Birth of Lord Rama Chandra.

On the banks of the Sarayu River stood the beautiful city of Ayodhya, the capital of
Kosala. In the city there were magnificent palaces decorated with precious stones.
Spires of great temples rose above the city as if to touch the sky. For protection, the
city was surrounded by a great moat. The people of Ayodhya were peace loving and
happy. No one was ignorant or poor. Everyone had faith in God and read the
scriptures daily. Even though Dasharatha had everything that he desired, he
wasvery sad at heart; he had no children.
At the same moment many of the demigods were growing more and more angry
with Ravana, the ruler of the rakshasas, or demons. Ravana was no ordinary looking
demon. He had ten heads and twenty arms. Years ago Ravana was granted a boon,
or promise. This boon protected him from demigods and demons. But he was using
his power to prevent the demigods and holy men from performing sacred rituals. All
the demigods went to Bramha who gave the boon to Ravana. Bramha took them to
Vishnu and all of them offered prayers to Vishnu. Vishnu assured them that he will
take care of them. Vishnu thought, "Ravana, in his arrogance, protected himself only
from those beings whom he thought could hurt him. He failed to protect himself
from humans and monkeys."
Vishnu decided to be born as a human who could kill Ravana. The demigods and
holy men were pleased with his decision.
The childless Dasharatha was advised by his family priest Vashishtha to perform a
fire sacrifice ceremony to seek the blessings of God for children. Vishnu, the
preserver of the universe, decided to manifest himself as the eldest son of
Dasharatha in order to kill Ravana. While performing the fire worship ceremony, a
majestic figure rose from the sacrificial fire and handed to Dasharatha a bowl of
rice pudding, saying, "God is pleased with you and has asked you to distribute this
rice pudding(payasa) to your wives - they will soon bear your children."
The king received the gift joyfully and distributed the payasa to his three
queens,Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Kausalya, the eldest queen, gave birth to
the eldest son Rama. Bharata, the second son was born to Kaikeyi and Sumitra gave
birth to the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Lord Rama saves Sita Devi

OnceinLanka,RavanatriedtoconvinceSitatostayinLankaandbehisqueen.ButSitalovedonly
Rama.HearingthisRavanaledSitaoutofthepalaceandintoagarden.Heguardedherwithmany
demons.
AfterlearningfromJatayuthatSitahadbeentakenbythedemonkingRavana,RamaandLakshmana
gaveJatayuaproperfuneralandbegantheirsearchforSita.TheyenteredKishkindha,thekingdomofthe
monkeys.SoontheycametoamountainwhereSugreevalived.HewastherulerofKishkindhabuthad
beenforcedoutofthekingdombyhisbrotherVaali.Hanuman,adevotedfollowerofSugreeva,guarded
theentrancetothekingdom.SeeingtheRamandLakshmanapproach,heorderedthemtohaltandasked
fortheirpurposeinthekingdom.Aftergettingsatisfactoryanswer,HanumantookbothofThemtosee
Sugreev.AftermeetingRamandLakshman,SugreevpromisedtohelpthemsaveSitaiftheyhelphim

