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Version
The
Story of Rama: A Brief Synopsis
Retiring
King Dasaratha of Ayodha chooses his son Rama as his heir.
His wife Kaikeyi asks that he appoint another son Bharata,
instead. Kaikeyi pleads that he owes her two favors, and
she feels misfortune will come upon her if he doesn't crown
Bharata king and banish Rama to the forest for fourteen
years. The king reluctantly agrees, so Rama goes with his
beautiful wife, Sita, and his brother Laksmana, leaving
their riches to live a simple life.
In the forest the three meet the demoness
Surpanakha who falls in love with Rama. Rama refuses her
advances and Laksmana wounds her. She flees to her brother
Ravana, ruler of the island kingdom of Lanka. After hearing
Surpanakha's report of the beauty of Sita, Ravana decides
that he must have Sita and changes himself into in wandering
holy man to find her in the forest. When Rama and Laksmana
are distracted, Ravana carries Sita off to Lanka.
Sita mourns in Ravana's garden in Lanka,
while Rama and Laksmana enlist the services of Hanuman,
the monkey king, to help them find her. Hanuman, able to
make himself larger or smaller, starts his search for Sita
by taking a giant step to the Island of Lanka. Carrying
Rama's ring he finds Sita and identifies himself as Rama's
messenger. Sita is delighted, but Hanuman is caught and
Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on fire. Hanuman escapes and
sets fire to Lanka.
Rama, Laksmana, Hanuman, and his monkey
army lay siege on Lanka. The monkeys make a bridge to Lanka,
and after a long battle with spears, bows and arrows, Rama
kills Ravana. Sita, however, is not received by Rama unreservedly;
he questions her chastity after having lived in the house
of another man. When he asks her to undergo the test by
fire; she agrees. Proving her chastity by remaining unscathed
by the fire, she rejoins Rama. Later, Rama abandons her
to maintain the sanctity of public opinion and she goes
to live in the ashram of sage Valmiki and bears twin sons
Lava and Kusa, who as young men became reunited with their
father, the god-king Rama
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The
Story of Rama (pictorial version)
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