Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama - Story

Story

The story is based on the Ramayana up to the point where Rama defeats Ravana in battle and returns to Ayodhya with Sita; there will be several variations from the original story.

After a brief introduction to some of the main characters of the story, the beginning sees a group of rishis, led by Vishvamitra, performing a yagna in a forest not far from Ayodhya, the Capital of the Kingdom of Kosala. This yagna, like several before it, is interrupted and destroyed by a group of flying demons led by Ravana's relation Maricha. After seeing yet another yagna destroyed, a despondent Vishvamitra appeals to Lord Vishnu for salvation. Vishnu appears in a spiritual blaze of light, informing him of his saviour-Prince Rama of Ayodhya, first-born of King Dasharatha. Vishvamitra travels to Ayodhya to meet the King and requests him to offer Rama's services to help destroy the demons in the forests. Although the Solar Dynasty King is reluctant at first to send the young lad, he is reassured by the resident rishi Vasistha that no harm will come to him and even encouraged to send his third son Lakshmana as an accompaniment.

The three of them then journey into one of the affected forests where Vishvamitra tells them the story of how the once beautiful area was defiled and destroyed by an evil demoness Tataka, mother of Maricha. After informing Rama of his duty, namely to kill Tataka, he then starts to teach the boys some mantras which they repeat, drawing the large demoness out. A few initial arrows from the boys prove ineffectual at first and the demoness seems to be more menacing, but Rama slays her by reciting one of the rishi's mantras and then shooting the arrow, which hits her in the head. She melts away into a burning fire. Following this deed, the boys are each handed sacred weapons, which Vishvamitra says he himself gained mastery over as a reward from the gods. The following morning, Maricha sees the boys from over a cliff and declares his intention to avenge his mother's death. But his attacks are dealt with by the boys, who slay the demon's compatriots while Maricha himself flies away.

Further on in their travels, the three reach the kingdom of Mithila and witness a procession. During that procession Princess Sita, the King's daughter, catches sight of Rama and the two fall in love. The people are informed of a competition held by King Janaka; the man who could successfully lift and string the heavy bow of Shiva would be rewarded with the hand of Sita in marriage. After several failed attempts by the other princes, Rama wins the competition easily-albeit by breaking the bow-and marries Sita, returning with her to Ayodhya.

After several years, the King announces that with the prospect of troubled times ahead for the Kingdom and his own health failing, Rama is to succeed him as heir. All in the Palace are happy, except for an old nurse Manthara. She informs Kaikeyi, the King's third Queen of the news and reminds her of how the King had promised to fulfill two promises to her. She manipulates the initially loyal Queen and convinces her to take advantage of this. Later that night, the Queen meets the King and reminds her of the promise. The King initially agrees to the request, but on hearing her demands he is unwilling to do so and offers her his wealth instead. But the Queen threatens him by informing the people that he reneged on a promise, so he has no option but to accede to her wishes, namely that her own son Bharata be made King and that Rama be sent to exile in the forests for 14 years. While Lakshmana is indignant at circumstances, Rama himself is stoic about the whole situation and has no ill feelings towards Kaikeyi or anyone else. Sita and Lakshmana then declare their intentions to join him in exile. Rama then says his goodbyes to everyone in the palace, and consoles his guilt-ridden father. While leaving he addresses the people of Ayodhya, urging them to support King Dasharatha and Bharata. While watching Rama leave, the King then falls to the ground in anguish and is taken to bed. Rama, his wife and brother then board a sailboat on the banks of the Ganges River and begin their exile.

