Valmiki Ramayana

By Dr R Krishnan

"Ramayana and Mahabharata are called The Itihasas. Itihasa in Sanskrit literally means ‘it happened thus’. So these are to be distinguished from the Puranas. Ithihasas were composed or written by those who witnessed what was happening so these are historical accounts. Valmiki lived during Ramayana period as did Veda Vyasa during The Mahabharata. Valmiki’s Ramayana is in the form of poetry and is of great beauty. It is considered as the world’s first poetry. It is set to Anushtup meter. It is the original version and there are several other versions written much later which were inspired from that of Valmiki.

I am a scientist by profession and hence the type of treasure that I searched in Valmiki’s great work and my view of things could be somewhat different and perhaps be of interest. So I decided to find out for myself such details.

I was very much impressed to find so many rich details and interesting information on several aspects of Tradition, Culture, Astronomy, Geography and so on and which are not generally talked about. Valmiki’s deep knowledge of Astronomy and Astrology is amazing. I was surprised to discover that iron was already in use in Ramayana period. Let us note that the westerners attribute a much later period for the use of iron and also claim that the knowledge of planets came to India from the Greeks!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Giri Trading Agency Private Limited
• Release date: Feb 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9788179507308

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Valmiki Ramayana

A Scientist’s View

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R. Krishnan

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GIRI

GIRI trading agency private limited

Contents

DEDICATION

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Bala Kanda

Valmiki meets Narada

Lord Brahma comes to meet Valmiki

Valmiki composes Ramayana

Arrival of Lava and Kusha in the court of Rama

Description of the city of Ayodhya

Administration of the kingdom

Performance of Ashwamedha Yajnya

Brahma orders the creation of the Bears and Vanaras

Ramavatara (Incarnation of Rama)

