Thus Spake Sri Rama

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Introduction:

SRI RAMA

 

Every devout Hindu believes that Lord Vishnu, the All-Pervading

Spirit, appears in an earthly form whenever His presence is needed on

earth to remedy great evils and to re-establish religion. It is

believed that Sri Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya, was in reality an

incarnation of god Vishnu as the seventh advent, and his task then

was to rid India from the onslaught and oppression of the Rakshas, to

protect the saints and sages and to show the ideal of a perfect

polity.

 

In Treta Yuga, there reigned in Ayodhya (U.P.) a noble ruler named

Dasaratha who was not only a glorious king but also a great hero. His

lineage was of the venerable race of the Sun. Though Dasaratha had

three devoted wives, Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra, he was not

blessed with a son to succeed him to the throne. So he performed a

horse-sacrifice under the guidance of the famous sage Rishya-Sringa.

A majestic figure came out of the flames holding a pot full of

Payasam, which the queens consumed, and in course of time Sri Rama

was born of Kausalya, Bharata of Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Satrughna

of Sumitra. The sons are considered to be the parts of Lord Vishnu.

Rama, the eldest, was the repository of all divine virtues, and the

objhect of love, affection and reverence of all. All the training

prescribed for princes was given to the four brothers. Lakshmana was

specially devoted to Rama and Shatrughna to Bharata.

 

When Rama was only sixteen-years of age, sage Viswamitra came one day

to Ayodhya and asked Dasaratha to send Rama and Lakshmana with him to

slay the demons who were creating disturbances nd were not allowing

the sages to do their sacfificial rites. By the blessing of the sage

Viswamitra and by his own powers and skill in archery, Rama killed

all the demons. Receiving blessing of the sages, the brothers were

brought to Mithila, the capital of the renowned king Janaka. Here

Rama exhibited his wonderful strength and skill by lifting and

stringing the wondrous blow of Lord Rudra, which many mighty princes

had failed to do. He drew back the bow-string with such a force that

the weapon snapped asunder with terrific noise. King Janaka, true to

his promise, gave his dearest and lustrous daughter Sita in marriage

to Sri Rama.

 

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