RAMAYANAM
(In Short Form)
Writer:
S.Vaidyanathan
About the writer:
Sri.S. Vaidyanathan, writer of this short form of the great epic “RAMAYANAM” is a retired Chief
Manager from State Bank of India. He is very intelligent, pious, dear to everyone, lovable by all,
etc. There are lot of good things to say about to him. He is very straight forward and
courageous. He has knowledge in all the fields, current affairs, cinema, political, shares, etc.
etc. We can say him in short “An Encyclopedia”.
He has also written our another epic “MAHABHARATHAM” in short. He has also written his
auto biography. What he feels is the current and the coming generation should know all about
our epics, our vedas, our rituals, our functions, importance of our culture, what is the cause
behind that and everything which will be a useful one to all.
His hobbies are gardening and collecting useful information in any related areas.
Let us wish him the best to give various useful information for us in the future.
Maha Vishnu, our Protection God, had 9 "Awadars" so far; ie, he will come to Earth
and save people from their greives and hardships in different "Awadars". Eg:
Machcha (fish), koorma (tortoise), Varaha (pig), Narasimha (head-lion and bodyhuman), Vamana (short man-Brahmin), Parasurama, Rama, Balrama, Krishna and Kalki
(to be taken in kaliyugam).
Maha Vishnu took "Awadar" as Sri Ram to teach people "how every individual should
live his/her lif in the way of "Dharma" without causing any problem to any co-lives
including non-human beings.
Once "Maharaja Dasaradha", a descendant of "Surya Vamsam", ruled the country,
"kosala". "Ayodhi" was the captial. Dasaradha chakravarthy had three wives namely
Kausalya, Kaikayee and Sumithra. But they had no children for a long time. The King
was very much in grief. Rajya Guru, Maharishi Vasistar, gave Dasaratha, a
suggestion that he should perform a "yaham" (yagnam) called "Puthira kamest" ie,
Praying to Gods to give them a "boon" to have Children. An Angel (Devada) came out
of the agni and gave a golden pot containing "amudham" (payasam) and asked the
king to give the "Amudham" to his wives Kausalya, Kaikayee and Sumithra. After
giving them, a little quantity was left over. He gave the residue to Sumithra.
The three Queens gave birth to their sons. Kausalya gave birth to Sri Ram ,
Kaikayee gave birth to Baradhan and Sumithra gave birth to Lakshman and
Satruganan. The sons were well educated. They attained their youth.
One day Maharishi Viswamithrar came to the palace of dhasaradha and asked him
to send his son Sri Ram along with him to protect "The Yaham" (yagnam), which he
intended to do, from "Rakshasas" (Asuras, Demons). Dasaradha hesitated to send
his son as he was very young, but advised by Maharishi vasistar, he sent Sri Ram
and Lakahman along with Viswamithra. With the protection of Sri Ram and
Lakshman, Maharishi Viswamithra did the 'Yagnam'.
After that, they reached Mithilai. Janakar was the King of Mithilai. He belonged to
"Ichvaku kulam". He had two daughters namely "Sita" (she is also called Janaki and
Mythili) and "Urmila". King Janakar's brother ,"Kusathvajan", had two daughters
namely "Mandavi" and "Surutha Keerthi". Sita, when she was a child , was found in a
box with "Siva Dhanush", when the land was ploughed.
There was a condition that who wanted to marry Sita should bend the Siva
Dhanush. When Sita and her sisters became old enough to get married , King
Janakar arranged for a "Swayam Varam", where in Princes of many countries
attended. The Princes tried to lift the "Bow" in vain. They could not even shake it.
But Rama lifted the Bow by single hand. The Bow was broken with a thunder noise,
when he bent it.
Rama married Sita with the blessings of his father and Janakar and also of
Maharisis and Devas. Lakshman married Urmila, Bharathan married Mandavi and
Satruganan married Surutha Keerthi. After that Dhasaradha returned to Ayodhi
with his sons and daughter-in-laws.
When King Dasaratha wanted to coronate Rama as the King of Ayoti, Kaikayee,
misguided by her servant Mantharai, a wicked woman, wanted her son Bharathan to
get coronated. She got two"wishes" from Dasaratha as she saved the King in a war,
when she was his sarathy. So she wanted to utilise this opportunity and demanded
that her son, Barathan should be coronated and Rama should go to the forest for
14 years.
Dasaratha tried to convince her that Rama was the eldest son and it should be in
order, if he got coronated. But Kaikayee was very adamant that Barathan should be
coronated and Rama should go to forest for 14 years.
Dasaratha could not do anything. He was very sad. Rama went to his father and
consoled him. He asked his father to coronate his brother Barathan and let him go
to forest. When Rama dressed with saffron coloured clothes wanted to go to
forests, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmanan also dressed with saffaron coloured
clothes wanted to accompany him. Hence, the three (Rama, Lakshmanan and Sita)
went to the forest. King Dasaratha could not bear the pain of leaving Rama. He fell
ill and died.
When Rama and his followers wanted to cross the river, Ganga, one hunter called
"Guhan" helped them to cross the river. Rama, moved very much by Guhan's help
and reception, made him his brother ie, fifth one.
Barathan came to the forest and requested Rama to come back to the palace.
When Rama refused to do so, Bharathan took Paduka (footwear) of Rama and
placed it on the Simhasanam and ruled the country.