The Hindu calendar

Vishwamitra comes to meet Dasharatha

Vishwamitra departs with Rama and Lakshmana

Rama kills Tataka

Vishwamitra teaches Rama various Astras

Going to Siddhashrama

Protecting the Yaga

Starting for Mithila

Ganga and Parvati

Redeeming of Ahalya by Rama

The greatness of Vishwamitra as narrated by Shatananda to Rama

King Janaka welcomes Vishwamitra along with Rama and Lakshmana

Rama breaks the Shiva Dhanus

Introduction of the Royal families

Wedding of Sita and her sisters

Parashurama’s challenge and his defeat at the hands of Rama

Entering Ayodhya

Ayodhya Kanda

Description of Rama’s qualities

Dasharatha’s plans being shattered by Kaikeyi’s plot

Kaikeyi orders Rama to renounce the crown and go to the forest

Rama accepts Kaikeyi’s orders with pleasure

Rama informs his mother Kausalya the change in plans

Rama tries to appease his mother

Lakshmana argues with Rama

Sita and Lakshmana convince Rama to take them along

Rama, Sita and Lakshmana departing to the forest

Sumantra admonishes Kaikeyi

Preparations for Rama’s departure to the forest

Dasharatha orders Sumantra to take Rama to the forest

Rama’s journey to the forest

Guha - Rama meeting

First night of forest life

Reaching Bhardwaja Ashram

Events in Ayodhya

Dasharatha’s life parts

Bharata returns to Ayodhya

Bharata’s vow

Dasharatha’s funeral

Bharata expresses his decision to bring back Rama

Bharata’s departure to the forest to meet Rama

Bharata - Guha meeting and crossing of Ganga

Bharata - Bharadwaja discussions

Rama in Chitrakoota

Rama’s advice to Bharata on State Matters

Rama-Bharata discussion

Vashishtha’s appeal to Rama to return

Bharata returns to Ayodhya

Crowning the Padukas

Rishis’ request to Rama

Aranya Kanda

Rama goes to Dandakaranya

Rama meeting the rishi Suteekshna

Sita raises objection to Rama for taking to his arms

Shoorpanakha’s visit

The war of Rama and Khara

Ravana informed of the great destruction caused by Rama

Shoorpanakha complaining to Ravana

Mareecha forced to accept Ravana’s proposal

Rama kills Mareecha

Ravana abducting away helpless Sita

Sita kept prisoner in Lanka

Ravana gives Sita a dead line

Rama in distress

Encounter with Kabandh

Rama blesses Shabari

Kishkindha Kanda

Hanuman meets Rama and Lakshmana

Friendship of Rama and Sugreeva begins to flower

Sugreeva’s story

Rama kills Vali

Crowning of Sugreeva

Hanuman’s advise

Rama’s patience runs out

Lakshmana’s anger

Sugreeva instructing the Vanara army to begin the search for Sita

The Vanara army goes in search of Sita

Searching for Sita in the Vindhya Mountains

Angada’s despair

Sampati’s advice

Sampati tells his story

Planning to cross the sea

Jambavan encourages Hanuman

Hanuman climbs Mahendra Mountain to leap across the sea

Sundara Kanda

Hanuman crossing the sea

Conquering Lanka Devi

Hanuman exploring Lanka

Entering Ravana’s palace

Hanuman perceives Pushpakavimana (a kind of flying machine)

Hanuman Seeing Mandodari

Hanuman’s disappointment and despair

Exploring Ashoka Vana

Hanuman sees Sita

Hanuman sees the rakshasis and the encounter of Ravana and Sita

Sita rejects Ravana

Sita harassed by the Rakshasis

Trijata’s dream

Sita tries to hang herself

Hanuman plans to console Sita

Hanuman tells the story of Rama

Hanuman’s conversation with Sita

Hanuman presenting the signet

Hanuman shows his mighty form (Vishwaroopa)

Sita gives permission to Hanuman to go

The destruction of Ashoka Vana by Hanuman

Hanuman killing the Rakshasas

Killing of Jambumali and seven sons of Minister

Killing of five army chiefs

Death of Akshakumara

Indrajit captures Hanuman

Hanuman sees the splendour of Ravana and his court

Court enquiry of Hanuman and Hanuman’s advice

Hanuman’s advice to Ravana

Vibheeshana’s intervention

Hanuman sets fire to Lanka

Hanuman’s concern about Sita’s safety

Hanuman leaves Lanka

Hanuman recounts his exploits to the Vanaras

Discussion between Angada and Jambavan

Departing for Kishkindha

Destroying the Madhuvana

Dadhimukha complains to Sugreeva

Hanuman and others meet Sugreeva

Hanuman presents the Choodamani from Sita

Yuddha Kanda

Vibheeshana surrenders to Rama

Building Ram Setu

Ravana’s defeat in the hands of Rama

Kumbhakarna goes to war

Kumbhakarna goes to fight

Ravana’s lamentations

Atikaya’s end

Ravana’s lamentations and Indrajit goes to fight

Setting fire to Lanka

Nikumbha’s end

Indrajit enters again

Indrajit creates Maya Sita (illusion) and kills her

Rama’s sorrow

War with Indrajit

Lakshmana kills Indrajit

Ravana’s sorrow

The lamentations of the Rakshasis

Ravana goes to fight

Killing of Virupaksha

Killing of Mahodara

Killing of Mahaparshwa

Rama Ravana war begins

Lakshmana hit by Shakti weapon

Saving Lakshmana’s life

Indra gifts Rama his chariot

Ravana’s chariot leaves the war field

Ravana brings back his chariot to the war field

Agastya teaching ‘Adityahrudaya stotram’ to Rama (Sun worship) to Rama

Ravana sees ill omens

The Great War of Rama and Ravana

Rama kills Ravana

Vibheeshana mourns his brother Ravana

The wives of Ravana mourn his death

Lamentations of Ravana’s wife Mandodari

Crowning of Vibheeshana

Hanuman’s conversation with Sita

Sita being brought to Rama’s presence

Rama addresses Sita in anger

Sita enters the fire

In praise of Rama

Dasharatha speaks to Rama

Dead Vanaras come back alive

Vibheeshana honours Rama

Flying Pushpaka Vimana back to Ayodhya

Meeting with Bharadwaja

Rama sends Hanuman to Bharata

Rama’s meeting with Bharata

Rama’s Pattabhishekam (coronation)

Conclusion

Appendix

Introduction

The story of Ravana and others

Rama’s separation from Sita once again

DEDICATION

I dedicate this work to the memory of my dear parents who had taught me so much.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank His Excellency Mr. Ranjan Mathai, Ambassador of India in Paris for having kindly written the foreword for my book. Despite his very busy schedule he not only read the book thoroughly but also provided me with very valuable suggestions. I am ever grateful to him for his advice and encouragements.

