Ramayana

• Ramayana & Mahabharata - two longest epics of ancient India
• Ramayana - written by a sage named Valmiki, comprised with seven "kandas" or book.
• • Bala Kanda: "The Book of the Youth"
  • Ayodhya Kanda: "The Book of Ayodhya"
  • Aranya Kanda: "The Book of the Forest"
  • Kishkindhya Kanda: "The Book of The Empire of Holy Monkey"
  • Sundara Kanda: "The Book of the Beautiful"
  • Yuddha Kanda: "The Book of War"
  • Uttara Kanda: "The Book Beyond"
• Dasharatha was the King of Ayodhya and had three wives and four sons.
• Rama was the eldest and his mother was Kaushalya. Bharata was the son of Dasharatha's second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi. The other two were twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna whose mother was Sumithra.
• In the neighboring city, the ruler's daughter was named Sita.
• When it was time for Sita to choose her bridegroom, princess from all over the land were asked to string a giant bow, which no one could lift. However, Rama picked it up, he not only strung the bow, he broke it.
• Seeing this, Sita indicated she had chosen Rama as her husband.
• A few years later, King Dasharatha decided it was time to give his throne to his eldest son Rama and retire to the forest. Everyone seemed pleased, aside from Queen Kaikeyi since she wanted her son Bharata to rule.
• Because of an oath Dasharatha had made to her years before, she got the king to agree to banish Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata, even the king pleaded with her not to demand such requests.
• The devastated King could not face Rama and it was Queen Kaikeyi who told Rama the King's decree. Rama, always obedient, was content to go into banishment in the forest. Sita and Lakshmana accomapnied on his exile.
• One day Rama and Lakshmana wounded a Rakshasas a demon princess who tried to seduce Rama.
• She returned to her brother Ravana, ten-headed ruler of Lanka. In retaliation, Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita after hearing about her incomparable beauty.
• Ravana sent one of his demons disguised a magical golden deer to attract Sita.
• Rama and Lakshmana went to hunt the deer down for her. Before they did though, they drew a protective circle around Sita and told her that she would be safe for as long as she did not step outside the circle.
• After Rama and Lakshmana left, Ravana appeared as a beggar. The moment Sita stepped outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabbed her and carried her to his kingdom in Lanka.
• Rama then seeks help of a band of monkeys. They agreed to find Sita.
• Hanuman, the general of the monkey band can fly his father is the wind. He flew to Lanka, and finding Sita in the grove, comforted her and told Rama would come to save her soon.
• Ravana's men captured Hanuman and Ravana ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to set it on fire.
• With his tail burning, Hanuman escaped and hopped from house-top to house-top, setting Lanka on fire.
• Hanuman then flew back to Rama to tell him where Sita was.
• Rama, Lakshmana and the monkey army built a causeway from the tip of India to Lanka and crossed to Lanka where a cosmic battle occured.
• Rama killed several Ravana's brothers and eventually confronted the ten-headed Ravana. He killed Ravana, freed Sita.
• Rama returned to Ayodhya where Bharata returned the crown to him.