24. Ramayana of valmiki and kamban-end of Ayodhya kanda

[Guest guest]

24. Rama leaves for Dandakaranya

After Bharatha left Chithrakoota the rshis residing in Chithrakoota came and informed Rama that the demons Khara and Dhooshana with their followers, who were stationed in Janasthana by Ravana, were giving trouble to them and they wanted to leave the place and go elsewhere.They asked Rama also to go with them but Rama refused saying that he was quite happy there. But Rama was troubled with sad memories of the anguish of his brother and the death of his father etc. and being deprived of the company of the sages also, he decided to seek some other place in Dandakaranya.

 

Rama, with Seetha and Lakshmana went to the hermitage of Athri and were welcomed joyously by the sage and his wife Anasooya, a saintly woman and she was glad to see Seetha and praised her for her love and loyalty towads her husband and extolled the virtue of pathivratha dharma. Seetha said that even if a husband is not virtuous the duty of the wife is to serve him with loyalty and follow him and how much more so when one gets a husband like Rama who is an embodiment of dharma. Anasooya gave Seetha divine garments and auso picious cosmetics as a gift.

 

Then taking leave of the sage and his wife Rama and others proceeded to Dandakaranya.

Here ends the Ayodhyakanda of Valmikiramayana.