1. A Great Life in a Great City...3. The Birth of Four Princes It is said that a person who does not...
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Transcript of 1. A Great Life in a Great City...3. The Birth of Four Princes It is said that a person who does not...
1. A Great Life in a Great City
Can a sad person make others happy? Can a sad person do his job well? Let’s find out...
What the Ramayana SaysLong long ago, there was a great kingdom of Koshal. It was one of the best kingdoms in the world. King Dashrath ruled it from its capital city of Ayodhya. He had three lovely wives, Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. The king’s Gurus and ministers were very wise. The king was very kind and caring. He treated the people of his kingdom like his own children. He was loved by one and all. Life in Ayodhya was peaceful, and the people had great respect for each other. Everyone was happy, healthy and successful. Yet they all were hard working. There was peace and happiness everywhere. King Dashrath had everything one could ever imagine. Yet he was sad at heart because he had no son. He was getting old, so he was worried about who would become the next king. But he never let it affect his work. He always performed his duties to the best of his abilities.
What the Ramayana ConveysJust like King Dashrath, we should never let our problems affect our work. And our sadness should not affect others’ happiness. Whether we are happy or not, we should sincerely do our work and try our best to make others happy. This, in turn, will make us better. So if you want to win the game of life, try to help others and spread smiles on their faces.
Today’s Success Mantra: Do your level best in every situation.
Let’s Discuss: The Recipe for a Great LifeAs they say, with great power comes great responsibility. King Dashrath understood this quite well. He knew that he was responsible for the welfare of his people. And he was wise enough to understand that health is the first and most important prerequisite to achieve anything in life. Good health enables us to work well and become successful. And only when we are healthy, we can help people and make this world a better place.
Let's time-travel to the Ramayana era. A sad person often loses his appetite. King Dashrath finds it hardto eat anything. So just to carry on, he takes a 200-calorie glass of milk in breakfast. His three queens are wannabe mothers, and they have been advised to take milk and fruits in breakfast equivalent to 10 calories per kg of their body weight. Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi weigh 60 kg, 55 kg and 50 kg respectively.
Calorie codes are given. Drag and drop the right amount of food in the plates and serve the royals the exact amount of calories.
Click/tap on the following image to play the game! A short 'how to play' video is given to get you started. Remember, you don't always have to win to be a winner. So feel free to refer the solutions
2. King Dashrath Goes Barefoot
Humility is not a sign of weakness; it’s actually a sign of greatness. It’s one of the most important qualities required to succeed in life.
What the Ramayana SaysKing Dashrath was blessed with everything one could imagine, yet deep down he was sad. He wanted ason who could become the king of his empire. One day he opened his heart to Guru Vashishtha. The wise Guru asked the childless king to perform a special prayer to seek the blessings of God. Guru Vashishtha also informed him that this special prayer would be best performed by a particular saint. King Dashrath went to the saint for help as a beggar, not as a king. He walked without shoes to the saint’s hut in a far-off forest and requested him to perform the special prayer. The king’s humility did the trick. The saint was touched, deeply touched, and impressed as well. So he agreed to come out of the forest and perform that special prayer in the king’s palace.
What the Ramayana Conveys King Dashrath was very humble. He had the world at his feet, yet he travelled barefoot to request the saint for help. Humble people like King Dashrath are respected because they treat others with due respect. When we are humble, we can set our self-importance aside. We can see our own mistakes and the qualities of others. Humility or humbleness is a quality of being respectful and polite to others. It is simply the opposite of being high-minded, proud or arrogant.
Today’s Success Mantra: Humility costs nothing, but it pays a lot.
Let’s Discuss: The Utility of HumilityHumility costs nothing but it pays great dividends. Some people mistakenly think that their riches give them a right to be arrogant. But they fail to realise that truly successful people are humble, not arrogant.Achievers don't let their power and riches rule their mind and instead of being rude and mean to people,they look for ways to help them. They are confident, not vain. They take pride in their work, but they are not egoistic. And this is what sets these true achievers apart from wannabe achievers and make them liked by one and all.
