The Ramayana

by Valmiki

  ‘Rāma, this is Viṣṇu’s bow and it is known for destroying enemy cities. He gave it to Ṛcika of the Bhṛgus as a sacred trust. The mighty Ṛcika gave it to his matchless son, my father, the great celestial ṛṣi Jamadāgni. When my father renounced the use of all weapons and took refuge in the power of his austerities, he was killed by the wicked king Arjuna.* I heard about the dastardly killing of my father and in anger I exterminated the kṣatriyas again and again, as they were born. I won over the whole of the earth but I gave it away to the meritorious Kaśyapa as a fee for the performance of a sacrifice. Then I went to Mount Mahendra to engage in austerities. But when I heard that you had snapped Śiva’s bow, I came here as soon as I could.

  ‘Viṣṇu’s fabulous bow has come to me from my ancestors. Take it and fulfil your duty as a kṣatriya! Fit it with this arrow that destroys hostile cities. If you can accomplish that, I will challenge you to single combat!’

  Rāma had remained silent all this time out of respect for his father. But now he spoke to Paraśurāma. ‘I have heard all about your deeds, Paraśurāma, and I applaud what you did to avenge your father’s murder. But you think of me as a weakling and a coward, unable to fulfil my duties as a kṣatriya. You obviously do not know my power. I will demonstrate it for you today!’

  Rāma grabbed the magnificent bow from Paraśurāma and fitted the arrow into it. Angrily, he said, ‘I must honour you because you are a brahmin. Out of respect for Viśvakarmā, I cannot release this arrow which will definitely kill you. But I shall destroy either your ability to move or the incomparable worlds that you have won through the power of your austerities, whichever you wish. For Viṣṇu’s arrow crushes arrogance and never misses its mark. It cannot be loosed in vain!’

  The gods and the groups of ṛṣis with Brahmā at their head, the gandharvas, apsarases, siddhas, cāraṇas and kinnaras gathered to marvel at the sight of Rāma holding the celestial bow and they were struck with wonder. Even Paraśurāma stood there, rooted to the spot, deprived of all his strength by Rāma’s valour, gazing at Rāma holding the magnificent weapon. Finally, he spoke to the lotus-eyed Rāma in a gentle voice. ‘Long ago, when I gave the earth to Kaśyapa, he told me that I could no longer inhabit this region. In keeping with my teacher’s instructions, I have not spent a single night on earth since then because of the promise that I made to Kaśyapa. Rāma, you must not destroy my ability to move as quickly as thought. Let me return to Mount Mahendra, the best of all mountains. Without any further delay, use the magical arrow to destroy the worlds that I have won on the strength of my austerities.

  ‘I knew that you were Viṣṇu, best of all gods, the one who scorches his enemies, the invincible killer of the demon Madhu, from the moment that you touched the bow! Even the gods have gathered to witness your unparalleled deeds and your invincibility in single combat! It is not a matter of shame for me to have been defeated by you, the lord of the three worlds. Rāma, you are true to your vows. Release the arrow and I shall return to my home in Mount Mahendra!’

  Rāma released the arrow and immediately the darkness lifted from all around. The gods and the groups of ṛṣis broke into praise for Rāma who was still holding the fabulous bow. Paraśurāma honoured Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, and then left for his home.

  After Paraśurāma left, Rāma handed the bow and its wondrous arrows over to Varuṇa and honoured the sages led by Vasiṣṭha. Then he noticed that his father was still uneasy. ‘Paraśurāma has gone,’ he reassured Daśaratha. ‘Let the four-divisioned army that is protected by you, our leader, go onwards to Ayodhyā!’ Daśaratha was filled with relief when he heard the words ‘Paraśurāma has gone!’ and joyfully he embraced his son and kissed him on the forehead. He instructed his army to proceed towards the city.

  Soon, Daśaratha entered Ayodhyā which was gaily decorated, filled with music and fluttering banners, its clean streets sprinkled with water and strewn with flowers. He was welcomed by his rejoicing subjects. Kausalyā, Sumitrā, the slim-waisted Kaikeyī and the other ladies of the royal household came forward to receive the new brides. The fortunate Sītā, the illustrious Urmilā and Kuśadhvaja’s two daughters were dressed in the most exquisite silks and were wearing the loveliest jewellery. They were welcomed with auspicious music and led away to the temple. The young brides greeted all those who welcomed them and then they retired to private apartments with their new husbands.