I am also indebted to my wife Lalitha for her constant encouragements, and critical reading of the manuscript. She was a great source of inspiration. I thank her very much.

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Foreword

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Dr. R. Krishnan dedicates this book on the Ramayana to his parents - from whom he imbibed his love for the epic. Dr. Krishnan is a scientist but his literary effort is an attempt to transmit his passion for the story to younger, more questioning minds, who might query what they regard as elements of fantasy in the narrative. He aims at the young Indians growing up abroad, and even those in India who may not have had the benefit of developing a love for the great quests that have marked Indian culture through the ages. He seeks to provide a practical base for a better understanding of the epic and particularly whether it reflects a high level of scientific and technical knowledge prevalent at the time.

Dr. Krishnan has built an enviable reputation as an outstanding scientist working in France for 5 decades. He came to Paris from the National Physical Laboratory in Delhi in 1960, and rose to be Director of Research at CNRS, making brilliant contributions to his chosen field viz; magnetism and magnetic materials. He has retained academic links with scientific institutions in India and remains rooted in Indian culture. The search for a better understanding of the Ramayana responds to a deeper urge for a greater connection to the epics which have given a cultural background to the Indian people and created, as Pandit Nehru said, a picture gallery in their minds.

Dr. Krishnan places the opening of this picture gallery, to between the 11th and 5th millennia BCE. He then cites evidence from the story to dismiss the notion that knowledge of planets and astronomy could have come to India from the Greeks. He brings up questions about methodologies as well as descriptions of machinery and products of technical knowledge implied in the narrative. The queries run through the entire story, asking us to take a fresh look at the material environment of the times.

Does he succeed? Readers will have to assess this for themselves. In my readings of the manuscript I found that Dr. Krishnan’s annotations raise more questions than answers. This is surely intended, and I am confident the author will be happy if his book provokes further scrutiny.

He does succeed in persuading us that his endeavour is a labour of love, which connects it to all who have interest in the history of our ancient land and the beliefs that have bonded Indian people from ages past.

Being in France I cannot but recall Nehru’s tribute to the beauty and the profundity of the epic, in the quotation of the French author Michelet, who wrote in 1864, with the reference to the Ramayana: Let me look towards lofty Asia and the profound East for a little while. There lies my great poem, as vast as the Indian Ocean, blessed, gilded with the sun, the book of divine harmony, wherein there is no dissonance. A serene peace reigns there, and in the midst of conflict an infinite sweetness, a boundless fraternity, which spreads over all living things, an ocean of love, of pity, of clemency.

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(Ranjan Mathai)

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Preface

Ramayana and Mahabharata are called The Itihasas. Itihasa in Sanskrit literally means ‘it happened thus’. So these are to be distinguished from the Puranas. Ithihasas were composed or written by those who witnessed what was happening so these are historical accounts. Valmiki lived during Ramayana period as did Veda Vyasa during The Mahabharata. Valmiki’s Ramayana is in the form of poetry and is of great beauty. It is considered as the world’s first poetry. It is set to Anushtup meter. It is the original version and there are several other versions written much later which were inspired from that of Valmiki. It is said that there are over hundred versions of Ramayana. The well known ones are Kamba Ramayanam in Tamil written by Kamban (9th century CE), and Ramcharitmanas in Hindi by Tulasidas (16th CE). There are other versions such as Adhyatma Ramayana which was supposed to have been told by Lord Shiva to his consort Parvati, Ananda Ramayana, Raghuvamsa by Kalidasa, Jaina Ramayana, Buddha Ramayana, Bhaskara Ramayana, Adhyatma Ramayanam by Ezuthachan in Malayalam and Krithibhasha Ramayana in Bengali and so on. It is noteworthy that Kamba Ramayanam is the oldest among these versions.

