Ayodhya-Kanda Learn Sanskrit Online

Hi all, the topic for this lecture will be one of the Epics of Hinduism and also World Literature. The Ramayan. It is the story of one of Lord Vishnu's Human avatars to rid the world of evil. It portrays how god's incarnation goes through pain and suffering and eventually redemption as a common man. It has ethos, pathos and beauty all together in 7 sections or Kandas.
Please read this and let's have an open discussion on the Ramayan. Any and all questions are invited. I look forward to discussing this magnum opus with you.
INTRODUCTION
The Ramayana of Valmiki is perhaps the most ancient and glorious epic in the world. It is known as the Adikavyam,—the first poem. Ramayana exercises a great moulding power on the life of man. It contains object lessons for husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, friends and enemies. This is a general view in Hinduism. I will give you a short backstory on Valmiki. He was supposed to be a highway robber who would kill people with impunity. One day, Rishi Narada chanced upon the forest path where Valmiki would go about his business. When Valmiki threatened Narada, Narada spoke to him and tried to highlight the repurcussions of the life he was leading and the bad Karma he was accumulating. The robber justified it saying he was doing it all to feed his wife and parents and children. Narada asked him if they were willing to share the repurcussions of his actions. The man confidently said yes. Narada told him to ask them. Narada also asked the robber to tie him up as a sign of trust that he won't run away. The robber's family unanimously refused to suffer the fallout of his actions. Broken hearted and sobbing, the robber returned to Narada and asked him to show him the path of righteousness and repentance. Narada gave him a chant. Rama. Valmiki being uneducated mispronounced it as Mara. But when repeated endlessly, eventually it became maRAMARAMARAMARAMAra. He meditated for thousands of years and in that rigor he did not even notice as an anthill came up on his body. In order to avoid hurting the ants, he did not move at all and continued his meditation. An anthill is called a Vaalmik. And the rishi who arose from an anthill was called Valmiki. In his meditation, he was blessed with the vision of the events of Lord Rama and he undertook the project of writing the Ramayan.
ITS ORIGIN
Now that you know this story, here's what Mythology says.
Valmiki once asked Narada, "O Venerable Rishi! Please tell me whether there is a perfect man in this world who is at once virtuous, brave, dutiful, truthful, noble, steadfast in duty, and kind to all beings".
Narada replied, "There is such a one, a prince of Ikshvaku's line named Rama. He is virtuous, brave, gentle, and wise. He is a great hero. He loves his subjects immensely. He is a protector of Dharma. He is firm and steadfast. He is just and liberal. He is well-versed in the Vedas and in the science of arms. He is unique in the possession of virtues and matchless in beauty. He is an obedient son, a kind brother, loving husband, a faithful friend, an ideal king, a merciful enemy, and a lover of all living beings. All people adore him".
Valmiki, reflecting over this flowing description, was walking along the banks of the river Tamasa. He happened to see a pair of Kraunchas (birds) sporting with each other in love. Suddenly the male bird was shot dead by a cruel fowler and the female, seeing her mate rolling on the ground in the agony of pain, screamed out most pitifully her lamentations. The sage felt great pity at the sight of the fallen bird and his grieving spouse and burst forth in the exclamation: "Never, O fowler, shalt thou obtain rest, as thou hast killed a Krauncha in the midst of his love". These words came out spontaneously in the form of a musical verse having four feet of eight syllables each (Anushtup metre).
Then Brahma himself, the Creator of the world, appeared before the poet and said, "Sing Rama's charming story in the same melodious metre. As long as this world endures, as long as the stars shine in heaven, so long shall thy song spread among men". So saying Brahma vanished. He inspired the poet with the knowledge of Sri Rama's whole story; whereupon Valmiki sat down in meditation and saw every event in Sri Rama's story in detail in his Yogic vision. Then he began to write the Ramayana. The melody of Ramayana was born from a heart of love and pity for the wounded bird. When applied to Ramayana, the verse of Valmiki sung out of pity for the Krauncha, can be interpreted thus: Sri Rama and Sita represent the two Kraunchas. Ravana represents the cruel hunter. Sita was cruelly separated from Rama by the cruel hunter Ravana. There is a slight similarity in these cases. The hunter's cruel act was a forerunner to Valmiki's inspiration to narrate the Ramayana.
It is not clear as to the timeline of the Ramayana and Valmiki's existence. But it is timed around 1000 BC and definitely not before that. This is just when the script came into circulation and nothing can be said for sure about the truth about Rama's existence.