In the forest, they spent their lives doing Nithya Karmas and ate fruits whenever
they felt hungry. One day a lady "Surpanaka", sister of "Ravana", King of Sri Lanka,
wanted to marry Lakshmanan. Lakshmanan told her that he was already married and
she had to go away. But she was very adamant that she should live with
Lakshmanan. Left with no other choice Lakshmanan cut her nose. Surpanaka, told
her brother, Ravana that she was very much insulted by Lakshmanan and he should
be punished.
So, Ravana sent a man called "Marichan". Marichan went near the cottage of Rama
in disguise of a Golden Deer. Sita saw that beautiful deer and wanted to have it. So
Rama went after that deer to catch. But it ran away to the farthest distance.
When Rama shot at that deer with his arrow, the deer (Marichan) died calling
"Hey! Lakshmana" loudly to misguide Sita that it was Rama's calling. She asked
Lakshmana to go over there and see whether Rama was in trouble. Lakshmana told
her that it was not Rama's voice and it could be of a Demon to cheat them. But
Sita was very adamant that Lakshmana should go immediately. Left with no other
choice Lakshmana drew a line (called Lakshmana Rekha) and asked Sita not to cross
over it and no other one could also cross it.
Ravana was the son of "Rishi Vichiravas" and "Kaikasi". Mother Kaikasi belonged to
"Asura Kulam". Ravana had two brothers namely "Kumbakarnan" and "Vibhishanan"
and a sister called "Surpanaka".
After death of Marichan, when Lakshmana also went away leaving Sita alone in the
cottage, Ravana came to the cottage in disguise of a Brahmin asking for "Biksha"
(food). As he could not go near the cottage crossing the Lakshman Reka, he asked
Sita to come out and give "Biksha". When Sita crossed over the Lakshman Reka, to
give Biksha, Ravana kidnapped her and went to Sri Lanka.
On the way Jadayu, an eagle tried to prevent Ranana from taking Sita. But Jadayu
could not help her. Sita was kept in "Ashokavanam". Thirisadai, daughter of
Vibhisanan and Dharumai looked after Sita like a mother.
When Rama and Lakshmana came to the cottage, they found that Sita was not
there. They searched for her. But they could not trace her. Searching for her,
they reached one peak called "Rishi Mukh". There were "Sugreevan", "Hanuman",
son of vayu, Angathan, son of Vali and Jambavan (bear like person), son of
Brahmma.
Vali, elder brother of Sugreevan kidnapped Sugreevan's wife. Vali was stronger
than Sugreevan, so he could not conquer him. Rama helped Sugreevan by killing Vali.
Therefore, Sugreevan, Hanuman and others promised to help Rama to find out Sita.
Hanuman, son of Vayu and Anjana, the strongest man, could go anywhere in such a
speed like air and cross overseas.
Hanuman went to Sri Lanka crossing over the seas and met Sita in "Asoka Vanam".
He gave the ring (kanaiyazhi) engraved with Sri Rama's name to Sita to confirm
that he was sent by Sri Ram. Sita was very happy and she gave her "Choodamani" to
Hanuman to be handed over to Sri Ram. Hanuman went to Ravana's Palace. He was
not offered a seat. But he made a seat by his tail and he sat on that seat which
was taller than that of Ravana.
He requested Ravana to send Sita with him and beg Rama's pardon, otherwise he
would be ruined. Ravana got angry and lighted his tail. Hanuman set fire to many
cottages and returned to Rama. He conveyed the message of Sita and handed over
the Choodamani. Therefore they decided to go to Sri Lanka and conquer Ravana.
Before that they had to construct a bridge over the sea. Rama built a bridge
connecting Sethu and Sri Lanka with the help of Sugreevan, Hanuman, Angathan
and other vanaras by placing heavy rocks into the sea. It was called "Sethu
Bandham".
Just to give another oppurtuinity to Ravana to reconsider his action, Rama sent
Angatha to Sri Lanka to convey his message that if Ravana did not send Sita, he
had to meet bad consequences and his entire Asura Kulam would be destroyed
because of his "Adharma". Vibeeshanan, younger brother of Ravana, also advised
Ravana to send back Sita to Rama and beg his pardon. But he did not listen to his
words and drove him out of Palace. Vibeeshnan, finding no other way to follow
Dharma, surrendered himself to Sri Ram.
Finally Rama and his followers reached Sri Lanka and fought with "Kumbakarnan",
brother of Ravana ,"Indhirajit", son of Ravana and others. All of them died in the
war one after the other. Finally Ravana was also killed by Rama. Rama, Sita,
Lakshmana, Vibeeshanan, Sugreevan, Hanuman, Angathan and Jambavan left Sri
Lanka in a Pushpaka Vimanam for Ayodhya. On the way they got down at 'Sethu'
(Rameswaram). Rama did pooja for Sivalingam made of sand to nullify the
"Brahmahaththy Dosham" on account of killing Ravana, who was a scholar of four
vedas and true devotee of God Siva.
After that they reached "Nandhi gramam" where Baradhan was waiting for Rama.
On the advice of Brahmma Rishi, Vasistar, they got rid of the saffron clothes and
dressed usual royal clothes. They went to Ayothi. The entire city of Ayothi,
Kausalya, Sumithra, Kaikayee, Baradhan and Satrugnan, gave them a warm welcome.
Rama was coronated as the King of Ayudhi. Two sons were born to Sita and Rama.
They were Lava and Kucha. They lived for a long time.