Here is a list of some famous achievers. Separate the true achievers, i.e., humble people from the wannabe achievers, i.e., arrogant people by dragging and dropping the names in the appropriate boxes.
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3. The Birth of Four Princes
It is said that a person who does not love his brother cannot love God. So loving your sibling is like loving God.
What the Ramayana SaysAfter the special prayer, King Dashrath was blessed with four sons. Queen Kaushalya gave birth to Rama, Queen Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharat and Queen Sumitra gave birth to twins, Lakshman and Shatrughan. All the four brothers grew up to be strong, brave, intelligent and kind. They deeply loved one another. Lakshman was like a shadow of Rama, and Shatrughan was like a shadow of Bharat. KingDashrath was very happy to see such unity and harmony among his four sons. The people of Ayodhya loved their princes. When it came to helping people, the princes always did whatever they could. Parents prayed their children were like them, and Gurus taught their students to become like them.
What the Ramayana Conveys The Ramayana shows that our siblings play a very special role in our life. Our brothers and sisters havea great influence on us as we connect more with them. Elder siblings are like parents and should be obeyed. And younger ones are like children and must be cared for. Sibling love means that you will always be there for each other. True sibling love is a big advantage in life. The Ramayana is also known as the story of the great bond of love and trust that the four sons of King Dashrath shared.
Today’s Success Mantra: Sibling love is a pleasure and a treasure. It is God’s gift. Enjoy it!
Let’s Discuss: The Bond of Sibling LoveSibling relationship is one of the most long-lasting and complex relation we experience in our lives. Friends may come and go but a good sibling is always there to guide us and help us navigate the different phases of life. A good sibling is a gift from god. All the four royal princes were blessed enough to experience unconditional sibling love right from infancy.
Once, baby Rama's maternal uncle visited Ayodhya and brought the best toy animals available in his kingdom for Rama. Even though baby Rama loved toy animals, he was not pleased. Forget about beinghappy and playing with his new toys, he didn't even touch them. Initially, everyone passed it off as a little child's tantrums. But then, they realised that baby Rama was not just sulking but he was also refusing to eat anything. Kaikeyi couldn't see her favourite son like this. She made and brought the bestdishes but baby Rama didn't budge.
King Dashrath enquired a lot and then finally baby Rama told everyone that the toys should be distributed equally in true sense among all the brothers. He won't be satisfied with ad hoc quantitywise distribution. While everyone was touched by this loving gesture, they realised that it was quite difficult to do so. No one knew the price of the toys and Rama's uncle had gone back to his kingdom. And it wasnot possible to send him an email or WhatsApp message. And sending a messenger would take weeks and baby Rama couldn't be kept hungry for so long! Then, Kaikeyi came up with a good solution. She
took baby Rama to the royal courtyard and discussed her scheme. She proposed that the 12 toys given by baby Rama's uncle should be weighed and then segregated into three categories as follows:
DinosaursDomesticated animalsWild animals
Then every brother should get one toy from each category. And to make it a fully just and equitable distribution, the total weight of toys of every brother would be same. Baby Rama was quite happy with this solution. Can you help Kaikeyi quickly distribute the toys so that she can feed baby Rama? Keeping baby Rama's condition of equality in mind, select the toys and drag and drop them in the babies' rooms. The table of weight of the toys is given below.
4. The Rules of Gurukul
Equality is all about creating a better society, a society where everyone has the same opportunity to succeed.
What the Ramayana SaysFew years later, it was time for the princes to go to a Gurukul for their formal education. King Dashrathbriefed the princes about the rules of their Gurukul. He told them that their foremost duty was to obey their Guru. In addition to their studies, it would be their duty to clean the Gurukul and collect food and other things from nearby villages for the Gurukul. Bharat said that he would take everything from Mother Kaushalya. Dashrath smiled and replied, “It is not allowed to collect food from one’s home.” Atthis point the mothers asked, “What is the need for such a rule?” Dashrath explained, “Such a rule is important to ensure equality among all students. As students from rich families can bring more things, their performance would be better. And they would get unfair advantage over others.”
