Thursday, December 18, 2025

Introduction to Ayōdhyākāṇḍa

 

श्री रामायणम् – Śrī Rāmāyaṇam

Introduction to Ayōdhyākāṇḍa (अयोध्याकाण्ड)

Ayōdhyākāṇḍa covers the following incidents.

·       After Bharata departs to his maternal uncle’s house in Kekeya kingdom, Shri Rama and Lakshmana serve and assist their father King Dasaratha for 12 years

·       King Dasaratha proposes to anoint Shri Rama as Prince regent, who will succeed him as a king - after his demise - and everyone agrees. 

·       When preparations are in full swing, Kaikeyi, the dearest wife of King Dasaratha demands, at the ill-advise of her maid Manthara,  the king to fulfil the 2 boons that he gave her long back,ie., (i) Bharata, her son, should be anointed as the Prince regent in the place of Shri Rama and (ii) Shri Rama should be sent to Forest, to live like an ascetic, for 14 years.

·       In order to save the word given by his father, Shri Rama decides to go to the Forest for 14 years.  Sita and Lakshmana follow him

·       On his way to the Forest, Shri Rama meets Sage Bharadwaja, Sage Valmiki and finally reaches Chitrakuta mountain.

·       Unable to bear the separation from his dear son Shri Rama, King Dasaratha dies wailing.

·       A word was sent to Bharata to come back quickly by Sage Vasistha. 

·       On his arrival, Bharata refuses to become the king of Kosala Kingdom, as he thinks himself not suitable for the post and proceeds to Chitrakuta along with family priests, mothers and army, to bring back Shri Rama

·       Shri Rama laments for the death of his father but refuses to come back to Ayodhya, as he wants to honour the boon given by his father to Kaikeyi

·       Bharata requests Shri Rama to offer his sandals to be carried by him to Ayodhya so that the people there would get gain and security. Rama agrees to it and offers his sandals to Bharata, who takes a vow before Rama to enter fire in case he did not return immediately after the expiry of his term of exile for 14 years

·       Not wiling to enter Ayodhya without his brother Shri Rama, Bharata makes Nandigrama, a village near to Ayodhya, as his temporary residence and ruled the kingdom from there

·       Shri Rama visits sage Atri and Anasuya and enters the Dandakaaranya.

 

 

Bālakāṇḍa Part-8

Ayōdhyākāṇḍa Part-1

 

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