Valmiki Ramayana contains 24,000 verses which have been grouped into 500 Chapters and that again into seven Kandas or sections, viz., Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkindha, Sundara, Yuddha and the Uttara Kandas. In contains genuine classical Sanskrit poetry. It is common belief that Rama's sons by Sita, Kusa and Lava, were the first reciters to the world, who sang to music this reputed work. They came in the garb of ascetics from the hermitage of their teacher Valmiki, and sang the wonderful poem in the presence of their father Rama and other heroes of the story.
*The Ramayana is magnificent for it's range of emotions. It starts off with how Dasharatha craves for sons. The attachment to his eldest son portrays parental love and also shows us how parents can be partial to their offspring. The later parts show how Jealousy can turn the most level minded people bad and also how it can rip apart anything no matter how stable it is. The abolishment of Rama is a prime example.
Further, we get glimpses of the Love between Rama and Sita and the brotherly affection of Laxman. Laxman hero-worships Rama and would follow him to no end. Themes of friendship and unswerving loyalty are displayed in the relationship between Rama and Sugreeva and none more so than in the relationship between Rama and Hanuman.
Lust bears it's ugly head in the form of Soorpanakha. And we see an example of the proverb "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." When soorpanakha complains to her powerful brother Raavana and incites in him uncontrolled lust for Sita. We see manipulation, gullibility, desire, lack of morality and then we see a ray of hope and unchained bravery when the Lord of Eagles Jatayu battles Ravana while he's carrying Sita away in his Airplane.
Rama is shown as corruptible when he breaches his Dharma and slays Vaali from his hiding spot behind a tree while he was wrestling Sugreeva. We see the unflinching belief of the Vanara and the Bear armies commanded by Sugreeva and Jambavan who follow Ram right into the heart of Lanka and help him drive Raavana out.
We again see the human side of Rama, when he banishes his Sita, from the kingdom for fear of public ridicule. There are several versions of this incident. Some say Rama did it to save face as Sita was with Ravana for one whole year and people would point out that out of his desire, he accepted his possibly unchaste wife. Some say that Rama knew that Sita was chaste and made her take the Agnipariksha or Trial by Fire just to prove it to the world. However, all versions agree on the outcome that Sita left Rama's kingdom and stayed with Valmiki and eventually returned to the earth from whence she came.
I will give a detailed description of Hanuman's story and some facts in the comments below. *
SYNOPSIS OF THE SEVEN KANDAS
In Bala-Kanda the Incarnation of Sri Rama and his childhood life are described. Rama helps Visvamitra by guarding his sacrifice. He slays ogress Tataka and Subahu. He frees Ahalya from her curse. He breaks the bow of Siva and marries Janaki and annihilates the pride of Parasurama.
In Ayodhya-Kanda preparations are made for installing Rama as heir-apparent. His step-mother Kaikeyi stands in the way and sends him in exile for fourteen years. Rama's brother Lakshmana and wife Sita follow him. Raja Dasaratha (father) becomes very much afflicted at heart on account of his separation from Rama and dies due to grief. Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita are entertained by Guha, a hunter-chief. They cross the Ganga and meet Rishi Bharadvaja. They go to Chitrakuta on the advice of the Rishi. They build a cottage made up of grass and leaves (Parna Kutir) there. Then Bharata (another devoted brother) goes to the forest and insists Rama to return to the country and finally takes Rama's sandals alone. He places the sandals on the throne and rules the kingdom in the name of Sri Rama. Bharata himself lives at Nandigrama.
In Aranya-Kanda, Viradha, a giant, attacks Rama and Lakshmana in the Dandaka forest. Rama kills him. Thereafter, they pay a visit to the Rishis Sarabhanga, Sutikshna, and Atri. Anasuya, wife of Atri, gives an inspiring discourse on the duties of a wife to Sita. Then they meet Rishi Agastya. Rama receives celestial weapons from him. They encounter the giantess Surpanakha in the Panchavati forest. She is disfigured by Lakshmana. Lakshmana cuts her nose and ears. Khara and Trisiras (along with fourteen thousand giants), brothers of Surpanakha, are very much enraged. They fight against Rama. They are slain in the battle.
