English Nama Ramayanam The Ramayana is a great Sanskrit epic poem written by Sage Valmiki. The Ramayana consists of 24,000 verses which are divided in seven books and 500 cantos. Full text of 'The Ramayana of Valmiki, translated by Hari Prasad Shastri - 3 Volumes Combined - 1709 Pages, with complete Outline' See other formats.
Story of the Ramayana – in pictures In Indian mythology, there are two major epics. The Ramayana, and the Mahabharat. In Treta yuga, the story of Rama and his wife Sita, is the main story around which the Ramayana is written. This epic was written by Sage Valmiki, who himself was a robber, but later mended his ways to become a sage.
The Ramayana epic – written by Sage Valmiki Ramcharitamanas is also written on Rama and Sita by Tulsidas. King Dashrath, the king of Ayodhya organised yagna with a desire for son. Agni, the god of fire presented him with a bowl of kheer(sweet rice). Upon comsumption of kheer, Dashratha would beget sons. Dashrath performing yagna and receiving prasad from Agni god The Kheer or payasam, thus obtained, was distributed among Dashrath’s three wives, Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. Soon enough, these queens have been blessed with sons, Rama, Bharat, Laxman and Shatrughan. Princes Rama, Laxmana, Bharat and Shatrughana as newborn.
In their childhood, sage Vasistha acted as their teacher. He taught them all the skills required by them as the princes. Education of princes by sage Vasistha in the Ramayana Helping Vishwamitra Rama and Laksham helped sage Vishwamitra. Rakshasas were creating problems for him. Sages were unable to perform yagna.
Sage asked Dashrath to give Rama and Lakshman to help him. Dashrath was initially worried. Persuaded by Vasistha, he agreed. This helped the princes as Vishwamitra trained them in warfare. Both brothers killed Taraka and Subahu among other demons. Rama killing Taraka Swayamvar of Sita and liberation of Ahalya Vishwamitra received invitation from King Janak for Sita’s swayamvar. He asked Rama and Lakshman to accompany him.
On the way, they came to a place where Ahilya was present in a form of stone. Rama liberated her on advise of sage. She was serving a curse of sage Gautam, who was her husband. Liberating Ahilya by Rama At Mithila, the challenge of Sita swayamvar was to tie the string of Shiva’s bow.
Many warriors including Ravana has failed in even moving the bow. However, Rama could easily lift the bow.
While trying to string the bow, it broken into two pieces. Sita got Rama as her husband. Rama breaking Shiva’s bow during Sita Swayamvar However, this brought Parshurama (vishnu dashavatar) to the ceremony. There was the classic confrontation between two avatars of Vishnu. Rama succeeded in pacifying parshurama.
Rama and Parshurama’s confrontation Finally, the wedding of Rama and Sita took place. All four brother were married. Lakshman was married with Urmila, Janak’s second daughter and Bharat and Shatrughna with Mandavi and Shrutikirti, the daughters of Janak’s younger brother Kushadhwaj. Wedding of Sita and Rama.