There are also several books on Ramayana in various languages. The Ramayana (and also Mahabharata) in English by C. Rajagopalachari, and the one by Cho recently published in Tamil are well known. So what is the need for an amateur like me to venture and write about Ramayana?

The incident which led me into writing this book is as follows. In September 2008 I happened to lay my hands on‘Valmiki Ramayanam’, sixteen volumes of it, which my father used to read daily during his prayers (Ramayana Parayanam) for over twenty years. I have heard him reading it over and over again and going in raptures about it which made me wonder. He used to tell us that all modern inventions existed already in those ancient times. I have also listened ever since my childhood to scores of discourses on Ramayana by Pundits but I never had a clue of what modern invention or knowledge existed in that period. It is known that the ultimate goal of a man is to get out of the cycle of birth and death and this spiritual pursuit to understand the Paramatma or the Eternal Brahman forms the basis of the studies of our Puranas and Itihasas. So no special attention is paid generally on details which are rather ‘terre à terre’. Though this is understandable, in my humble opinion this is not really justified because our seers had realised so much in the hoary past. Our ancestors questioned where the Universe came from and how it functioned. They knew Mathematics, Medicine, Geography, Astronomy and Astrology and so on. This was a time when most of the rest of the world lived in total ignorance. I feel that it is our duty to reveal this to the younger generations or else it could create a general feeling that everything came from the West and there was nothing in India. This feeling gradually could develop into a sort of inferiority complex and one is no longer proud about one’s own country. Further more this lack of knowledge of our past achievements could also seriously impair our progress. Therefore I wanted to read for myself and bring out these aspects that could be found in our Itihasas. I would like to caution and say that one should not also over do it and say that everything originated in India.

I am a scientist by profession and hence the type of treasure that I searched in Valmiki’s great work and my view of things could be somewhat different and perhaps be of interest. So I decided to find out for myself such details.

I started reading all the volumes of ‘Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam’ by Late Rao Sahib P.S. Krishnaswami Iyer of Mylapore and edited by M.N. Ramaswami Iyer. It was published by Ramayana Publishing House Publishers, 321, Thambu Chetty Street, Madras-1 in the period 1956-61. This work is a word by word translation in Tamil from Sanskrit. It is of interest to note in passing that each volume was priced at Rs. 5. I read with great interest and it was indeed a discovery for me. I personally derived a great deal of peace and happiness in having spent several months reading this great epic of Valmiki.

I read the Tamil translation carefully and also those verses in Sanskrit which described some interesting details in order to appreciate (using my limited knowledge of Sanskrit) the translation better. Though I have closely followed the above work, in certain instances I also consulted the translation of a few others in order to get a balanced view. I was very much impressed to find so many rich details and interesting information on several aspects of Tradition, Culture, Astronomy, Geography and so on and which are not generally talked about. Valmiki’s deep knowledge of Astronomy and Astrology is amazing. I was surprised to discover that iron was already in use in Ramayana period. Let us note that the westerners attribute a much later period for the use of iron and also claim that the knowledge of planets came to India from the Greeks!

This book of mine is of course an abridged one because I have concentrated only on certain details. I have been a research scientist and therefore I tried to analyse these details as far as possible with a ‘rational mind’ and have highlighted them in this book. The readers will find them in italics. I have taken care to analyse these details by consulting also the works of others where available.

True that there are some instances in Valmiki’s work where one cannot apply normal reasoning. For instance the number of years, the distances between places, and the number of people and so on (ex. Rama ruled for ten thousand years or number of people which could run into millions etc.). Despite all these I think that the younger generation and particularly those who are born and raised abroad and surely those who are also in India should be aware of the rich details found in the work. It is amazing that in the period of Ramayana some 7000 years ago there was so much knowledge about so many things. Of course I presume that the version of Valmiki Ramayana that we read now follows genuinely what Valmiki had composed. So how old is this great work as we read it today? It is believed by some that there could have been some interpolations and modifications in the course of time. It is reasonable to presume that these modifications or additions were made only to embellish the work and not to alter the basic facts. India has had an oral tradition and that is how the Vedas which are older have been faithfully preserved. This is very important and crucial because this would then prove that whatever knowledge in Astronomy that is found in The Ramayana was not borrowed from the Greeks as it is generally believed.