Surpanakha goes to Lanka and complains to her brother Ravana. Under Ravana's plan, Maricha, uncle of Ravana, assumes the form of a golden deer and appears before Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana. Sita requests Rama to get the deer for her. Rama proceeds to catch the deer and kills it. In the mean time, Ravana carries away Sita in the absence of Rama and Lakshmana. Jatayu, the king of vultures, challenges Ravana, but he is mortally wounded. Rama obtains all information about Sita from the dying Jatayu. He is very much afflicted at heart. Subsequently, Rama and Lakshmana kill Kabandha near the lake Pampa. Then they meet the pious Sabari. She offers them roots and fruits with great devotion.
In Kishkindha-Kanda Rama meets Hanuman on the banks of Pampa. They proceed to Mount Rishyamuka and make an alliance with Sugriva. Sugriva kills Vali with the help of Rama. Sugriva is crowned as the king of Kishkindha. Rama consoles Tara, wife of Vali. Thereupon, Hanuman with a party of monkeys proceeds in search of Sita. He takes with him the ring of Rama as token. He makes a vigorous search and is not able to find out Sita. Jambavan (chief of bears) finds out Sampati, brother of Jatayu, in a cave, who gives out facts. Hanuman climbs up the top of a hill by his direction and from there he leaps across the ocean to Lanka.
In Sundara-Kanda Hanuman's exploits are described. During his aerial journey, Mainaka, an island peak, invites Hanuman to rest on its top at the request of the ocean. Afterwards, Simhika, a monstress living in the ocean, drags him down by catching his shadow. Hanuman kills her. Then he gets a distant view of Lanka and enters the city at night. He finds out Sita in the Asoka grove. He gives her Rama's token and message. Hanuman destroys the Asoka grove. The Rakshasas imprison Hanuman. Hanuman frees himself and sets fire to Lanka. He returns back to the place where Rama is staying and gives Sita's gem to Rama. Rama is highly delighted when he receives Sita's token and her message.
In Yuddha-Kanda, Nala (one of the monkey-chiefs) builds a bridge across the ocean by the advice of the ocean. The heroes with a large army of monkeys cross the ocean and reach Lanka. Vibhishana (brother of Ravana) joins them and tells them how to destroy Ravana and his army. Kumbhakarna, Indrajit, and Ravana are killed in battle. During the battle, both the parties of Rama and Ravana use Astras or weapons charged with Mantras. Rama sends an Astra on Ravana's' party. All Rakshasas appear as Rama. They kill one another. Ravana discharges on Rama, Nagastra (arrow that becomes serpents full of poison). The arrows have their mouths like serpents and vomit forth fire all around. The Rama discharges Garudastra. The arrows becomes Garudas and cut off the serpent arrows on all sides. Garudas are the enemies of serpents. Rama uses Brahmastra to kill Ravana. Sita is rescued. Sita's honour is tested in the fire. She comes out more glorious and effulgent than ever. Vibhishana is then crowned as king in Lanka. Sri Rama with his party returns to Ayodhya in the flying car called Pushpaka. Rama is crowned as Emperor. The people of his kingdom feel extremely happy.
In Uttara-Kanda, Sri Rama's reign is described as Rama-Rajya. There is righteousness everywhere. Everywhere there are plenty and prosperity. There is neither disease nor sorrow. There are neither dacoits nor thieves. Life and prosperity are quite safe. The four Varnas duly observe their Dharmas. Sri Rama goes back to His Supreme Abode (Saketa-Puri or Dhama) after a long and prosperous rule.
However, the Ramayana is also one of the most beautiful Love stories you would ever chance upon. the fact that Humans are corruptible, susceptible to extreme emotions and bad judgement when in the grip of these emotions. It deals with the fallout of actions taken without forethought and the result of Karma. It deals with the different relationships between family and between Friends and allies. And finally, it shows us how social pressure can move even the staunchest of characters into doing things that they wouldn't normally do.
The classical Ramayan is a good read from the point of view of Story telling.
However, a modern version of the Ramayana can be read in the form of Six Books by Ashok Banker. It is a brilliantly written fast paced action filled book which stays true to the story and also incorporates a dark style of writing which brings out the elements of the Ramayana wonderfully.
If we were to take away anything from the Ramayana, it would be Sri Rama stands for the 'Good' (Sattva); Ravana for the 'Evil'. Sri Rama and Ravana fought with each other. Eventually Sri Rama became victorious. The positive always overcomes the negative. Good always overcomes evil. This is a generic piece which is fed to children who learn the Ramayan. It is billed as a classical good vs evil battle when in fact it is much much more.
Source - Swami Sivananda's discourses, C.Rajagopalachari's Ramayan, Kamban Ramayan and Ashok Banker's Ramayan.