What the Ramayana Conveys Dashrath rightly said that poor children should not suffer due to their parent’s status. All students are God’s children first, and they should get the same treatment in schools. Equality must be a basic right, especially in education. All students, regardless of their family background, should get the same opportunities, rights and respect. This will help them grow according to their abilities.
Today’s Success Mantra: We all are born equal; the only difference lies in what we do.
Let’s Discuss: The Principle of EqualityThe royal princes were sent to a Gurukul to acquire knowledge and wisdom as well as learn the true art of living. Their lives at the palace and Gurukul were as different as chalk and cheese. The mothers wereworried because their sons, who were accustomed to the comforts of the palace, would find it difficult to overcome the hardships of the Gurukul. And even though they were royal princes, they could not hope to get any preferential treatment. This was the best part about the Gurukul system. Every student was treated equally, irrespective of his caste, colour, creed, social and economic background. The Gurukul system believed in minimalism and focussing on what's important. It was based on the art of mindful living where students were supposed to think about what was important and why. And to teach their students how to differentiate between needs and wants, the Gurus had a very simple matrix. They asked their students to categorise some possessions in the following categories:
Gold: Necessities. Items that are absolutely necessary for survival.Silver: Primary comforts. Items that can help us lead an easy and better life. Copper: Secondary comforts. Items that can help us enjoy ourselves.Iron: Luxuries. Items that are not necessary for leading a good life but are just a status symbol.
Let's check how well you have learnt the art of mindful living! Place the items given below in the correct categories.
Click/tap on the following image to play the game! A short 'how to play' video is given to get you started. Remember, you don't always have to win to be a winner. So feel free to refer the solutions given at the end of the book.
5. The Life at Gurukul
Discipline is not something we enjoy. But then, discipline forms habits, and habits make character.
What the Ramayana SaysAll the four princes were ready to go to the Gurukul. However, the mothers were not ready to send theirkids. They were very sad. Dashrath told them that the Gurukul life was necessary to make the boys worthy princes as it would make them disciplined and capable. Then the mothers realised that the Gurukul life would teach their kids the art of right living. Still, they were worried because besides hard studies, the princes would have to sleep on the floor, clean the place and beg for food. They thought it would be very difficult for their little boys to adjust to the hard life of Gurukul. But the boys were raring to go. And they not only adjusted to the Gurukul life easily, but they enjoyed it as well.
What the Ramayana Conveys Here the Ramayana throws light on the importance of schooling in our life. Schooling makes us better human beings. It not only gives us education but also teaches us the art of living. Our teacher is our Guru, our well-wisher. We should always obey our teachers. Their aim is to make us better, and it can be achieved only if we fully contribute in this process of teaching-learning. As discipline of the school life prepares us for success in life, the hard Gurukul life prepared Rama to easily meet the challenges oflife.
Today’s Success Mantra: Discipline and hard work are the keys to success.
Let’s Discuss: The Purpose of EducationSometimes the people who love us may not like us to face the discipline and other hardships of life. Butwhen they realise that such challenges prepare us for the future and are important to succeed in life, even they push us to do our best. After all, our well-wishers always want the best for us in life.
Now imagine Lakshman is writing a book on the importance of school life. Help him create a new book titled 'Education Matters' by arranging the parts of the book given on the right in the correct sequence on the left side.
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6. Helping Vishwamitra
Is it our duty to help the needy or should we simply turn away and ignore them? And how far can we goto help someone?
What the Ramayana SaysAfter completing their education, the princes returned to their palace. After some time, Sage Vishwamitra came with a request to King Dashrath. He wanted King Dashrath to send Rama to kill the she-demon Tadaka and her son Maricha who were disturbing his prayers. King Dashrath became worried. He was unwilling to send Rama because Rama was very young and had never fought a real battle. But he had already promised to help the sage. So when the sage became angry, King Dashrath had to agree. And as always, Lakshman also went with Rama. They killed Tadaka while her son Maricha fled. They easily defeated all the other demons. Vishwamitra and the other sages thanked them. This trip proved very beneficial for the brothers as Vishwamitra gave them a lot of knowledge, some very powerful weapons and his blessings.
