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Transcript of Ramayana Single Page
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Om ganapathy
Briefly The Ramayana Story
This is an epic poem of courage, magic and humor,containing 18 books and 24,000 verses divided into 500
songs. Set in India, Rama (avatar--incarnation--of the God
Vishnu) and his wife Sita have been banished from their
kingdom of Kosala for fourteen years, due to a plot by the
mother of one of Rama's four brothers to keep Rama from
the throne. Rama's brother, Laksmana, accompanies the
couple. King Rawana of Ceylon spies the beautiful Sita andcreates a plan to abduct her. He sends one of his minions,
magically disguised as a golden deer to entice Rama and
Laksmana away from Sita. Rama goes after the deer,
instructing Laksmana not to leave Sita. Rama brings down
the golden deer with his bow and arrow. The golden deer
reverts to its original shape and with its dying breath calls
out "Help, help, help" in Rama's voice. Sita, hearing
Rama's voice, entreats Laksmana to go and help Rama.When he refuses, she goads him into leaving. Laksmana
draws a magic circle around Sita and tells her that she must
stay inside it until he and Rama return. When Sita is alone,
Rawana appears, disguised as an ailing old man, who begs
Sita for help. When Sita steps out of the magic circle to aid
the old man, the old man changes into Rawana and abducts
Sita, telling her that Rama is dead. He rises in the air withher and flies to his Kingdom.
Jatayu, King of the Birds, (also known as Garuda) spies
Rawana carrying off Sita and they battle in the air. Rawana
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delivers a fatal wound to Jatayu who falls to the ground,
where he is discovered by Rama and Laksmana. Jatayu is
near death and manages to tell Rama of his failure to rescue
Sita.
Rama and Laksmana travel onward and enlist the aid of the
army of wanaras, a race of huge monkeys. Sugriwa, King
of the wanaras, agrees to help Rama rescue Sita in return
for Rama's support of Sugriwa's attempt to regain his
rightful throne in the land of Guakiskenda. When Sugriwa
meets his nemesis, Subali, Rama saves Sugriwa's life with a
magic arrow which kills Subali. After Sugriwa is crownedKing of Guakiskenda, the white monkey general,
Hanuman, is sent to Alengka (Ceylon) to scout the defenses
and to deliver Rama's ring to Sita, so that she would know
that Rama was alive.
After a narrow escape from the stomach of Wikateksi, the
enormous sea monster which guarded the approaches toAlengka, Hanuman kills Wikateksi and flies to the capital
of Alengka, the kingdom of the giants. Fortunately, there
are many monkeys living among the giants, which provide
cover for Hanuman, who reduces his size. He looks
everywhere in the city for Sita. Eventually Hanuman finds
Rawana's palace and the women's quarters. Hanuman meets
Sita in the garden and gives her Rama's ring, which she
recognizes at once, and tells her that Rama is on his way to
rescue her.
Hanuman, in order to test the strength of the city, resumes
his normal size, climbs to the top of a tall building and
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hurls a challenge to the awestruck crowd below. He begins
to destroy the buildings around him by using an uprooted
palm tree as a club. He is felled by an arrow shot by the
crown prince of Alengka, Hindrajit. Hanuman is shackledin chains and sentenced to die by slow fire. Hanuman
appeals to Agni, the god of fire, to save him. A wall of
flame springs up between Hanuman and the watching
crowd. With a burst of strength, Hanuman breaks his bonds,
and swinging a glowing torch picked up from the fire, goes
on a rampage which ends in the burning of a large part of
the city. Assuring himself that Sita's pavilion is safe,
Hanuman leaps into the air and flies back to Guakiskenda.
After hearing of Hanuman's exploits, Rama adopts him as
his own son. The army then heads for Alengka, which they
find surrounded by a boiling sea. By hurling huge boulders
into the sea, the monkey soldiers build a causeway to the
island. Rawana learns of the invasion and assembles his
generals. Some of the generals resent Rawana's evil rule,but heretofore have lacked the courage to oppose him.
Wibisana, Rawana's brother, as spokesman, points out that
it was because Rawana abducted Sita that Alengka is now
beset by enemy armies. He suggests that Rawana release
Sita and avoid bloodshed and loss of life and property.
Angered, Rawana strikes Wibisana, who then deserts to
Rama's army. Rawana is tempted to murder Sita, but is
thwarted by Trijata, Wibisana's beautiful daughter, who has
grown to love Sita as a sister. Rawana turns to another
brother, the giant Kumbakarna, who although disapproving
of Rawana's crimes and baseness, decides to help because
they are of the same blood.
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After many guerilla attacks by the monkey soldiers, the two
armies finally face each other. Two opposing generals,
Kumbakarna and Laksmana challenge each other.Kumbakarna is killed by Laksmana's magic arrow. Other
duels take place on the battlefield. Rama spots Rawana and
pursues him, shooting showers of arrows, which seem to
have no effect on Rawana other than to make him back off.
Rawana backs in between two unusually formed rocks
which snap together and hold him in an inescapable grip.
These rocks are inhabited by the souls of two of his
daughters, who Rawana had murdered, and who are at lastable to avenge themselves on their father.
Rawana's army surrenders and Rama gives the throne of
Alengka to Wibisana. Rama and Sita are joyfully united.
The fourteen years of exile being over, Rama, Sita and
Laksmana return to Kosala, where they are welcomed by
all. However, rumors circulate about Sita's virtue. Sheoffers to test her virtue by fire. She enters the ring of fire
and emerges unscathed, her faithfulness confirmed. When
the rumors persist, she leaves the palace for the spiritual
life.
The Ramayana story is especially important to Hindus
because it is possible for ordinary people to identify with
the characters and situations. The heroes and heroines are
emulated for their positive qualities of honesty, devotion,
perseverance, fidelity, and bravery. Strongly evident in this
story is the portrayal of pure evil and those who have the
courage to resist and overcome that evil.
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Thus, the Ramayana story in brief.