regainKishkindafromhisbrother.RamaandLakshmanadidastheywereasked.Theydefeated
Sugreeva'sbrotherandwonbackthethrone.Aftertherainyseasonpassed,Sugreevsentallhisarmyin
fourdirectionsinsearchofSitaforonemonth.Attheendofthemonth,threeofthefourdivisions
returnedwithnowordofSita'swhereabouts.OnlyHanuman'sdivision,whowentsouth,hadyettoreturn.
AsHanumanandhismensearchedforSita,theymetSampaathi,brotherofJatayuandaskedforhishelp
inlocatingSita.SampaathihadsharpvisionandhelookedacrosstheoceanandtoldthemthatSitaisin
AshokagardennearRavana'spalace.
Hanuman'sarmymarchedtothemightyocean.Therewasnowaytheycouldcrossthisgreatbodyof
water.Hanumanprayedforstrength.HanumanprayedtoRama.Thenincredibly,hebegantogrow.He
grewsohugethatthegroundbegantoshake.OnlywiththethoughtofservingRam,Hanumanleaptinto
theskytocrosstheocean.Onthehorizon,hecouldseeLanka.Asheapproachedthecity,hechanged
backtohisnormalsize.OnceinLanka,hesetouttofindSita.
SoonhecameuponRavana'spalace.Helookedineachofthepalacegardens,buthecouldnotfindSita.
HowcouldhereturnwithoutSitaorsomewordofherwhereabouts.Thenhesawagroveoftrees.
BeneathoneofthetreeswasthemostbeautifulwomanHanumanhadeverseenandwascryingforLord
Ramrepeatedly.
Hanumanlookedaround.HenoticedthatSitawassurroundedbymanyshedemons.JustasHanuman
wasaboutapproachher,hesawRavanacoming.ThekingofLankawassatonthegroundnexttoSita.
HeaskedSitatocomelivewithhimashisqueenbutSitalovedonlyRamandrequestedhimtolethergo
forshewouldaskRamtosparehislife,otherwiseRamwillsaveherbykillingallthedemonsincluding
Ravana.Hearingthis,Ravanawentawayfromherangrily.Hanumanwhowaswatchingthishidinginthe
treewaitedandwaiteduntiltheshedemonsguardingSitaweregettingtired.Onebyonetheyfellasleep.
HerewashischancetospeaktoSita.Hanumanapproachedherandkneltatherfeet.Heconveyedthat
LordRamsenthimandshowedherRam'sringwhenSitadevididnotbelievehim.SeeingLordRam's
ring,shegaveHanumalajeweltotaketoRamandtellRamtocomeandsaveher.
Suddenlythedemonsawoke.TheyattackedHanuman.Hekilledmanyandwascapturedandtakentothe
palace.RavanaorderedpunishmentbysettingHanuman'stailonfire.Astheking'smenwrapped
Hanuman'stailinclothtosetitonfirehegrewitlongerandlonger.Themoretheywrapped,thelonger
Hanumangrewhistail.Finally,withhislongtailonfire,Hanumanflewintothesky.Hedecidedtoset
thecityofLankaablazetopunishRavana.Heflewlowoverthecityandseteachbuilding,temple,palace
andgardenonfire.Flamesshothighintothesky.AsheflewoverAshokagardenhemadesureSitawas
safe.Thenbeforeheheadedhome,heputhistailintheoceantoputoutthefire.Hanumanhurriedback
totellRamathegoodnews.Withoutsayingaword,HanumangaveRamaSita'sjewel.
MeanwhilebackatLankapalace,Vibhishana,Ravana'sbrother,triedtosaveSita'slife.But
RavanawouldnotlistentoVibhishana'swisewords.Vibhishanawarnedagainandleftthepalaceand
magicallyflewtoLordRama'scamp.VibhishanadeclaredthatheisthebrotherofRavanabutleft
Lankabecausehecouldn'tconvinceRavanatoreturnSita.
NowRamahadtomakeabattleplan.VibhishanatoldhimthatRavanaandhisevilson,Indrajit,had
greatmagicalpowers.Hisarmywasmadeupofmillionsofdemons.Forhishonestyandbravery,Rama
promisedVibhishanathathewouldbecomethenewkingofLanka.
Ramastoodontheshorelineofthegreatoceanandspoketotheoceangodforpassageacrosstheocean.
TheoceanrepliedthathewouldsupportthebridgebuiltbyLordRam'sarmy.Withthehelpofthe
monkeyarmy,Nalaputupabridgemadeofwood,rocks,andstones.Everycreaturehelpedinitsown
way.IttookfivedaystocompletethebridgetoLanka.
Rama,Hanuman,andthemonkeyarmycrossedthebridgebynightfall.Onthemorningofthefifthday,