What the Ramayana Conveys Here Rama helped Vishwamitra and in return got many priceless things. This episode inspires us to do our best to help others, whenever and wherever we can. Helping someone in need is a noble deed, which will also earn us the friendship of that person. Lending a helping hand earns us a caring hand for life. So it is a win-win situation for both the parties.
Today’s Success Mantra: Helping others is healthy, and it can make you wealthy.
Let’s Discuss: The Art of GivingThe art of giving makes our life worth living. When we help others, we also help ourselves. It’s a proven fact that the mere act of helping others can make us healthy and happy.
Helping others is great! Now let's time-travel to the Ramayana era and assist our great warriors in saving the earth. After the demoness Tadaka was slain by Rama, her husband is filled with vengeance and rage. He is about to kick our planet earth deep inside the hollows of a big, black hole. The only known way to stop him is to hit him on his head. But Rama and Lakshman are finding it difficult to killthe demon because the gigantic demon keeps his head far above our galaxy. After much research, Ramahas found another way. But it is a bit tricky. The demon needs to be hit at 6 places on his body with different objects almost simultaneously. The cheat code to kill the demon is to hit him:
On his left wrist with a 300-year-old silver horseshoe.
On his right wrist with a 900-year-old bronze horseshoe.
On his heart with Shiva’s Holy Trishul.
On his navel with demon’s red trident.
On his left knee with a green apple.
And on his right knee with a red apple.
Rama is tall so he has taken the responsibility to hit the upper body parts of the demon i.e., his arms and heart while Lakshman will manage the navel and the legs. Can you help the brothers defeat the demon? The demon is about to kick the earth so you need to ACT FAST! Drag and hit the demon with the correct weapons. And make sure you do so in a jiffy!
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7. Swayamvar: Finding the Best Groom
Why do some people always tell us how much they know and always sing praises about their achievements?
What the Ramayana Says One day, Sage Vishwamitra got an invitation from King Janak, who was the king of Mithilla, to attend the swayamvar of his daughter, Sita. The wise sage took the princes along with him. King Janak wantedthe best husband for his daughter. So he set a condition that whoever could lift and string the mighty Shiva’s bow would marry Sita. Kings and princes from all over the world came. They were very confident and were talking big about their strength. They were also making fun of each other. All this while, Rama was quiet and Lakshman was very excited. So to calm an edgy Lakshman, Rama said, “Brother, be calm till the exam.” Then one by one all the bigmouths tried and failed. Nobody could even move the bow. King Janak became very sad. Then Sage Vishwamitra asked Rama to try. Rama took his blessings and easily lifted the bow. When he tried to string the bow, it broke. At last the best man was found. Sita happily garlanded Rama.
What the Ramayana Conveys Most kings and princes were overconfident and arrogant. But when their turn came, they had to eat a humble pie. Their overconfidence backfired. On the other hand, Rama and Lakshman were confident yet quiet. And they had the last laugh.
Today’s Success Mantra: Laugh with others, not at others.
Let’s Discuss: The Law of Last LaughWe all want to feel good about ourselves. There is nothing wrong about it. It is natural. But when we sing our own praises and make fun of others, it is wrong. And it often backfires. So we should never laugh at others, but let our work do the talking. Now let's see how good you are at the art of laughing.
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8. The Marriages of Four Princes
Do you think a father should be happy when his son decides to marry without his permission?
What the Ramayana Says Janak sent an invitation to King Dashrath. Everyone in Ayodhya was very happy to learn about Rama’s marriage. Soon King Dashrath reached Mithilla with his family, ministers and Gurus. After discussions,it was decided that Lakshman would marry Urmilla who was the younger sister of Sita. And Bharat andShatrughan would marry Sita’s cousins Mandavi and Shrutakirti. Like everything else in their life, the marriages of all the four brothers took place on the same day. It was a grand celebration. King Janak was very happy to get such good grooms for his daughters. Yet he was sad. He was not ready to send his daughters away. But then, he knew that he had to fulfil his duty and send his daughters to their new home. He requested Dashrath to take good care of his daughters. Dashrath in turn promised to treat them as his own daughters. In Ayodhya, the newly married couples were welcomed in a grand manner.
