rama said- The merit one achieves by building of a hundred lakes is comparable to the one like the donating of a step-well. 

The merit one earns by donating ten step-wells the same merit is achieved by giving away a daughter in marriage.

О king, the merit one gets by giving away in marriage ten girls, he receives greater merits than that by performing a yajna.

The merit one earns by performing a hundred yajnas he achieves a greater merit by looking at the face of his son. 

The merit one gets by looking at the face of a hundred sons, he gets merits greater than that by being truthful. 

Because there is no other dharma greater than being truthful and there is no other sin greater than being untruthful. There is no sacred place comparable to the Ganga and there is no other god greater than lord Krishna. 

There is no other relative greater than the dharma and no other riches are greater than dharma. Nothing is dearer in the universe than dharma. Therefore, making all efforts you protect your dharma. 

О father, by protecting one's own dharma one always achieves welfare, glory, good name, praise and honour. 

Therefore, in order to protect the truthfulness of your words, I, performing the dharma, disown the household pleasures and move for roaming about in the forest for fourteen years. I shall conduct myself as a forest-dweller. The one who willingly or unwillingly, by taking an oath for truth fullness, does not follow it he invites impurities which are carried with him as long as the sun and the moon last. Thereafter, he is born as a dumb person suffering from leprosy for seven births. 

Thus, speaking Rama, clad in the bark garment, wearing matted locks of hair, accompanied by Lakshmana he moved on to the forest. О sage, the king on the other hand, lost his life in the grief from the separation of his son, Rama. Rama, on the other hand, in order to uphold the truthfulness, started wandering in the forest. 

After sometime in the great forest, Shurpanakha, the sister of Ravana, was wandering in the forest with her husband. The wicked demoness finding Rama there, was infatuated with passion and her body was overwhelmed with passion and she fainted. 

Therefore, Shurpanakha who was intoxicated, youthful and well-versed in the love-sport wearing a smile on her face, went to Sri Rama and said. 

Shurpanakha said- О Rama you have the dark complexion and possess all the virtues; you kindly accept me in this secluded place, since I am infatuated with your love. 

О Narada, the extremely religious Rama getting terrified because of the curse and keeping in mind the dharma, spoke very sweet words. 

Sri Rama said- О mother, I am here with my wife therefore you go to my younger brother who doesn't have a wife at the moment. If a husband gets attracted towards another woman in the presence of his wife it becomes quite painful; therefore, you go to Lakshmana who happens to be the other person. 

Listening to the words of Rama, she went to Lakshmana and glanced at him, who was quite peaceful, beautiful and having all the auspicious symbols. 

She requested him again and again, saying "O virtuous one, you use me." Lakshmana on the other hand on listening to her words spoke to her. 

Lakshmana said- "O foolish one, why do you want to live with a servant like me, leaving aside Rama who is the lord of all. I am the slave of Sita. My wife also is the slave of Sita; therefore, you go to Rama who is my lord and become a co-wife of Sita. О chaste lady, the since I happen to be like the son of Sita and I happen to be your son as well and shall remain like that.".

On hearing the words of Lakshmana, the passionate Shurpanakha was hurt in her mind and her throat, lips and palate were dried up. The foolish demoness then told Lakshmana. 

Shurpanakha said- О foolish one, I have arrived here of my own will. In case you disown me in spite of that, you will have to face a great misery.  These is no doubt about it. Brahma became unadorable in the universe because of his neglecting Mohini. Daksha had to carry the head of a goat on his body because of the curse of Rambha. Because of the curse of Urvashi, the Ashvinikumaras were deprived of their share in the yajnas. О Lakshmana, because of the curse of Mena, Kubera became ugly. 

Because of the curse of Ghrutachi, Kamadeva was reduced to ashes by Shiva; because of the curse of Madalasa, Bali had to be dethroned. 

Because of the curse of Mishrakesi, Tara the wife of Bruhaspati was kidnapped. Similarly, with my curse, the wife of Rama would be abducted. 

Because in the earlier times in Madhyandini-shakha of the Vedas, it has been heard that if a passionate and youthful wife herself comes to a person she should never be disappointed.

By doing so one meets with misery in the present word and achieves hell in the other world. On hearing the words of Shurpanakha Lakshmana took out a dagger and with a sharp-edged crescent arrow, he severed her nose. Thereafter her valorous brother Khara, Dusana arrived there and fought with Rama but were dispatched to the heavenly abode with the use of weapon by Lakshmana. Finding Khara, Dusana having been killed, together with fourteen thousand demons, Shurpanakha went to Lanka and denounced Ravana and narrated the entire story to him.  Thereafter, she retired to Pushkara-kshetra. By performing great tapas there, she got a boon from Brahma. О Narada, finding that a female ascetic was performing tapas after fasting completely, Brahma the ocean of mercy understood her desire and said. 

Brahma said- You are performing severe tapas to achieve Rama who is self-disciplined or Lakshmana who is the incarnation of dharma as your husband. Both of them are beyond Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Prakruti and are inaccessible.  Therefore, О beautiful one, you will get them as your husband in the next birth.

Thus, speaking Brahma delightfully went back to his abode. The demoness then entered the fire and ended her life. During the next birth, she was born as hunch back.

On the other hand, listening to the words of Shurpanakha, the great demon Ravana was filled with illusion and was immensely enraged. He started trembling. He kidnapped Sita deceitfully. 

О sage, finding Sita missing, Rama fainted for a long time. His younger brother Lakshmana brought him back to his senses after making many efforts. 

