In Ayodhya, there was an illustrious and powerful monarch, the subduer
of foes and the renowned ornament of the exalted house of the sun, named
Dasaratha in whose family, for the purpose of relieving the Earth of her
burden, Bhurisravas (Vishnu) deigned to incorporate his divine substance
as four blooming youths. The eldest, endowed with the qualities of
imperial worth, was Rama.
He goes with his brother Lakshmana to the court of Mithila, to try his
strength in the bending of the bow of Siva, and thereby win Sita for his
bride. The hero triumphs. The bow is broken with a deafening sound which
brings Parasurama there. Rama wins his bride. He tries the bow of
Parasurama and shoots an arrow from it which flies to Swerga or heaven.
The Brahmin hero now acknowledges the Kshatriya hero to be his superior.
Rama is married to Sita. The sweet loves of the happy pair grows with
enjoyment.
Various portents then indicate Rama's impending separation from his
father. The sun looks forth dimmed in radiance. Fiery torches wave along
the sky. Meteors dart headlong through midheaven. Earth shakes. The
firmament rains showers of blood. Around, the horizon thickens. In the
day, the pale stars gleam. Unseasonable eclipse darkens the noon. Day
echoes with the howls of dogs and jackals, whilst the air replies with
horrid and strange sounds, such as shall peal, when the destroying deity
proclaims in thunder the dissolution of the world. Rama is exiled. At
this, the king dies in agony. It is the result of the stern curse
denounced upon the king by the father of the ascetic whom the king,
hunting in his youthful days, had accidentally slain.
Rama fixes his residence at Panchavati. Maricha, a Rakshasa, now appears
as a deer. The supposed animal is chased by Rama and Lakshmana at Sita's
request.
Ravana then comes disguised to see Sita. He mutters, "pious dame! Give
me food." She heedlessly oversteps the magic ring traced by Lakshmana,
when the Rakshasa seizes her by the hand stretched in charity. She calls
in vain the sons of Raghu. Jatayu, the vulture, endeavours to rescue
her, but is slain. She encounters Hanuman, the chief Counsellor of
Sugriva, the dethroned king of the Monkeys, and begs him to carry her
ornaments, which she casts to him, to Rama.
Having slain the deer, the prince, with his brave brother, returns to
their bower. He seeks Sita, but seeks in vain. His steps tread three
several quarters, the fourth he leaves, overcome with grief and terror,
unexplored.
Rama prosecutes his search after Sita. He fights with Bali, the king of
the Monkeys, and triumphs over him.
He now despatches Hanuman to Lanka, Hanuman pays a visit to Sita.
He performs various feats at Lanka and returns to Rama whose hosts now
advance towards Lanka.
Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, expostulates with his royal brother,
but in vain. Consequently he deserts the king and goes over to Rama.
The Monkeys advance further towards Lanka.
A bridge is built over the sea.
The troops cross over it.
Where first the Monkey bands advance, they view a watery belt smoothly
circling round the shore: the following troops plough their way through
the thick mire with labour; the chief who leads the rear, filled with
wonder, exclaims, "Here is Ocean."
Rama now sends Angada, the son of Bali, to persuade Ravana to relinquish
Sita peaceably. Angada has some feeling of aversion to Rama, who killed
his father, but thinks he shall best fulfil his father's wishes by
promoting the war between Ravana and Rama; he therefore goes to Ravana
and defies him in very haughty terms.