What the Ramayana Conveys With four marriages in one go, Janak and Dashrath fulfilled their duties as well as saved a lot of time and expenses. Parents want the best for their children. They are usually very eager to marry their children. But when the girl’s parents realise that she is moving out, they experience mixed emotions like King Janak.
Today’s Success Mantra: Sadness is not always negative; it is not always a bad thing.
Let’s Discuss: The Importance of FamilyWe all have many duties. Some duties make us happy, some make us sad, and some make us both happy and sad at the same time. For example, when I return from my school, my father and I often experience both at the same time. When my father sees that there is no complaint note, he feels happy, and he also feels sad as my presence turns our home into a zoo. And I feel happy as there is no discipline anymore, and I also feel sad as I miss my joker friends.
Every family is unique. And all parents want the best for their children. But is it so simple. Let's find out.
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9. King Dashrath’s Plan
Does your buddy really have your best interests at heart? Remember, it’s not always easy to find out.
What the Ramayana Says After some time, King Dashrath decided to retire and make Rama the king. The Gurus wanted to crownRama the next day itself as it was a very lucky day. Rama wanted to wait for his brothers Bharat and Shatrughan who were visiting Bharat’s grandparents in a far-off place. When everyone begged Rama not to let the lucky day go, he half-heartedly agreed. Everyone was very happy. Everyone was celebrating. Preparations were in full swing. Kaikeyi’s maid, Manthara was the only person who was not happy. She poisoned Kaikeyi’s mind also. She told her that after becoming the king, Rama would kill Bharat. And Kaushalya would make Kaikeyi her maid. She asked Kaikeyi to do something to stop the coming hard times of Bharat and herself. She also reminded Kaikeyi about the two boons that King Dashrath once gave her. She asked Kaikeyi to use them and force Dashrath to fulfil her demands.
What the Ramayana Conveys While everyone in Ayodhya was celebrating, one evil lady, Manthara was planning to spoil the party. Her one bad suggestion to Kaikeyi changed everyone’s happiness into sadness. And Kaikeyi became the target of all the people just by listening to an evil advice from an evil person.
Today’s Success Mantra: Avoiding Bad Company is the ABC of life.
Let’s Discuss: The Traps of Peer PressureWe should always stay away from bad people as their company will not only harm us but also our near and dear ones. Bad company can never benefit us. Bad company can never end in good. It is very important that we should know how to choose good friends and avoid toxic friends.
Friends come in all shapes and sizes. Most are good but some are not. Here are some categories of bad friends. Read their titles and try to match them with their definitions and traits. Let's see how good you are at the art of judging bad friends.
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10. Kaikeyi’s Demands
Sometimes when someone helps us, we promise to do anything they want in return. Is this right?
What the Ramayana Says Once, Kaikeyi saved Dashrath’s life in a battle. And she also nursed an injured Dashrath back to health.So Dashrath gave her two boons. Manthara asked Kaikeyi to immediately demand her boons from KingDashrath and save Bharat’s life. Falling prey to Manthara’s evil plan, Kaikeyi called Dashrath. When Dashrath came, she started crying loudly. He got worried and asked her the reason of her sad state. When she did not reply, he took Rama’s swear to do anything for her. Then she conveyed her two demands. First, Bharat must get the throne. Second, Rama must go to the Dandak forest for fourteen years. When Dashrath heard this, he fell on the floor.
What the Ramayana Conveys Kaikeyi was very wrong in demanding something very evil. But Dashrath, the king was also at fault to give such unconditional promises in a rush of emotions. Even though he trusted Kaikeyi, it was wrong. But then, Rama also promised Sita the status of an equal friend and that he would never marry again. This was a clear-cut and positive promise which brought about a great social change in the society. Kaikeyi was the black sheep in the family, but King Dashrath had to pay a very heavy price. That’s whyit is said that one black sheep in a good family can ruin all.
