Learning Graph

In the holy town of Ayodhya lived king Dasharatha with his three wives Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi. They lived happily with each other. But they had no children and hence the King performed a yagna for them. As a result of the yagna Rama was born to Kausalya, Bharata to Kaikeyi, and Sumitra gave birth to two sons--Laxmana and Shatrughna.

When the boys became of marriageable age King Dasharatha decided to go to Mithila to meet King Janaka. He had four daughters of marriageable age. His eldest daughter Sita was going to marry the person who broke the sword of Lord Shiva. This was no big feat for Rama and he broke it in no time. He married Sita and his other three brothers married Sita’s three sisters.

Once Brave Kaikeyi had accompanied King Dasharatha to the battlefield and had saved his life. The King had granted her two vows and had told her that she could use them whenever she wanted.

Kaikeyi’s maid servant Manthara tried to convince her that if Lord Rama sits on the throne her son Bharata will never get the opportunity to do so. So she told her for the sake of love for her son she must ask the King for the two vows he had given her. Kaikeyi could not take it as she loved Rama and Bharata equally. But she finally succumbed to her maid servant and asked the King’s for his vows. She asked him that one, Bharata should be made to sit on the throne and two, Rama should be sent to jail for fourteen years.

When the decision was conveyed to Rama he happily agreed and Sita and Laxmana decided to accompany them. He first met Guhaka belonging to the outcast community Bhilla. This community was neglected by everyone because of their caste and was really suffering. Rama came and hugged him and met him with a lot of love. But he refused to take any comforts from him and made his own arrangements to stay.

During the period when Kaikeyi was asking for her vows Bharata was away. When he returned he was shocked to see what had happened in Ayodaya. He showed his anger to his mother and pleaded to his father how he could remove his sorrow. But his father breathed his last saying Rama Rama.

Rama with his wife and brother now reach the ashram of the sage Bharadwaja. After that they walked to the bank of the Ganges where the boatman Kewat took them to the other side of the river.They then went to the mountain of Chitrakoot and became friendly with the tribal people. In the meantime Bharata came to plead Rama to come back. But Rama explained to him that he had been banished for a higher cause and not to think all this emotionally but practically. Bharat finally said "O Rama, I agree with what you said. but remember, I will take care of Ayodhya on your behalf from my ashrama in a nearby village. The throne will be decorated with the wooden sandals of your feet which I beg you to give to me. I refuse to enter Ayodhya till your return after fourteen years. If you fail to show up after fourteen years I will immolate myself on the burning pyre."

When it was found that the resolve of Bharata was final, Rama agreed to his conditions and gave away his wooden shoes to Bharata who carried them on his head to Ayodhya.

The trio now went to Panchvati which is near the present day Nasik. There Shurpankha , Ravana’s sister saw Rama and wanted to marry him. She took the form of a beautiful girl and approached Rama with her proposal. But Rama refused and on that Shurpankha got angry and went back to her original form. She attacked Rama and on that Laxmana cut off her nose. The bleeding Shurpankha went to her brother Ravana who promised to take her revenge.

Ravana started on his mission and asked his minister Marich to take the form of a deer. Sita got attracted to the deer and asked Rama to get it for him. When Rama got up the deer started running fast and finally it got attached by Rama’s bow. The deer imitated Rama’s voice and said “Dear Laxmana please help me”. On hearing that Sita pleaded Laxmana to go help him which he did after drawing a laxman rekha for her which he asked her not to cross.

In the meantime Ravana took the form of a saint and came to Sita’s hut asking for food. Sita gave it to him without crossing the Laxman Rekha but when the saint showed his displeasure she gave him food crossing the Laxman Rekha. The saint took his original form and attacked Sita and started his journey to his palace. On his way he was attacked by the vulture Jatayu, who was killed by Ravana. But Jatayu saw to it that before breating his last he will inform Rama the way that Ravana went.

Rama now went to the ashram of Shabri. She was a old lady who a real bhakt of Rama. She had become old thinking that one day she will get Rama’s darshan. She did a lot of seva of Rama and offered him berries that had been tasted by him to test if they were not sour. She directed him to go to Kishkindha where the monkey king Sugreeva and the great Rama devotee monkey Hanuman would be of great help in their search of Sita.

Rama meet his greatest devotee Hanuman and from him he came to know that the cruel king of Kishkinda Vali had unjustly taken the throne from his brother Sugreeva. Rama fought a battle against Vali and gave back the throne to Sugrreva. Son of late Vali - Angad - had joined his uncle and Rama in this mission. He became a great devotee of Rama. Jambuwanta, a bear, also came to help them.

Hanuman, Angad, Jambuwanta, and others reached the southern tip of India. There met Jatayu’s brother Sampati who told them about Sita’s whereabouts. He told them how Sita was trapped in Ravana’s palace and was sitting under a tree.

Hanuman meet Ravana’s brother Vibhishana and came to realize that he will be a great help in fighting the battle against Ravana.Hanuman found Sita and gave her the ring that Lord Rama gave him. Exited by his victory he took up a fight with Meghnath and he won over him. But unfortunately he was caught by Ravana’s guards. The guards where advised by Ravana to set his tail on fire. But Hanuman made his tail very long and became small and set himself free. He then set fire on the whole Lanka with the fore on his tail.

After Ravana’s return Rama and Laxmana made an army of monkeys and bears headed by Angad and decided to attack Lanka. They made a bridge of Floating stones to cross the Indian Ocean from India to Lanka.

Rama first sent Angad to try and convince Ravana to give up Sita and call off the battle. But Ravana’s ego had no end and he refused. So war started and Rama with the help of Vibhishana attacked Lanka and killed many of Ravana’s guards and soldiers. Ravana got a little panicky and asked for Kumbhakarna on the battlefield. Kumbhakarna used to sleep for 6 months and wake up for 6 months. He happily agreed to his brother’s command. He had immense powers in his had and he created a lot of havoc in the battlefield. Finally Rama killed him with his arrow and he died saying Rama Rama.

Ravana now sent his son Indrajeet who had the Brahmastra granted by Lord Bhrama to the battle field. Whoever was attacked by this weapon was sure to die. He attacked Laxmana by the Brahmastra and due to powers of Rama Laxmana merely fainted. Rama asked a physician to examine Laxmana and the physician told him that he needs Sanjeevani herb to cure Laxmana. Hanuman agreed to get it. He became big in size and then flew to the Himalayas to get the herb. He reached the Himalayas to get the herbs but as he was confused which one was it was he got the whole mountain for Laxmana. This herb cured Laxmana. Rama the next day killed Indrajeet with one special arrow and his dead caused a lot of sorrow to Ravana and his wife Mandodari. She persuaded him to give up the battle but he was adamant and he said he will fight the next day and the might of the warriors will die. He took the name of Lord Shiva the next day and started off on his battle. Ravana had ten heads and even Rama’s powerful arrows could not do anything to him. Then Vibhishana suggested that his abdomen was his weak spot and if Rama could point an arrow at his abdomen he was sure to die and so he did. Ravana at last breathed his last. Rama finally met Sita, but he told her that he had no doubt of her purity for his people he needs her to give a proof of her purity. Sita gave the Agni Pariksha and proved her purity. The trio now returned to Ayodhaya and they were welcomed by Bharata.