Valmiki’s description of Nature and certain events is indeed not only beautiful from poetic angle but also because they are full of rich details and one has to read them to fully admire. One gets the description of the flora and fauna of that period. I have mentioned such details only briefly since my objectives are different. Therefore the readers who are interested in these details should go through the original version of Valmiki which has over 24000 verses. I hope however that the details highlighted by me would be appreciated by the readers and I hope that this also would kindle their thoughts to further their knowledge.

After completing my book I came to know about a couple of books on Ramayana written in Maharashtra which deal with the calculation of the date of birth of Lord Rama based on astrological and astronomical information. Unfortunately these authors do not concur. In my opinion this is not of utmost importance because Valmiki Ramayana illustrates the noble aspects of human life through the outstanding qualities of Rama. The Dharma such as, speaking the truth, upholding moral values, showing respect for elders, compassion, forgiveness, etc., established by Rama is relevant for all times. The important lesson of course is that one should try to emulate the life of Rama who is the perfect role model.

R.Krishnan. D.Sc. (Paris)

14, avenue Pierre Brossolette

92240 Malakoff, France

August 2010

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Bala Kanda

The first four Sargas (kind of chapter) of Balakanda deal with the genesis of this great epic Ramayana and how it came to be composed. I use the word compose because it is believed that it was not written down by Valmiki but taught by him to Lava and Kusha (Rama and Sita’s twin sons) who had learnt it orally and recited. In my opinion these four Sargas have some particularities, as it would be shown later.

Valmiki meets Narada

The first Sarga describes Narada’s visit. Valmiki questioned (paripaprachcha) with great respect Narada who is the store house of all information and happenings, if he knew of a person who was generous, handsome, heroic, a person who had mastered The Vedas and the science of archery and who had all the best qualities that are prescribed by the tenets of Dharma and the Vedas and who followed scrupulously the tenets of Dharma. Narada replied in the affirmative and told about Rama, son of Dasharatha living in Ayodhya. Narada asked Valmiki to listen to him attentively and narrated the whole of life of Rama right from his birth to his crowning in Ayodhya after he completed fourteen years in the forest. He mentioned all the important events that took place in Rama’s life. He told him about Rama’s accompanying Vishwamitra and his marriage with Sita, how Dasharatha’s plans to crown Rama failed, how Rama went to the forest accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana and Ravana’s abduction of Sita. Narada in effect told Valmiki all about what had happened in Rama’s life. Narada concluded that Rama was going to rule Ayodhya for ten thousand years and also one thousand years more and then would go to Brahma Loka. Narada said that Rama’s story was comparable to The Vedas and those who read it would be washed off of all their sins. Valmiki was greatly impressed. He along with his disciples offered worship to Narada who then ascended to the Deva Loka. All this is contained in about hundred verses.

Lord Brahma comes to meet Valmiki

The second Sarga describes about Lord Brahma’s visit to Valmiki’s Ashram. After Narada left Valmiki accompanied by his disciple the Great Bharadwaja set out to wander in the forest. He reached the banks of the river Tahamasa which was close to The Ganges. Then Valmiki happened to witness a very moving and sad scene. He saw a Krauncha bird couple caressing each other on the branch of a tree. At that time a hunter passed by and shot down the male bird with his arrow. The female bursts out into weeping in seeing his mate killed so cruelly. Valmiki could not bear the sight and sent a curse on the hunter in the form of a verse. It starts with ‘Maa Nishaada’ and the couplet curses the hunter not to have a long life. But some inner voice told Valmiki about a second meaning of the same verse. This is one beauty or specialty of Sanskrit language. Here Nishaada means a hunter but taking Maanishaada as one word it would mean Lord Narayana. So this whole couplet in short could also mean that Lord Narayana kills the Rakshasa (Krauncha also meaning Rakshasa) who stole his wife. This is the story of Rama in short. Valmiki starts wondering and ponders on this and tells his disciple Bharadwaja to call this couplet a Shloka.