Today’s Success Mantra: Always make promises from mind, not heart.
Let’s Discuss: The Traits of a Great Family One of the greatest mysteries of all times is the working of the human mind. Our mind is very dynamic.It can be our master as well as slave; our best friend as well as the worst enemy. While we may not have been able to fully decode its functioning, we know enough about how to control it and make the best of it.
As humans, we are prejudiced to many different biases. These cognitive biases are a result of our own experiences as well as the experiences of those around us. And this is how Manthara was able to influence and brainwash Kaikeyi. Everyone knows Kaikeyi dearly loved Rama, yet she fell prey to cognitive biases and ended up being so unreasonable. Given below are the names of some biases with their definitions. Can you move and match them all?
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Solutions for 1 to 10
Game 1
It is given that King Dashrath takes a 200-calorie glass of milk.
As per the calorie codes, 1 glass of milk = 2 apples.
So 1 apple has 100 calories.
And pear = apple = 100 calories.
1 pear = 2 oranges, i.e., 1 orange = 50 calories.
And 1 mango = apple+orange =150 calories.
The wannabe mothers have been advised by Rajguru to take dairy and fruits in breakfast equivalent to 10 calories per kg of their body weight. The weight of Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi is 60 kg, 55 kg and 50 kg respectively. So they would be needing 600, 550 and 500 calories respectively. For your reference, here is one possible solution out of more than 1,08,000 solutions (no pun intended).
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Game 5c Memory games are just for fun. The answer lies in the question itself!
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List of Discussion Topics & Games
1. The Recipe for a Great Life
2. The Utility of Humility
3. The Bond of Sibling Love
4. The Principle of Equality
5. The Purpose of Education
6. The Art of Giving
7. The Law of Last Laugh
8. The Importance of Family
9. The Traps of Peer Pressure
10. The Traits of a Great Family
11. The Art of Smart Decisions
12. The Right Way is the Best
13. The Right Balance
14. The Art of Choosing Friends
15. The Reactions of Our Actions
16. The Evils of Greed
17. The Sweet Sound of Silence
18. The Ideas of Right and Wrong
19. The Beauty of Selfless Love
20. The Play of Opposites in Life
21. The Formula for a Great Life
22. The Harms of a Frenemy
23. The Haste Makes Waste
24. The Danger of Too Much
25. The True Well-Wisher
26. The Dangers of Unreal Desires
27. The Sense of Common Sense
28. The Harms of Bullying
29. The Role of Control
30. The Art of Living for Others
31. The Test of Intelligence
32. The Foe Called Fear
33. The Idea of Justice
34. The Idea of Giving Back
35. The Lifecycle of a Mistake
36. The Power of Hope
37. The Price of Disobedience
38. The Limits of Teasing
39. The Recipe of Success
40. The Fruits of Patience
41. The Idea of Nature vs Nurture
42. The Idea of Stranger Danger
43. The Importance of Trees
44. The Power of Peace
45. The Rule of Rules
46. The Dangers of Anger
47. The Attitude of Gratitude
48. The Secret of an Achiever
49. The Bubble of Ego
50. The Art of Judging People
51. The Power of Information
52. The Menace of Corruption
53. The Bridge to Success
54. The Risks of Rash Behaviour
55. The Paradise of a Fool
56. The Ideal Reaction
57. The Signs of a Miserable Man
58. The Present of the Present
59. The Loyalty of Royalty
60. The Right to Rights
61. The True Master of Destiny
62. The Moral Duty of a Doctor
63. The Duty to the Environment
64. The Role of a Good Child
65. The Secret of a Healthy Life
66. The Battle of Good vs Evil
67. The Good Wins Over the Evil
68. The Passion of Compassion
69. The Making of a Hindu Mandir
70.The Festival of Renewal
45. The Messenger Mistreated
Rules are important because they are guidelines to what’s okay and what’s not. Without rules, there would be no society and we would be little more than animals.
