Happy Siblings Day (11 April 2014) and the Ramayana

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SCENES FROM THE RAMAYANA

By V. Laxmanan Courtesy: http://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/

ON THE OCCASION OF HAPPY SIBLINGS DAY

The breaking of the bow also led to the marriage of the four siblings, on the same day, to the

two daughters of Janaka (Rama to Sita and LakshmaNa to Urmila) and the two daughters of

Janaka's younger brother Kushadwaja (Bharata to MaaNDavee and Shatrughna to

Shrutakeerti). Happy siblings they all were, the four brother and the four sisters too!

Rama breaks the Divine bow of Shiva and

Sita garlands Him to celebrate the

winning of Her hand in marriage.

From Nama Ramayanam

18. Tryambaka kaarmuka bhanjaka Raam

19. Seetaarpita varamaalika Raam

Sita sees the golden deer near the

ashram and wants Rama to get it for

Her while Lakshmana looks on.

Bharatasya Aryaputrasya

shwashrooNaam Ma-ma ca

Prabho l Mrugaroopam idam

vyaktam vismayam janayishyati ll

(Aranya Kanda); The noble Bharata

and all my mothers-in-law will find

this form of a deer that is manifested

here to be absolutely bewitching.

And so do I.

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Paraangmukha vadham krutvaa kOtra praaptas tvayaa guNah l

Yadaham yuddha-samrabdas tvatkrute nidhanam gatah ll 4.17.16 ll

After Vaali fell down to the ground, being hit by Ramaas arrow, when the two great warrior

brothers, Rama and LakshmaNa, approached him, Vaali spoke as follows, You are the son of

a great King, renowned, well versed, of great and pleasing appearance. I was engaged in

battle with another and not facing you. What glory have you attained here by killing me in

this way? Why should I have to meet my death in this fashion from you? Vaali demands an

explanation based on the principles of dharma. In this sarga 16 of the Kishkindha Kandam,

and in the following sarga 17, Rama tried to justify His action but Vaali rejects each assertion

of Rama as a misapplication of alien principles, applicable to humans but not applicable to

vaanara. He challenges Rama by saying, if He wanted to get back His abducted wife, all He to

do was to approach him and he (Vaali) would have dueled Ravana and secured Mythili for

Him (sarga 16, verse 49). It is quite appropriate, he says, that Sugriva get the kingdom when

he has gone to heaven, but wholly inappropriate that he has been killed by Raama using

means that are contrary to the principles of dharma (verse 52). Think well and give me a

good answer now, he says, if you can. What great good (kshemam cet) has been obtained by

Your honorable self (bhavataa)?

After speaking thus, in his defense, Vaali became silent.

Raama gives his justifications in sarga 17 which ends with Vaali accepting the principles of

dharma that Raama was trying to uphold. Vaali begs Raamas forgiveness for chastising Him

without full knowledge.

Sugreeva challenges his brother Vaali

to a duel while Rama is hiding behind

the trees waiting for an opportune

moment to kill Vaali. It is said that a

single arrow released by Rama

pierced through seven trees (named

taala) and struck Vaali in his heart

and he fell to the ground. Vaali then

challenged Rama about the

righteousness of such an attack on

him while he was battling another.

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The great duel with Ravana

Sita enters the fire to provide unquestioning proof of Her chastity

Rama is actually scolded by his father Dasharatha who appears at this time before Him, and also by other celestials, including Lord Shiva, who

appear and ask Him if He was forgotten who He is and who Sita is.

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The Joyous Scene of Ramas Coronation in Three Frames

The Right Panel of the Coronation Scene

The Middle Panel of the Coronation Scene

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The Left Panel of the Coronation Scene

These eight lovely scenes depicting the Ramayana story can be found in the

form of a scrolling display at the following website http://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/

According to the Valmiki RamayaNa

website, these lovely paintings are

by the legendary Andhra artist

(brushman) named Bapu

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http://www.valmikiramayan.net/vrhd.jpg

The four siblings together in this Ramas coronation scene. Sita is to the left,

sitting on His lap. Lakshmana is on the right fanning Rama. Bharata and

Shatrughna are to the left. Hanuman is in front. This is the description given in

the first two line of the famous Vaame Bhootisutaa sloka, given below.

Vaame Bhoomisutaa purasch ca Hanumaan pashcaat Sumitra sutah l

ShatrughnO Bharatash ca paarshva dalayoh Vaayvaadi koNeshu ca ll

Sugreevash ca VibhishaNash ca yuvaraat TaraasutO Jambhavaan l

Madhye neela-saroja komala rucim Raamam bhaje shyaamalam ll

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SARGAS AND SLOKAS COUNT IN VALMIKI RAMAYANAM

V. Laxmanan

I have tabulated the values given in Tamil from the blog cited

Kanda Sarga Slokas Kanda Sarga Slokas 1. Bala 77 2266 5. Sundara 68 2807 2. Ayodhya 119 4185 6. Yuddha 128 5675 3. Aranya 75 2441 First six 534 19,827 4. Kishkinda 67 2453 7. Uttara 111 3,373 Additions 14 664 Total of seven 645 23,200

The total slokas count is 23,200 + 664 = 23,864 ~ 24,000

Courtesy: Blog In the Path of Rama Raminin Padhaiyil http://sriramaninpadhayil.blogspot.com/2013/05/sri-ramanin-padhayil-episode-5-may-19.html

Happy Siblings Day (11 April 2014) and the Ramayana

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