The deeds of Rama that will be described in the sacred poem
The deeds of Rama that will be described in the sacred poem
Having beard the story of the life of the sagacious Rama from the lips of Shri Narada which, when recounted, confers perfect righteousness on the hearer, the holy sage wished to know more concerning the sacred theme. Washing his hands and feet and drinking a little pure water, placing himself facing the east on a seat of kusha grass, with joined palms, he passed into profound meditation and in a vision beheld the history of Rama. Through the grace of Shri Brahma, the holy sage saw all that Rama, Sita and Lakshmana had experienced, observed and done. He witnessed in detail the life of Rama, who was truth incarnate and all that he had accomplished in the forest and other places.
By the power of spiritual meditation and yoga, the Sage Valmiki saw the whole past as clearly as if it were a fruit placed on the palm of his hand. Thus, having witnessed all, the most enlightened sage began to describe the life of Shri Rama in verse.
The history of Shri Rama, which confers righteousness, worldly prosperity and delight on the reader, which does not degrade the mind and grants release from sorrow, that story which charms the heart and is as full of lovely gems as is the sea, was rendered by Shri Valmiki, in the form in which Shri Narada had related it to him.
- The birth of Rama,
- His valor,
- His benevolence to all men,
- His universal goodwill,
- His clemency,
- His pleasing looks,
- His sweet disposition,
- His love of truth,
- His humility,
- His helpful services to the Sage Vishwamitra,
- The instruction given by the
- Sage Vishwamitra to him and his patient hearing of it;
- His breaking of the great bow;
- His marriage to Princess Sita;
- His controversy with Parasurama;
- The preparations for his coronation;
- A description of his great qualities;
- The opposition offered by Queen Kailreyi to the coronation;
- His departure to the forest;
- The lament and death of King Dasaratha,
- The grief of the people of Ayodhya;
- Rama’s speech with the ferryman;
- His farewell to Samantra;
- His crossing of the Ganges;
- His visit to the holy Sage Bharadwaja;
- His departure for Chittrakuta on the instance of the sage;
- His dwelling in the leaf-thatched hut on Mount Chittrakuta;
- The grief of the king on Sumantra’s return and the monarch’s departure to heaven;
- the arrival of Shri Bharata at Chittrakuta to persuade Rama to return to his kingdom;
- His stay at the hermitage;
- His interview with Rama;
- The funeral rites of his sire;
- Rama’s refusal to rerum;
- The receiving of Rama’s sandals by Bharata as a symbol of authority;
- Bharata’s installation of the symbol and his ruling of Ayodhya from Nandigrama;
- Shri Rama’s visit to the Dandaka forest;
- His slaying of the wicked Virodha (a man-eating demon);
- His interview with the Sage Sharabhanga;
- His arrival at the hermitage of Sutikshna;
- The meeting of Anasuya with Shri Sita and the imparting of teachings to her;
- The visit of the Sage Agastya;
- His residence at Panchavati;
- The meeting with Jatayu;
- The appearance of Shurpamakha;
- The conversation of Rama and Lakahmana with her;
- Shupamakha’s mutilation;
- The slaying of Khara, Dusana and Trishira;
- The arrival of Ravana;
- The slaying of Maricha;
- The abduction of Sita;
- Rama’s lament on his separation from Sita;
- The slaying of Jatayu by Ravana;
- The meeting with Kabandha;
- The arrival at Lake Pampa;
- Rama’s interview with Shabati;
- His arrival at the Rishyamukha mountain;
- His meeting with Hanuman;
- Rama’s seal of friendship with Sugriva;
- His promise to destroy Bali;
- The combat between Bali and Sugriva;
- The slaying of Bali;
- The mourning of Tara;
- The installation of Sugriva;
- Shri Rama’s sojourn on the mountain in the rainy season;
- Sugriva’s exceeding of the stated time for his mission, Rama’s anger against him;
- Lakahmana’s delivery of the message to Sugriva;
- Sugriva’s visit to Rama;
- His propitiation of Rama;
- The organizing of the monkey army;
- The dispatch of the monkeys to find Sita’s abode;
- The description of the earth given to them;
- The giving of Rama’s ring to Hanuman;
- The monkeys entry into the dark cave;
- Their fasting on the seashore in preparation for death;
- Their interview with Sampati, the king of the vultures;
- His information respecting Lanka;
- Hanuman’s leap and his crossing of the sea;
- The emergence of the Minaks hill from the ocean;
- The slaying of the wicked female demon Singhika who imprisoned her victims by capturing their shadow;
- The appearance of Lanka by night;
- The entry of Hanuman into Lanka and his lonely reflections;
- His seeing of the wicked Ravana and his aerial chariot Pushpaka;
- Hanuman’s entry into the inner apartments, where Ravana is drinking surrounded by women;
- Hanuman’s search for Sita and his beholding of the princess in the ashoka garden;
- Ravana’s entry into the garden and his solicitation of Sita;
- Her reproaches;
- The threatening of Sita by the female asuras;
- Trijata’s description of her dream concerning the delivery of Shri Rama’s ring to Sita by Hanuman;
- The conversation on this matter;
- The gift of the jewel to Hanuman by Sita;
- The destrUCtion of the grove by Hanuman;
- The flight of the women asuras;
- The slaying of Ravana’s guards by Hanuman;
- The capture of Hanuman and the burning of Lanka by him;
- The re-crossing of the sea;
- The eating of the fruits of the Madhu forest;
- The words of consolation offered to Shri Rama by Hanuman and the delivery of Shri Sita’s jewel to him;
- The arrival of Shri Rama at the seashore and the bridging of the sea by Nala and Nila;
- The siege of Lanka;
- the arrival of Ravana’s brother Vibishana to take refuge with Shri Rama and the disclosure by him of the design to destroy Ravana;
- The slaying of Kumbhabma and Meghanads;
- The destruction of Ravana;
- The reunion with Sita;
- The crowning of Vibisbana, King of Lanka;
- The offer of the aerial chariot Pushpaka by Vibishana to Rama;
- The return of Shri Rama to Ayodhya;
- The reunion with Prince Bharata;
- The crowning of Shri Rama as king;
- The farewell to the monkey army;
- The rejoicings of his subjects at the coronation;
- The repudiation of Sita;
— these and all the other deeds of Rama on earth have been described in the sacred poem written by the blessed Valmiki himself.