What the Ramayana SaysWhen Hanuman was taken to Ravana’s court, he introduced himself as the messenger of Rama. He politely said, “You have kidnapped Sita, the wife of Shri Rama. If you want peace, return her with full honour to Shri Rama or else, you and your kingdom will be destroyed.” The arrogant Ravana became wild with rage. He ordered to kill Hanuman. His brother Vibhishan objected, “We can’t kill a messenger. It’s against the rules.” Then Ravana ordered Hanuman’s tail to be set on fire. While Ravana’s army was covering his tail with cloth, Hanuman lengthened his tail till they ran out of the cloth. Finally, Hanuman’s tail was set ablaze. Now it was time for Hanuman to play again. He started moving around the palace with his burning tail setting everything on fire. After that, he danced throughout the city setting fire to all the buildings. And since the bad traits of Ravana were shared by most people of Lanka, he spared only the Ashoka garden and the palace of Vibhishan.
What the Ramayana Conveys Punishing a messenger was not allowed. Still, Ravana could not control his anger and put Hanuman’s tail on fire. Due to his mistake, the people of Lanka had to pay a very heavy price.
Today’s Success Mantra: Always act in a socially responsible way.
Let’s Discuss: The Rule of RulesSince Ravana is not ready to give peace a chance, Veer Hanuman has decided to teach him a lesson.Ravana lit Hanuman's tail on fire, and Hanuman is going to use this very fire to burn the golden Lanka.He has taken care to ensure Mata Sita's safety and also spare Vibhishan. And he also decided to spare 3 houses on either side of Ashoka Vatika as an added precautionary measure. Hanuman has already made these houses fire-proof by applying a fire repellent on them.
Can you assist Hanuman in this task? Take the flame from Hanuman's tail and burn as many houses as possible. But remember, you have to ensure the safety of Mata Sita and Vibhishan.
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53. The March to Lanka
Nothing is impossible if you have the will and the skills. You just need to take personal responsibility to succeed.
What the Ramayana SaysAs suggested by Vibhishan, Rama prayed to the sea-god and requested him to give way to his army. Hecontinued his prayer for three days and three nights. When the sea-god did not answer, Rama lost his patience. He asked Lakshman to bring his bow and arrows. When Rama was about to release his special arrow, the panicky sea-god came out. He told Rama that he could not dry up for his army because it was against the nature. But he would help them to build a bridge. With folded hands, the sea-god promised that he would easily hold a bridge built by Nala, the great monkey engineer of Sugriva’s army. Nala was immediately called and the construction of the bridge started. With the help of the monkeys and bears, Nala put up a bridge made of rocks, trees and stones. In five days, they completed the bridge. Next day, the monkey army crossed the Sea and landed on the other shore.
What the Ramayana Conveys It was not Rama’s nature to get angry. But he got angry. Sita’s news made Rama impatient and somewhat like a common man. His love for Sita and his desire to rescue her immediately made him forget the nature of nature’s natural elements. But he realised as soon as the sea-god reminded him.
Today’s Success Mantra: If you can dream it, you can achieve it.
Let’s Discuss: The Bridge to Success Do you have a deep desire to achieve something big? Do you wish you had a step-by-step plan to achieve your life’s goal? A good plan is like a step-by-step bridge to your dreams. Now help Nala construct the bridge to Lanka. Nala had asked the Vanar Sena to write Shri Rama on the rocks. Now it'syour job to find the shortest possible route to Lanka and construct the bridge by placing the rocks. Remember, only the rocks which have Shri Rama written on them will float.
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70. The First Diwali
Happiness may come from being more of a taker than a giver. But true happiness and meaning in life comes from being more of a giver than a taker.