  Now that they were married, the four princes lived happily with their wealth and jewels, their possessions and their friends. They treated their father with respect and honoured his wishes. Of all the people in the world, Rāma was the most illustrious and the most valiant, just as Brahmā is the most virtuous of all beings. Rāma spent many happy seasons with his wife Sītā. She was always in his thoughts and he was always in her heart. He loved her dearly because she had been given to him as a wife by his father but his love for her deepened because of her beauty and her many virtues. Sītā loved Rāma twice as much as he loved her. She was able to tell him all her thoughts and whatever was in her heart. Besides that, this woman who was equal to the gods in her powers of perception and like Lakṣmī in beauty, was able to read Rāma’s innermost thoughts. The marriage between Rāma and Sītā which united the son of a royal sage with the noblest of princesses was like the union of Viṣṇu, the lord of all men, with the illustrious Lakṣmī.

  AYODHYĀ

  Chapter One

  After a while, King Daśaratha, the joy of the Ikṣvāku clan, sent for Bharata, his son from Kaikeyī, and said, ‘Son, your uncle Yudhājit from the kingdom of the Kekeyas is here and wants to take you back with him.’ With the king’s permission, Bharata made immediate preparations to depart along with his brother Śatrughna. Delighted to have the two young princes with him, Yudhājit took them back to his father’s kingdom. Bharata stayed there for some time with Śatrughna, pampered by his uncle who loved him as if he were his own son. But while they had every desire of theirs fulfilled, Bharata and Śatrughna thought constantly about their ageing father, King Daśaratha.

  Daśaratha, too, missed his two absent sons who were like Indra and Varuṇa. He loved all his four mighty sons who had been born from his flesh and were as important to him as his arms. But of them all, Rāma was his father’s favourite because he was distinguished by his many virtues.

  While Bharata was away, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa honoured and served their father well. Rāma placed his father’s wishes before everything else and worked for the welfare of his people. He was also devoted to his mothers and honoured his teachers and elders at the appropriate times. Rāma’s conduct endeared him to Daśaratha, the brahmins and to the citizens of Ayodhyā.

  Rāma always spoke calmly and gently, never allowing a harsh word to pass his lips. A learned man, he was a patron of the arts and the sciences and a good judge of character. Rāma knew when and how to give and receive gifts. He was skilled at collecting taxes and he redistributed them judiciously. Rāma was not lazy and performed all his duties happily and well.

  He was the best archer in the world and was also held in high esteem by chariot warriors. He rode a horse and an elephant with equal ease and was a skilled commander of troops. Even if the gods and the asuras had united against him in anger, Rāma would have remained undefeated in battle.

  Rāma never grumbled and he had conquered anger. He was neither proud nor envious and insulted no one. He was the master of his own destiny. Like Bṛhaspati in wisdom and like Indra in valour, Rāma was greatly respected by the three worlds because of his virtues which shone from him like the rays of the sun. His father and all the citizens loved him dearly.

  Daśaratha saw that his son was unrivalled in virtue. ‘When shall I see my beloved son crowned king?’ he wondered. ‘He is devoted to the welfare of all creatures and he is dearer to the people than I am. To them, he is like Parjanya, the rain god, is to an arid land. He is as brave and wise as the best of the gods, he is as steadfast as the earth itself and he is more virtuous tha
n I. After I have established my son as the ruler of the earth, there will be nothing more for me to do at this age other than ascend to heaven!’

  Daśaratha and his advisors decided to proclaim Rāma the heir. The king summoned people from different towns, the leading citizens of Ayodhyā and all the mighty monarchs of the earth.

  When the other kings and their retinues had gathered in Ayodhyā, Daśaratha addressed the huge assembly, his voice as deep as thunder, as resonant as a bell. ‘The earth has been protected by my family, the Ikṣvākus, for many generations. I want the benefits of this rule to continue uninterrupted. I have walked in the footsteps of my forefathers and protected the earth to the best of my abilities. Working for the welfare of all beings, my body has grown old and feeble in the shadow of the royal canopy. I have been granted a life of many thousands of years but now I want to give my tired body a rest.

