Childhood RAMA

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Childhood

King Dasharatha had three wives, namely Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi. The

queens were beautiful, royal, graceful, and faithful to the king. Simplicity,

selflessness, modesty, and willingness to sacrifice their everything for the

king and the kingdom all such virtues, typical of Indian Womanhood, were

embodied in them. They never complained about inconvenience, suffering, pain,

and deficiencies any time, although such situations were rare in a royal house.

 

However, despite a long married life, none of the queens was blessed with

motherhood. Silently, as is every Indian woman's wont, they longed for their own

son or daughter. The king was also aware of the undercurrent of gloom all around

the palace and the kingdom. As was customary in those ancient times, the king

was advised to perform sacrificial rituals (called Yagna). Accordingly,

arrangements were made for the vast resources required for such Yagna. Due

invitations were sent to the most learned and expert 'Pandits' and Brahmins who

would perform such a Yagna. Many months passed by in these rituals, and at last

the Yagna-Devata (The God) was pleased and the rituals and sacrifices bore

fruits. Out of the Yagna-Kunda arose one Divine Form who said:

 

" O king, I am very much pleased with your deep faith and devotion in me. I offer

you these four fruits which would fulfill the desires of the royal family. Your

queens would bear sons in due course of time after ingesting the fruit. "

 

The king, the queens, and for that matter whole of the kingdom of Ayodhya was

agog with pleasure and joy that knew no bounds. Kausalya and Kaikeyi received

one fruit each, and remaining two came to the lot of Sumitra.

 

In due course of time Rama was born to Kausalya, Bharata to Kaikeyi, and Sumitra

gave birth to two sons--Laxmana and Shatrughna.

 

The palace was filled with joy and merriment. The queens were overjoyed with the

arrival of these four lovely princes. Rama was born of the eldest queen and

hence attracted special attention, as the eldest son always had the first claim

to the royal throne.

 

The four brothers grew under the loving care of their parents and relatives in

the royal comforts of the palace. There was no want nor deficiency of any kind.

All the four princes were sharp, intelligent, brave, and healthy. They were

obedient and respectful towards their parents and teachers; and the love amongst

these four brothers knew no precedence.

 

As they grew up, the old king made arrangements for their best education in

humanities, art, science, and expertise in war-games. They acquired all special

skills in archery, etc. at the holy feet of their teachers: Vashishtha and

Vishwamitra.

 

Years passed by and the children grew in lovable, bold, and brave adolescence.

Their command over bow and arrow was not to be equaled by anyone on the earth.

(Sri Rama was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the savior of the universe, who

had come to the earth to eliminate the evil and restore Dharma - righteousness.

But this divine play cannot be known to many. Only a few sages were aware that

Divinity had taken birth on this earth. Rest (like us) including the king, the

queens, the citizens of Ayodhya took Rama and his brothers as ordinary humans.)

 

Rama and Laxmana defeat the demons

 

Meanwhile the forest dwelling rishis and sages encountered great obstacles and

difficulties in performing their rituals of Yagnas. The evil tendencies in the

form of demons used to interfere in their practice and rites by way of beating

up the rishis and their associates. Moreover, the demons used to pour blood and

flesh in the sacrificial fire which made the Yagna 'impure'.

 

Therefore, a delegation of such rishis and sages led by the great sage

Vishwamitra requested king Dasharatha to send Rama and Laxmana to their rescue.

They convinced the king that although Rama and Laxmana were young and

inexperienced, their bravery was unparalleled and unchallenged. These two

brothers alone were capable of fighting the mighty demons and teach them a

lesson for ever.

 

The tender heart of the Mother tried to resist this tough request. No mother

wants her beloved son to take to such an arduous task at such a tender age. But

the noble and dutiful king acceded to the just request of the rishis.

 

Thus the first encounter was on cards where fight between the good and bad

tendencies was to occur. Of course the truth and good always prevails. And as

such the young princes defeated the demons and returned to Ayodhya in due course

of time. The fame and glory of Sri Rama and his brothers spread all over Ayodhya

as well as to far off places.

 

The mighty demon king Ravana in far off Lanka also learnt about this upcoming

force, a challenge to his supremacy.

 

REGRADS

SREEJA

 

 

" Sreeja S. Unnithan " <kaithamadam wrote: DEAR ALL MEMBERS,

 

Years passed by. The princes reached adulthood, and as was customary, it was

felt that they should marry. The search for appropriate brides led King

Dasharatha to the state of Mithila where king Janaka had four beautiful

daughters of marriageable age. Amongst these Sita was the perfection of purity,

grace, modesty, and beauty. King Janaka had arranged for Sita's marriage with

the condition that she would marry that brave and powerful prince who would

break the Bow of Shiva. This Bow of Lord Shiva was unbreakable for ordinary

mortals! For the selfish person it was not approachable. Amongst the poor in

spirit and cowards It created fear and terror.

 

All the four princes of Ayodhya led by Rama decided to participate in this

marriage - Swayamvara - as is known. With great pomp and show, accompanied by

their Guru (Teacher), the foursome left for Mithila on one auspicious day.

 

[A very beautiful account is given regarding the stay of these princess as the

guests of Janaka. How accidental meeting of Rama and Sita leads to blooming of

love in their bosoms; how Sita vows in heart of her heart to marry Rama and Rama

alone, etc.]

 

And the day of reckoning dawns! One by one the princes from various states and

kingdom try their luck in attempting to lift and break that Bow of Shiva. But

was that ever possible! Was that ever destined! Even the most powerful amongst

all the kings, all over the world, the great Ravana of Lanka could not even move

the bow one inch above the ground! Everyone laughed at this tragic show and

defeat of Ravana.

 

Rama Succeeds

 

At last it was the turn of Rama. With due humility and respect, Rama saluted the

Bow (i.e. Shiva Himself), and prayed to give him strength and courage to attempt

and succeed in this almost impossible task. In one attempt Rama lifted and set

apart the bow in two! The whole Royal Court was filled with shouts of 'Glory

Unto Rama, Victory to Rama', etc. However, this made king Ravana jealous and

insulted; he mentally vowed to defeat Rama some day if opportunity arose.

 

Thus, in most wonderful setting, the auspicious marriage of Rama and Sita took

place. Along with Rama, his three brothers also got married to the three sisters

of Sita. Four sons of King Dasharatha married four daughters of King Janaka!

 

Now this Sita, as already mentioned, was pious, obedient, intelligent, simple

and sober lady; the perfect embodiment of purity in thoughts, words, and deeds.

Other than Rama she could not and did not even think of other male. This

faithfulness towards one man - husband - is a very special virtue of Indian

Womanhood, and Sita is the true representative of this. It is, of course, also

imperative that the husband should not think of other woman except his wife.

Therefore, it is common in India to look upon and address every woman other than

wife as " Mother or Sister " .

 

[At the death of her husband, therefore, it was not unusual to see the widow

attempting to immolate herself at the funeral pyre of her husband. Of course,

later in medieval India, many instances of widow burning were related to

acquisition of ancestral property etc - Sati Tradition. But that was an

aberration rather than the rule. Today this system is not in vogue any more.]

 

Coming back to our story, the joyous marriage procession with decorated

chariots, bullock carts, horses and elephants reached Ayodhya. The atmosphere

was of celebration and merriment, as if the princes had returned after having

won a Great War.

 

REGARDS

SREEJA

 

 

 

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