Valmiki sat for his prayers and meditation. His heart was full of happiness but he could not but brood on the tragic death of the Krauncha bird and the curse that he had pronounced. At that time Lord Brahma came to his Ashram and blessed him. Valmiki was so pleased and he worshipped him. Lord Brahma asked him not to think about the killing of the bird and the curse he had pronounced because all that happened because of Brahma’s will. He asked Valmiki to start writing Rama’s life (I do not want to use the word story) by expanding what was narrated to him by Narada. He said that Valmiki should set it in beautiful poetry pleasing to the ears. And Lord Brahma also blessed Valmiki with the power of knowing all the happenings in the life of Rama and Sita including what was known and what was secret and also that were to happen in their future lives. He blessed that whatever Valmiki wrote that would be the truth and nothing else. Lord Brahma also said that Valmiki’s work would last as long as his creations, mountains, rivers and seas would and would bring prosperity to those who read his work. After saying thus Brahma just disappeared. Valmiki was wonder struck. He meditated more and more upon what all had happened and on the two lines that he had pronounced as a curse and which seemed to have described Rama’s life.

The disciples also started repeating those two lines of the verse starting with Maanishaada… over and over again and even began to sing happily the two lines. First time a mention of music occurs in Valmiki’s work.

Valmiki composes Ramayana

The third Sarga describes how Valmiki proceeded to compose Ramayana. Valmiki by the power of his meditation and blessings of Lord Brahma could see clearly all the happenings in Rama’s life. All the events that had happened and which Narada had described to him went before his eyes. He started composing the great poetic work Ramayana. He composed describing every event that happened not only up to the crowning of Rama after his return from the forest but also went on to describe about Rama’s banishing Sita which was yet to happen. This event and other events that were yet to happen could be seen by him clearly before his eyes and which he described in Uttarakanda.

Arrival of Lava and Kusha in the court of Rama

The fourth Sarga tells us how Valmiki’s work came to be known to others. We learn that Valmiki completed Ramayana. He composed 24000 verses (shlokas or couplets) distributed in six parts or Kandas and several hundred Sargas. He then continued to compose Uttara Ramayana in which he described the future course of life of Rama.

Having completed his monumental work Valmiki began to be concerned about the person who was capable of presenting such a monumental or colossal work. At that time Sita who had been banished by Rama was actually staying in Valmiki’s Ashram. She at that time gave birth to twins Lava and Kusha. Valmiki was assuring their education. Looking at these two bright young boys who had mastered The Vedas and other Shastras Valmiki finally decided to entrust this task to them and taught them his poetic work (Kavya). It should be pointed out that though Valmiki knew that they were Rama’s sons, Lava and Kusha themselves were unaware of their identity.

There is a lovely description of the qualities of Lava and Kusha as the most qualified singers. They knew the science of music (Gandharva Shastra), gifted with excellent sense of Shruti (musical scale) and rhythm (tala). They understood well the deep meaning of Valmiki’s great work of poesy (Kavya) and sang sweetly in good raga. The Sanskrit words used cannot always be exactly translated into English but quite well in Indian languages. For instance the words used by Valmiki are, Swarasampat, Raktam, meaning respectively, rich in swaras (notes), ragas that move one’s heart and soul. In the present day one employs the word ‘rakti raga’ to denote the raga that expresses emotions, such a love devotion etc.

When the two boys sang in front of the assembly of the rishis in Valmiki’s ashram, they all were moved to tears and they showered the singers with high praise. It is interesting to note that they also gifted various items to Lava and Kusha which included, deer skin, dress made of wooden barks suitable for hermits, pots made of metal, a seat made of precious wood, an axe and so on. They all blessed the two young boys with long life.

Lava and Kusha travelled from town to town singing Ramayana in the streets. On one occasion Rama himself happened to hear them and was so impressed. Not knowing that they were his sons, he invited them to come and sing. It was the occasion when Rama was performing the great Ashwamedha Yaga and so he asked them to sing in the Yaga Shala or the place where the ceremony took place. Rama looking at his brothers said Let the history with full of meaning be heard from these two boys who are so handsome and seem to have a divine glow. Then he encouraged the two young boys to sing. Lava and Kusha sang before the assemblage of ministers, saints, learned men and people and it is said that the whole work was sung in thirty two days. Lava and Kusha sang the story or life of Rama accompanied by the strings (thantri and with rhythm (laya). They also sang with good diction and expressed the meaning of particular importance is that Rama himself listened to his story as sung by his own sons.