Meanwhile the King, clearly in a state of ill health, slowly fades into death, murmuring Rama's name and urging forgiveness. He then dies. Bharata, who is away in the Kingdom of Kekeya visiting his grandfather, hears the news and immediately returns to Ayodhya where her mother confirms the sad news as well as the news that he is to be the new King. But far from being happy, the boy is shocked and angered at his mother’s treacherous behaviour and demands to know who manipulated her into doing what she did. The youngest brother, Shatrughna, tells him who it is, hauling the culprit Manthara into the room. Dismissing the old woman’s pleas for mercy, Shatrughna is about to kill her but is dissuaded by Bharata, who nevertheless declares that he will no longer consider Kaikeyi as his mother. Bharata then goes to the forests and meets Rama, informing him of the sad news and urging him to return to the Kingdom. The grieving Rama tells Bharata that in spite of everything, the wishes of their late father must be respected and adhered to. Bharata then agrees to rule the Kingdom, but only in Rama’s name.

A long way away, in the Island of Lanka, the King Ravana and his royal subjects are enjoying a performance when he is informed of the existence of Prince Rama in the forests. Ravana’s sister Surpanakha decides to go and see him, enchanted by his famed good looks. Disguised as a beautiful lady, she enters the forest of Panchavati, where Rama, his wife and his brother are living an idyllic exile in the beautiful area in harmony with the birds and animals there. She tries to entice Rama and Lakshmana but is politely turned down, and then changes into her original demon form when introduced to Sita. She tries to attack Sita but is thwarted by Rama, and Lakshmana then throws his knife, cutting off her nose in the process. The three are relieved at the disappearance of the danger.

The wounded demoness then returns to Lanka and informs Ravana of what happened, and the enraged King of Lanka vows to avenge the attack. After a failed attempt to awaken his brother Kumbhakarna from his sleep, Ravana mulls over going to Panchavati himself and decides to do so after being goaded about Sita’s beauty by his sister. Along with Maricha, Ravana then goes to Panchavati and reminds his companion of their plan to capture Sita. Maricha then changes into a golden deer and attracts Sita, who requests Rama to capture the deer alive. Rama agrees, and tells his brother to protect her. While chasing the deer Rama fires an arrow, only to find the deer disappearing instead of being captured. Realising that the deer is a demon, Rama fires a special arrow into the deer’s neck, killing Maricha. The demon however lives long enough to imitate Rama’s voice and cry out for help. Sita hears the cry and persuades Lakshmana to go and help him out. He agrees, and sprinkles a ring of rice around their house for protection. Ravana then disguises himself as a rishi and approaches the house to ask Sita for alms. He is repelled by the ring of protection around the house, so he urges Sita to come forward. Eventually Ravana hypnotises Sita and carries her onto his chariot, flying away back to Lanka. Jatayu, an elderly bird, hears Sita’s cries for help and attacks Ravana, telling him to release Sita at once. But Ravana fatally injures Jatayu with his sword and continues on his journey home. The two brothers meet in the forest and Rama informs Lakshmana that the cry for help was merely the imitation of his voice by the slain demon Maricha. Fearing the worst, they hurry back home to find Sita gone. Rama is initially full of anger, but calms down following advice from his brother. The brothers then go to another clearing in the forest to find Jatayu, who lives long enough to inform them of the capture of Sita and the ensuing battle between himself and Ravana. After reaching Lanka Sita is taken, screaming, into Ravana’s palace at Lanka and placed under the care of one of Ravana’s servants.