thegreatbattlebegan.Eachsidesufferedterriblelosses.BloodfilledthestreetsofLanka.Bodiesof
fallenwarriorswereeverywhere.RamaandLakshmanafoughtgallantly.Hanumanwasinjuredinaduel.
Vibhishanashowedgreatvalor.
Indrajit,Ravana'sson,rainedpoisonarrowsuponRamaandLakshmana.Sooverwhelmingwasthis
attack,thatthetwobrotherssufferedmanywounds.RamaandLakshmanawerebleedingheavily,but
theyfoughton.Indrajithurledevenmorepowerfulweaponsatthem.Eachweapontookanewtoll.Rama
andLakshmanafelltothegroundunconscious.Vibhishanaprayedtothegodsfortheirsafety.
Whilethemonkeywarriorsstoodbygriefstricken,thebattleragedonwithoutRamaandLakshmana.
Ravana'sdemonsmadethemselvesinvisibleandattackedtheheartofthemonkeyarmy.Ravana'sforces
weremerciless.Thousandswerekilledbyunseenattackers.
Withhisremarkablestrength,Hanumansmashedtheskullofeveryvisibleenemy.Hechallengedanyof
Ravana'smentoadvance.SeeingHanuman'sgreatcourage,themonkeyarmyralliedbehindtheirleader
andfoughtharder.
Ravana'sarmywaslosingitsadvantage.Angeredbythisnews,hedecidedtojointhebattle.Heclimbed
inhischariotandsoaredaboveLankainsearchofRama.BynowRamaandLakshmana,having
regainedconsciousnessbutstilldazed,returnedtothefight.Ravanaviewedthebattlescenefromthe
clouds.ThenhespottedLakshmana.Heaimedhismagicbowandfired.Thearrowcutthroughtheair
andstruckRama'sbrotherinthechest.Hecollapsed.HanumanrushedtoLakshmana'sside.Hegently
liftedthewoundedprinceandcarriedhimtosafety.
JustwhenthingswerestartingtolookupforRama'swarriors,Indrajitreturnedtothebattle.Hewasnow
invisible.AllthemonkeysoldierscouldhearwasthemockinglaughterofIndrajitashesoaredoverthem.
Indrajit'sweaponstookanenormoustollonthemonkeys.Bythetimehereturnedtothepalace,every
monkeywaseitherwoundedorkilled.OnlyRama,Hanuman,andVibhishanaremainedstanding.
Theninaweakenedvoice,Jambuvan,oneoftheleadersofthearmy,saidthatthereisstillawayto
regainadvantageanddefeatRavana.AskedHanumantogotoKailasaMountaintobringmedicinalherbs
beforesunrisetosavetheirarmy.Hanumanroseabovetheearthandflewoffwithgreatspeed.
Whenhereachedthemountain,hesawthehillthatJambuvandescribed.Buthecouldnotfindtheherbs.
Realizingtimewasshort,heuprootedtheentirehillandcarrieditbacktoLanka.Hanumanflewoff
balancingthehillinonehand.
WhenhereturnedtoLanka,themonkeywarriorsbeganinhalingthehealingairoftheherbs.Onebyone,
theyrosetotheirfeetandregainedtheirstrength.EvenLakshmanarecoveredfromhisnearmortal
wound.Hanumanreturnedthehilltoitsoriginalplace.
Usingalltheirweapons,Rama,Lakshmana,Vibhishana,andHanumanfinallyoverpoweredIndrajit.
Ravana'ssonhadfoughtlongandhard,butnowhewasdead.Hearingofhisson'sdeath,Ravanadecided
nowwasthetimetokillRamaandputanendtothisbloodshed.
Arminghimselfwithhismostpowerfulweapons,RavanaleftLankapalace.HespottedRamaleadingthe
monkeyarmytowardthecitygates.RavanafiredamagicarrowatRama.Seeingthearrow,Ramasplitit
withhisownarrow.Ravanatriedeverythingtooverpowerhisfoe.Buteachtime,Ramahadan
answer.Ramareachedforhismostpowerfulweapon,theBrahmamissile.Hefiredtheweaponattheon
rushingRavana.ThemissilestruckRavana'schestandexploded.Ravanafelldead.
ThedevataspraisedRama.Vibhishanakneltatthebodyofhisdeadbrotherandburstintotears.Rama
consoledVibhishanaandaskedhimtopreparethefuneralritesforhisbrother.Followingthefuneralrite,
RamamadeVibhishanathenewkingofLanka.
Vibhishana'swifeandmaidenstookSitafromthegarden.SitaDeviwasadornedwithbeautifulsariand
jewels.MotherSitacouldnotwaittoseehervictorioushusband.RamaenteredthepalaceandSitabowed

athisfeet.Then,theybothreturnedtoAyodhya.
LordRam'scoronationtookplacewithgreatsplendor.Ramagavepricelessgiftstoallhisfriends.Healso
gaveaninvaluablenecklaceandornamentstoSitadevi.ButsherememberedthegreathelpofHanuman
andgavethemtohim.