What the Ramayana SaysSome people in Ayodhya were on cloud nine, and others were over the moon. And after a very long time, Bharat felt true happiness. Everyone started cleaning and decorating their homes. The whole city was decorated with flowers and clay lamps. When the Pushpak Viman landed, people rushed to see their idols. Rama, Lakshman and Sita first paid their respects to the elders. Then Rama hugged a cryingBharat and praised him for his able rule and noble life. Their reunion was touching. And it was soaked in tears of joy. And Rama proved Kaikeyi right by asking Bharat to forgive his mother. Bharat did so. Then they all went to the palace. The whole universe rejoiced when Rama and Sita were crowned King and Queen. During Rama’s noble rule, all the people, animals and plants were happy and content.
What the Ramayana Conveys When people were cleaning their homes, the Gurus were telling them to first clean their hearts and thoughts. While cleaning our homes is easy, cleansing our hearts and minds is not easy for weak persons. But it is more important, and it is the main message of the Ramayana. Even today, Rama’s ruleis known as a benchmark for the ideal society.
Today’s Success Mantra: Try to lead a meaningful life, not just a happy life.
Let’s Discuss: The Festival of Renewal The festival of lights ‘Diwali’ symbolises the victory of light (knowledge) over darkness (ignorance). Diwali is not just about celebrating the victory of good over evil and the homecoming of Rama, but it isalso a time to give up all bad things and thoughts. But of late, many people in party mode and mood fall in to the traps of temptations. They indulge in bad activities like bursting crackers, drinking and gambling on this holy day. Sadly, they fail to understand what Diwali means. Let’s see if you know what Diwali is and what Diwali isn’t. Now let's celebrate Diwali in Ayodhya’s style.
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41. Sita Meets Her First Son
We are not born good or bad. At birth, we are basically an empty vessel. We are never bad to start with;it is what we do that makes us good or bad.
What the Ramayana SaysBefore leaving the Ashoka garden, Ravana had ordered his she-demons to use any fair or foul means in order to force Sita to accept him. So they started hurting Sita. But Sita kept quiet. After a while Trijata, a good she-demon sent them away. She used to help Sita whenever possible. Trijata, who was born in the demon race, had none of the evil traits. So she was blessed with the power to see future. She eased Sita’s pain by telling her about a dream of her reunion with Rama. Hanuman was getting impatient to meet Sita but did not want to shock her. So when all the guards went away to sleep, he started singing Rama’s story. Sita became curious. When she looked up, Sita saw a cute little monkey. Hanuman came down and paid his respects. Then he gave Rama’s ring to her. Sita was thrilled to bits. She wanted to hear more and more about Rama and Lakshman.
What the Ramayana Conveys We can always find some good people in a bad society and vice versa. People are not born good or bad.They are born innocent. People learn from the society. It is the nurture and not the nature that makes people bad. It is our choice to be good or bad. And we can always choose to be the best we can be.
Today’s Success Mantra: We must try to be the best person we can be.
Let’s Discuss: The Idea of Nature vs NurtureRavana gave the best of everything to Sita Ma'am. She not only shunned the evil demon king but alsorefused to accept anything from him. She refused to stay in the golden palace. So she was kept captivein a garden. She was served the best delicacies but she refused to eat anything. Trijata, a kinddemoness, was amazed to see Sita's determination and will-power. Trijata took it upon herself to makeSita's stay as comfortable as possible. Her main worry was that Sita wasn't ready to eat anything. Justthen, an idea came up in Trijata's mind.
She reasoned with Sita that the earth belonged to everyone. And even Lanka's fruits and vegetables were just a part of nature, not Ravana's personal property. After much persuading, Sita agreed to eat onefruit everyday. But Trijata was not the one to give up easily. So she came up with a brilliant plan. She assigned different colours of the rainbow to different days of the week and convinced Sita to eat fruits of one specific colour everyday. Then she reasoned with Sita that every colour has different shades. This way, the good demoness was sure that she would be able to serve a few more fruits to Sita instead of just one fruit everyday.
Trijata started the week with Monday and assigned the V for Violet of the VIBGYOR to Monday. In the following game, different coloured fruits are given. Help Trijata plan Sita's diet by taking the fruits from Akshaypatra and placing them correctly in each day's plate. Try to feed as many fruits as possible
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