Tantri is translated as Veena. I think it would be more appropriate to translate it as Yaazh (Indian Harp) which was in vogue in ancient times. However later Valmiki uses the word Veena itself. It is to be mentioned that Veena as we know it today came much later (17th century). Nevertheless it is important to note that music was developed well even in those times.

At this point I wish to make some remarks about these first four Sargas. These Sargas are somewhat special if not strange for the following reasons. In all these Sargas Valmiki is referred to as a third person. If Valmiki were to write those Sargas then it is difficult to understand why he did not use the first person. Could it be possible that these Sargas were written by someone else and found in some Puranas and later got included in Valmiki’s Ramayana? It is generally believed that some interpolations have been made subsequently. I think it is difficult to answer this question in a satisfactory manner.

Some believe that the last chapter in Ramayana the Uttarakanda was also not authored by Valmiki even though there is no strong reason to support this. Also in the recitation of Ramayana or in discourses on Ramayana one generally concludes with Rama’s coronation which is an auspicious ending. As Uttarakanda deals with the end of Rama’s life on this earth it could perhaps create some sad feelings and that could be one of the reasons for not discussing this part. However going by the blessings of Lord Brahma who had endowed Valmiki the power of knowing the life of Rama in all details we tend to believe that Uttarakanda could have been authored by Valmiki. These are questions for which we may not find satisfactory answers.

But as all would agree what is important is what is written in Valmiki Ramayana and let us concentrate on that.

What follows is the translation of Valmiki’s Ramayana as sung by Lava and Kusha in the presence of Rama. It is said that they sang the whole Ramayana in thirtytwo days.

I have condensed the whole account to some extent but I have stressed on certain number of details which appeared to me as important and which are not generally discussed.

Description of the city of Ayodhya

Valmiki gives a wonderful description the city of Ayodhya. Noteworthy are the wide streets, abundance of sweet water, groves of mango trees, flowered parks etc. One could hear musical instruments such as big drums, mridangams, Veenas (yaazhs?) and drums (Maddalam) being played. Very often there is a mention of music. Houses were spacious, built on level lands consisting of several stories with rich interiors. There were so many palaces decorated with diamonds and other precious stones. People were well fed and had no wants in life. All without exception led a life as prescribed by Dharma. All the four categories of people (Varnas) lived in perfect harmony mindful of their respective duties.

In those times the division of people into four categories (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) was uniquely based on their profession. This was not acquired by mere birth. One could be transferred from one to the other. For instance a Shudra could enter the category of Brahmin and vice versa. Unfortunately as the time went on this system degenerated into what we call as castes (jatis) and one acquired this only by birth. In Mahabharata Lord Krishna reiterates this by saying that it is the conduct that determines the Varna of a person and we thus know that this degeneration had already started then. It appears that in The Ramayana period it was not so.

Dasharatha ruled the country so well that there was not a single dissatisfied soul there. There were many very learned men and the chanting of Vedas was heard constantly. There were rich merchants from different parts moving about in the city.

Very interesting to note that there were excellent horses, which came from various countries, such as Kamboj, Bahalika, Vanayu. (Sarga VI shloka 22). Kamboj is probably Cambodia in which case it is interesting that Cambodia existed at that time and that India had relations with that country. But the other two countries are not identifiable.

This beautiful city of Ayodhya was in Kosala country and was ruled by the great King Dasharatha.

Administration of the kingdom

There is a very interesting description of how king Dasharatha ruled his kingdom. There were eight ministers who were all great men and very learned. They were Drishti, Jayantha, Vijaya, Sidhartha, Arthasaadaka, Ashoka, Manthrabala and the famous Sumantra who also was Dasharatha’s charioteer and a close adviser. I gave the names just to indicate what sort of names were in vogue then and how some of them are still so. Vashishtha was the Raja Guru and Vamadeva was also a great rishi in his court. These ministers had the following qualifications: very well learned, had perfect control of their five sense organs, well versed in Shastras, strong willed, concentrating fully in administration. They had a net work of people (spies) and were hence aware of all the happenings in the country. They were experts in the science of administration. They could keep important matters to themselves and guard the secret. They were well versed in legal matters (Neethi Sastras). They will not hesitate to punish their own children if proved guilty!