О sage, thereafter both of them started searching for Sita throughout day and night in thick forest, mountains caves, rivers and various other places like the abodes of the ascetics. Both of them were filled with grief but being unsuccessful in their efforts, they made friends with Sugriva. 

In order to upkeep his word Sri Rama killed Bali with his arrow and enthroned Sugriva as the king of Kishkindha.

Thereafter Sugriva the king of the monkeys also fulfilled his word for the searching of Sita and sent his messengers everywhere. Rama and Lakshmana continued to stay with Sugriva.  Blessing Hanuman Rama gave away his beautiful ring studded with gems to Hanuman and also gave him a message for Sita by means of which she could maintain her life. Thereafter, he embraced Hanuman lovingly and giving her the inaccessible dust of his feet, sent him towards the southern direction. 

Hanuman who was born of the amsha of Rudra receiving the message from Rama travelled to Lanka in search of Sita. 

On reaching Lanka he found Janaki in Ashokavatika who had become quite lean and thin because of grief, remaining without food and was quite lean like the moon rays on a moonless night. She was reciting the name of Rama in her mind filled with devotion. She was carrying the locks of hair on her head and had the complexion of molten gold. She was always devoted to the name of Rama throughout day and night. She had a spotless mind was quite noble, performing the best of vratas, quite chaste, possessing the symptoms of Mahalakshmi. She was illumining with her own lustre and was the one who could provide all the merits of the holy places and could purify the entire universe.

Bowing in reverence to the mother, Hanuman found her weeping. Then he handed over the finger ring of Rama to her and holding her feet Hanuman started crying. Thereafter he conveyed the message of Rama to her which could save Sita’s life. Hanuman said- Both Rama and Lakshmana are getting ready beyond the ocean. The valorous monkeys have made friends with Rama.  Lord Rama after killing Bali, has enthroned Sugriva, his friend, as the king of the monkeys and has also restored his wife to him. Sugriva has taken a vow to free you. All the monkeys have proceeded to all the directions in search of you. 

О mother, getting news from me about your presence here, the lotus eyed Rama would bridge the deep ocean and arrive here. Killing the wicked Ravana with his friends or relatives would free you from the bondage. 

By your grace, I am going to reduce the city of Lanka, made in gems, to ashes, you will find it delightful. 

О performer of the noble vratas, I look at Lanka like the child of a monkey. Similarly, I consider the ocean like urine, the entire earth like a cup, Ravana with his demon army like a heap of ants. In half a Muhurta I shall destroy them all playfully. 

Because of the words of Rama, I shall not indulge into whole-sale killing at the moment. О virtuous one, О mistress, you be cheerful discarding all fear. 

On hearing the words of the monkey, Janaki started weeping again and again and feeling panicky, the chaste Sita, the wife of Rama, spoke to Hanuman.

Sita said- In the ocean of my grief Rama is still alive.

Is my lord, the son of Kaushalya, hail and hearty? How could Rama be at the moment? He must have grown weak. 

Rama who is dearer to me than my life what type of food does he consume? Is it a fact that Rama the husband of Sita is residing beyond the ocean? 

Is it a fact that my lord has firmly resolved to arrive here? Is my lord not infested with grief, does he remember a sinful person like me who has been the cause for his grief?

My lord had to suffer immensely for my sake.  In the earlier times, he, at the time of enjoying conjugal pleasures did not use the garland taking them to be obstructions between the two bodies but at the present moment the obstruction is in the form of a hundred yojanas wide ocean. Shall it be possible for me to have an audience with the ocean of mercy. 

Who is beautiful, peaceful, quite religious and the chaste lord? Shall it be possible for me to serve at the lotus-like feet of lord Rama. 

The life of a foolish woman who is deprived of the service of her husband, is of no consequence. Is my Dharmapuri Lakshmana perfectly all right? My husband always remains drowned in the ocean of grief, whose pride is shattered at the moment. My Devara is the best of the warriors, quite chaste and god-like. Does the younger brother of my lord have a firm resolve? Can I have a look at Lakshmana who is dearer to me than my life, is quite graceful, the form of merit and the form of dharma.

О sage, on hearing the words of Janaki, Hanuman spoke the words which were filled with welfare and assured her that he could reduce Lanka to ashes without much effort. 

Thereafter, Hanuman the son of wind-god, reassured Janaki again and quite easily went back to the lord having lotus-like eyes.

On reaching there he conveyed the entire news about Janaki to him. On listening to the news of welfare about Sita, Rama became emotional. 

О Narada, at that point of time, Lakshmana and Sugriva also became emotional and started crying. Thereafter all the valorous monkeys also followed them. 

О Narada, Rama, then got ready with the army and his younger brother. They constructed a bridge on the ocean and then left for Lanka.  

О Brahman, Rama, after waging a war killed Ravana with all his relatives and relieved Janaki of all the dangers and freed her. Thereafter, the truthful Rama was made to board on the Pushpaka-plane. Rama reached Ayodhya playfully. Rama embraced Sita there and enjoyed love sport with her as a result of which the pain of separation between both of them disappeared. Sri Rama became the lord of the seven continents of the earth and the entire earth was freed from mental agonies and diseases.

Lord Rama had two sons named Lava and Kusha. The solar race was further spread with their sons and grandsons.

О son, thus I have spoken to you about the life story of Sri Rama which is quite pleasant, the form of tattvas, bestows salvation and serves as a boat for the crossing of the ocean of the universe.