Meanwhile, Rama and Lakshmana are in the middle of their search for Sita when they come across a demonic mountain called Kabandha, who tries to swallow them. The brothers team up to destroy the demon and the uprooted mountain falls to the ground. A bright heavenly spirit then emerges, thanking the brothers for lifting the curse on him and enabling him to return to the heavens, while in return advising them to find Sugriva. Not knowing who Sugriva is, Rama and Lakshmana then continue looking and see a huge palace carved into a hill and decide to go there. They then chance upon a meeting with a flying vanara Hanuman, a messenger to Sugriva, who agrees wholeheartedly to take them to meet him. Sugriva introduces himself to Rama as an exiled vanara King who himself has been living apart from his wife for several years. He informs Rama of Sita’s cries for help that were heard and shows the Prince of Ayodhya a collection of her jewels which were dropped from the sky. After confirming that they were indeed his wife’s jewels, Rama agrees to form a covenant with Sugriva where they will team together and help each other solve their problems. Rama helps Sugriva defeat his brother Vali in battle and restores the Kingdom to his friend. In return, Sugriva sends out large search parties to look for Sita in all corners of the country. The search party to the South is led by Hanuman and includes Vali’s son Angada, who allies himself with Sugriva, and an elderly bear, Jambavan. The three, along with a senior vanara soldier, enter a cliff in search of water and come out the other side, facing the ocean. There, they meet Sampati, brother of the slain Jatayu. After being informed of his brother’s sad demise, the upset and angered bird informs the vanara leaders that Ravana indeed flew over the land they were on now and that he could be found, along with Sita, in the Island of Lanka. Jambavan then tells Hanuman that when he was younger, he was put under a spell which kept his powers in check, but that now he would be released from the spell in order to fly to Lanka and find Sita. Hanuman then flies across the sea and withstands a stern challenge from a dangerous sea monster by killing him and tearing him to pieces.

Among one of Hanuman’s many powers is his ability to change shape at will, and he is able to fly across Lanka without being seen. He sees Ravana walking to a forest where Sita is with her caretaker, and after the King joins his subjects and her caretaker leaves her alone, Sita then bursts into tears, pining for her husband, little knowing that Hanuman is watching her. He jumps down from a tree and introduces himself as Rama’s friend, offering also to take her back. Sita magnanimously refuses, saying that there are many people in Lanka who have been captured and enslaved, and that they need to be freed as well. Hanuman assures her that Rama will defeat Ravana and release the people, while urging her to be patient till then. After having some fun attacking the Royal guards, Hanuman allows himself to be captured by the fire-breathing Kumbha, son of Kumbhakarna. The vanara messenger meets Ravana face to face and warns the Lanka ruler of his folly in capturing Sita while instructing him to return her to Prince Rama and seek his forgiveness. Ravana threatens to kill Hanuman, but after being dissuaded by his brother Vibhishana, decides instead to set fire to the vanara’s tail and let him go home. While grimacing in pain from the fire, Hanuman inadvertently sets fire to a few stalls and buildings in the city before flying away. Vibhishana later pleads with Ravana to release Sita out of fear of impending disaster for Lanka, but Ravana angrily rebuffs him and exiles him from the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva and the vanara Kingdom’s subjects are all gathered along the south coast, discussing how to travel to Lanka. It is then that Vibhishana appears and offers to join Rama’s forces. Rama is convinced of Vibhishana’s sincerity by Hanuman and agrees to accept Vibhishana, who in turn advises Rama to pray to the Sea God for a solution to cross over to Lanka. For seven days and seven nights Rama observes prayers, and on the eighth dawn the Sea God reveals himself and instructs Rama to build a bridge with stones that have his name inscribed. The stones would be supported by the ocean and all living beings could walk across safely. The members of Rama’s army then set about building the bridge, after which they proceed to Lanka where they will set up base camp not far from the capital city. In Ravana’s Palace, the King and his council members discuss the threat of war. Prahastha, the Chief Minister, assures Ravana that the threat is futile and that Rama’s army would be finished off. While an elderly member, presumably Ravana’s father, is against the war and even himself advises the King to return Sita, the other members appear wholeheartedly in support of the war, including Ravana’s son Indrajit. From base camp in Lanka, Rama then asks Angada to convey a message of peace to Ravana, namely that if he was to release Sita and the other prisoners who would in turn take refuge under him, there would be no need of war and the subsequent bloodshed. But when Angada carries this message to Ravana at the Palace, he is rebuffed and even attacked by the Royal Guards. Ravana gives a clear sign that he wants war, and after Angada relays this message to Rama later that evening, the Prince of Ayodhya then addresses his army, asking them if they would fight for ‘Justice and Rama’, to which they emphatically say yes.