  ‘I have resolutely borne the burden of kingship and of dharma, but I am tired now. With the approval of the good brahmins around me, I wish to turn over the welfare of my people to my son. My eldest son Rāma is virtuous and brave and the foremost among all righteous men. I wish to consecrate Rāma my heir. He is truly worthy and the three worlds will have the best of rulers when he becomes king. I shall be free of all worries when I entrust the earth to this illustrious man.’

  The kings were delighted to hear Daśaratha’s words and they broke into cries of joy, like peacocks do when they see long-awaited rain clouds. The learned men gathered there knew that Daśaratha wanted the best for them and they agreed that the king had grown old after ruling for many thousands of years. They endorsed his plan to make Rāma his heir. But Daśaratha wanted to know what they really felt and so he asked the gathering, ‘Why are you so eager to see my son rule in my place? Have I not ruled the earth righteously?’

  The people replied, ‘Sir, your son has many virtues and admirable qualities which make him like Indra, king of the gods. He is the most outstanding of all the Ikṣvākus. Honourable Rāma is the refuge of all the righteous people in the world. He is devoted to dharma and to the truth. He is the epitome of virtue. He is even-tempered and has a calm mind. He speaks gently and with respect to the brahmins, the learned and the aged. He is a great warrior and has never been defeated in battle. When he returns to the city after being away, he asks after the citizens as if they were members of his own family. He shares in their joys and sorrows as if he were their father.

  ‘Your son will bring you glory in the same way that Mārīca brought glory to his father Kaśyapa. All the people in the kingdom wish Rāma a long and healthy life when they remember him in their daily prayers. You will be fulfilling their wishes by installing Rāma, your beloved son, as your heir, great king. Crown him without further delay for the benefit of all creatures!’

  ‘How proud and pleased I am that you wish my oldest and most beloved son to be installed as my successor!’ exclaimed Daśaratha. He addressed Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva in the presence of the assembly. ‘We are in the auspocious month of Caitra and the trees are in full bloom. Begin the preparations for Rāma’s coronation!’ The brahmins left at once to carry out the king’s instructions with joyful hearts. Then Daśaratha summoned his bard and charioteer, the wise Sumantra, and told him to bring Rāma into the assembly.

  Daśaratha sat with the great kings of the earth who had come from the north and the south, the east and the west. They were Mlecchas and Aryans, kings from the wooded regions and from the mountains, and they surrounded Daśaratha the way the māruts surround Indra. Daśaratha saw his son’s chariot approaching the palace. Rāma, the most famous of all men on earth, rivalled the gandharvas in his good looks and he walked with the majesty of a rutting elephant. His moon-like face was beautiful to behold and he seemed to draw people’s eyes to himself. Their hearts filled with joy, the citizens gazed at him as the thirsty, parched earth looks at the monsoon clouds with longing.

  Accompanied by Sumantra, Rāma climbed the stairs of the palace that glittered like the peaks of Mount Kailāsa. He bowed to his father and touched his feet as he announced himself. Daśaratha drew his son up and embraced him and pointed him to a magnificent golden throne that was studded with gems. Rāma took his seat, his splendour enhancing the lustre of the assembly as the moonlight enhances the beauty of the star-studded autumn sky. Daśaratha’s heart overflowed with joy as he gazed at his beloved son, for Rāma was a mirror image of himself. Smiling, he said, ‘Rāma, you are the child of my eldest queen, a noble son of a noble mother. You are my favourite son because of your many virtues. Your good qualities have endeared you to the people and now, under the auspicious Puṣya constellation, take over as regent of the kingdom!

  ‘I know that you are naturally virtuous and noble but I say this to you out of affection and for your own good. Always be courteous and keep a tight rein on your passions. Renounce desire and anger. Pay heed to your counsellors in public and in private. He who rules with the affection and consent of his people brings joy to his friends. My son, always conduct yourself with restraint!’

  Rāma’s friends heard the news of his consecration and rushed off to inform his mother, Kausalyā, of his good fortune. Overjoyed, Kausalyā bestowed gems and cows and gold on the messengers. Meanwhile, Rāma honoured his father and left the assembly to return to his own palace, cheered by the crowds that had gathered. And the citizens returned happily to their homes to thank the gods for fulfilling their wishes.