These qualities for ministers could seem to us, in the present world conditions, as something unreal. We would even doubt that such ministers could have ever even existed! In the present Kali Yuga things go topsy-turvy as predicted in our Puranas. It is often repeated in Ramayana that in those times a man never desired for another man’s wife. This is somewhat puzzling and troubling because such a vice seems to have existed in those times too.

Performance of Ashwamedha Yajnya

Such was the greatness of the King Dasharatha but he had no sons and which caused him great grief. He decided to perform the great Ashwamedha Yajnya. This is a ceremony which only great emperors could perform because there would be challenges from other kings which the performer had to meet with success. So generally this was not attempted by many kings. The custom was that the king who performs this lets go a horse which would go round all the neighbouring countries and would return home without any one capturing it. This would then mean that all the other kings accept the authority of the King who performs this Yajnya. On the contrary if the horse was captured by some king then the king who performs the Yaga should fight a war with that king and win him. So Dasharatha consulted all his ministers and got their approval. He wanted his Guru Vashishtha to supervise the whole arrangements concerning the ritual and religious aspects. Dasharatha then asked his minister Sumantra who was the senior most and also the charioteer to go and fetch the Guru Vashishtha and others.

Sumantra said that he had to inform Dasharatha of an important matter. With his permission Sumantra narrated what had happened. A very long time ago he happened to hear from the mouth of Sanaka which needed to be known now by Dasharatha. This happened several thousands of years ago according to Sumantra. Let us not discuss the time scale here. Sanaka is one of Brahma’s mind born sons along with Sananda, Sanatana and Sanatkumara. They are supposed to be eternal and immortal as Brahma is!

Sumantra said that Sanaka was predicting what was going to happen in the future. Sanaka said To the great rishi Vibhandaka (son of Kashyapa) a son would be born called Rishyashringa who would become very famous. He would spend all his time serving his father in the Ashram hence totally ignorant of any worldly things. At that time Romapada would be ruling Anga country which would suffer from severe drought. The only way to get rain was to bring the great Brahmin Rishyashringa to his country. This he would do by sending beautiful women who lure Rishyashringa to come with them to Anga. As Rishyashringa had never seen women he will take them to be rishis from some land and follow them to Anga country. Of course he will bring the rains and to thank him the king Romapada will give his daughter Shanta in marriage to him. Sanaka continued King Dasharatha will be ruling Ayodhya at that time. The king will have no progeny and hence will perform a big Yajnya and he will invite Rishyashringa and his wife to come conduct that Yajnya. As a result Dasharatha will be blessed with sons. Sumantra told all this and requested Dasharatha therefore to go and invite Rishyashringa and his wife Shanta who were living in Anga country to come to Ayodhya. Dasharatha complied with his request and with the permission from Guru Vashishtha set forth with his four wives to Anga. He met the king Romapada who was also his friend and explained the reason of his visit. He succeeded in bringing Rishyashringa and his wife to Ayodhya where they lived for some time.

King Dasharatha then decided to start the Yajnya and took the permission of Rishyashringa. He then called for the great rishis, those who had mastered The Vedas, such as Vamadeva, Jabali, Kashyapa and the Guru Vashishtha and requested them to perform the AshwamedhaYajnya strictly as per the rules. Dasharatha told them that he had been under great grief because he had no children and he hoped to be blessed by the Yajnya that was going to be performed. He stressed the difficulties of performing such great Yajnya and the need to perform it without any shortcomings at all. Dasharatha often repeats that this Yajnya is so difficult that not many kings even attempt to perform it. From this we can understand the magnitude of the preparations and the need to have experts to conduct the ceremonies. They started the preparations and let the special horse to go around various countries. Any one challenging the supremacy of Dasharatha should hold the horse and prepare to face the consequences of a war.

The Yajnya began in spring almost a year after the planning started. The preparations were also elaborate. King ordered to bring to the site Yagasala, sculptors, architects, learned men, carpenters, those who were expert in water divining to dig wells