  Daśaratha consulted his advisors and after taking all the factors into consideration, came to the following decision. ‘Since the Puṣya constellation will prevail tomorrow as well, let my lotus-eyed Rāma be anointed heir in the morning!’ He retired to his private apartments and summoned Rāma again. Rāma was concerned when he received the second summons and rushed to his father’s palace somewhat agitated. He bowed to the king, who raised him up and embraced him and seated him on a throne.

  ‘My son, I am old now,’ began Daśaratha. ‘I have had a long life and have fulfilled all my desires. I have performed one hundred sacrifices, complete with the offerings of food and the payment of the brahmins’ fees. I have given the appropriate gifts and studied the great books. And in you, best of men, I have a son who is unrivalled on earth today. Great hero, I have experienced all the joys and pleasures that I wanted and I have paid my dues to the ṛṣis, the gods, the ancestors and the brahmins. I have no duties left to perform except to anoint you my heir.

  ‘But Rāma, I have had strange and terrifying dreams. Blazing meteors thunder from a cloudless sky and fall to the ground. The astrologers have told me that my birth star is in the grip of malignant forces. This configuration of the planets usually means that the king will either die or experience terrible misfortune. Rāma, make sure that I anoint you before I change my mind, for the human heart cannot be trusted! I have been told that you must be installed under the Puṣya constellation and so I am determined to anoint you tomorrow. Go now and undertake the prescribed rituals. Steady your mind and fast tonight along with your wife and sleep on a mat of kuśa grass. Surround yourself with your friends. Let them watch over you. Such rituals often fall prey to all kinds of disruptions!

  ‘I have a strong feeling that I should install you as my heir while your brother Bharata is away from the city. He is an honourable and righteous man, devoted to his elders and slow to anger, but I know that the human mind is fickle. However, even he will have to honour an act that has been accomplished.’

  Rāma left his father and went to call on his mother and tell her about his imminent consecration as Daśaratha’s heir. He found his mother dressed in white, praying for his welfare. Lakṣmaṇa and his mother Sumitrā had heard the good news and were already there with Sītā. They waited silently as Kausalyā prayed and meditated. Kausalyā was roused when she heard Rāma’s voice and her heart filled with joy. ‘Mother, my father has appointed me to care for our people,’ said Rāma. ‘Tomorrow, I shall be anointed heir and shall join my father in ruling the land. I have bee
n told to fast all night together with Sītā. Sītā and you must do all that is necessary and perform the auspicious rituals for my coronation.’

  Tears of joy rolled down Kausalyā’s face when she heard the words she had waited so long to hear. ‘May you live long, my son, and may all who wish you ill perish! May your success bring your mothers continued joy! You were born to me under a lucky star! Your father respects you for your many virtues and the majesty of the Ikṣvākus now rests with you!’

  Rāma turned with a smile to his brother Lakṣmaṇa who sat quietly, his palms joined in respect. ‘Lakṣmaṇa, you must help me rule the earth, for you are my other half. You share my royalty and now you must also share the pleasures and fruits of kingship with me. They have meaning for me only because of you!’ And then Rāma honoured his mothers and left for his own palace with Sītā.

  The news of Rāma’s consecration spread through Ayodhyā and as soon as it was morning, the joyous citizens began to decorate the city. Banners and buntings danced in the breeze from temple spires that gleamed like white clouds, from the homes and terraces of rich and prominent citizens, from roads and city squares, from private homes and public buildings. Even the tallest trees were decorated with brightly coloured flags. Actors, dancers and musicians filled the air with songs that delighted the hearts of all those who heard them.

  All over the city, people talked of nothing but Rāma’s imminent consecration. Even children playing on their doorsteps spoke of nothing else. Flowers were scattered in the streets, sweet incense filled the air and wooden torches as large as trees lined the main roads. Townspeople gathered in groups, talking among themselves. ‘The Ikṣvāku king is a wise man indeed. Because he was growing old, he has entrusted his kingdom to Rāma.’

  ‘We are fortunate that Rāma is to be our king for he knows good from evil,’ they said to each other. The tumult of the crowds gathering for Rāma’s installation swelled and thundered, like the roar of the ocean when sea monsters are at play.