Birth Of Lord Rama

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Birth Of Lord Rama

Setting the scene

 

Attracted by the intense austerities of the rakshasa Ravana, Lord

Brahma offers him a boon. Ravana asks for the benediction that he

cannot be killed by any god, yaksha, naga, rakshasa or any other

celestial being.

 

Arrogantly confident of his own powers Ravana does not include the

puny humans or animals while asking for the boon. Bound by the power

of his austerities, Lord Brahma grants him the boon.

 

Ravana is now practically invincible. He fights and defeats Kubera,

king of the powerful Yakshas and takes from him the mystical chariot

called Pushpaka. The chariot, controlled by the mind of its driver,

is indestructible and can travel in all directions. Surrounded by

hordes of fearsome rakshasa, resplendent in his chariot, Ravana

travels likes lightening in dark clouds, eager to establish his

supremacy in the three worlds. He enters the heavenly kingdoms but

the gods aware of the boon he has received do not dare face him.

Disappointed he comes down to Earth and spots the city of Ayodhya,

the capital city of the emperor, King Anaranya.

 

Ravana descends on the city and issues a challenge.

 

In the fierce battle that ensues, the valiant army of King Anaranya

is completely annihilated. Ravana personally attacks the king and

mortally wounds him. The pious king, a descendant of the Solar

dynasty emanating from Iksvaku, the Sun god, in his last breath

curses Ravana. `In the very line you deride O vile Ravana there will

be born a king who will destroy you and your entire race.' The

scornful Ravana having established his supremacy returns to his

kingdom of Lanka.

 

King Dasaratha

 

Several years have now passed and Earth is once again peaceful under

the rule of King Dasaratha, a descendant of King Anaranya. The king

is pious and loved by his subjects. There is an abundance of rain

and every one is prosperous and happy. However Dasaratha is a

worried man. Coming in the lineage of the Sun god (Surya-vamsha) and

great kings like Raghu, Sibi and Harishcandra, he is worried that

the dynasty may end with him, for he has no sons. Hoping to please

the gods, he resolves to perform the Ashvamedha yajna (sacrifice),

one of the most difficult and potent sacrifices.

 

When Sumantra, a closed confidant of the king hears about this he

shares with him an ancient prophecy spoken by the great sage Sanat

Kumar, one of the first four sons of Lord Brahma. In this prophecy

Sanat Kumar had revealed that the sacrifice performed by King

Dasaratha would be successful if conducted by Sage Rishyasringa, and

the king would be blessed by four sons equal to Lord Vishnu.

Sumantra then proceeds to relate the tale of the great Sage

Rishyasringa.

 

Sage Rishyasringa

 

Vibandaka, the son of Kasyapa Muni, lived exclusively in the deep

forests with his son Rishyasringa. Completely cut off from any

contact with human civilization, the father and son spent all their

time studying the Vedas and performing intense austerities. So

secluded was the life of Rishyasringa that he had never seen anyone

but his father. With his mind, undisturbed by any distractions, his

activities guided by his learned father, Rishyasringa grows up to be

a powerful and pure sage of immense mystic powers and vastly learned

in science of the Vedas.

 

Nearby was the kingdom of Anga ruled by Maharaja Romapada, a pious

king and a close friend of King Dasaratha. The kingdom was

distressed by a long drought and the king invited the learned

brahamins to recommend some cure.

 

The brahamins proposed that the presence of some one with a spotless

character will bring all auspiciousness to the kingdom, some one

like Rishyasringa.

 

Using various lures, King Romapada got Rishyasringa to leave the

forest and come to his kingdom and marry his daughter Shanta. As

promised by the brahmins, with the presence of Rishyasringa came the

rains and all auspiciousness. The great sage Rishyasringa resided

peacefully in the kingdom of Anga with his chaste and beautiful

wife, Shanta.

 

The great sacrifice

 

Greatly encouraged by the predictions of Sanat Kumar as related by

Sumantra, King Dasaratha proceeds to the kingdom of Anga where he is

joyfully greeted by his old friend King Romapada. After spending a

few days enjoying the hospitality of the King, Dasaratha expresses

his desire to invite Rishyasringa for performing the Ashvamedha

sacrifice. Both Romapada and Rishyasringa accept his proposal and

Dasaratha happily returns to Ayodhya with Rishyasringa and Shanta.

 

The preparation of the Ashvamedha sacrifice are elaborate and

extensive. A pure bred white horse is allowed to roam freely all

over the Earth, accompanied by the army of King Dasaratha. Any king

who challenges the sovereignity of King Dasaratha could stop the

horse and then would have to fight the armies of the king. However,

since every one is happy with Dasaratha, this does not happen and

after one year the horse returns accompanied by the triumphant army.

In the meantime the elaborate preparations for the sacrifice have

also been completed. All the great kings, the learned brahamins, the

austere sannyasis and the pious citizens have been invited to the

sacrifice and given generously in charity. Thus under the guidance

of Rishyasringa the great Ashvamedha sacrifice is perfectly executed

and completed.

 

The demigods meet

 

Rishyasringa then commences the second sacrifice for a son, called

the Putra-kamesti sacrifice, that can only be performed by the most

pious and learned. As the sacrifice begins, the demigods approach

Lord Brahma.

 

Greatly distressed by the boons of invincibility that Lord Brahma

has conferred to Ravana, the demigods implore Brahma to approach

Lord Vishnu to descend in a human form, as the son of Dasaratha, for

the destruction of the evil Ravana.

 

Attracted by the prayers of Lord Brahma and the demigods, the

omnipotent Lord Vishnu arrives, mounted on His bird carrier, Garuda.

Observing the distress of the demigods, the compassionate Lord

Vishnu agrees to descend as the son of Dasaratha, accompanied by His

expansions as His three brothers. In this incarnation, Lord Vishnu

promises, He would annihilate the evil kingdom of Ravana, rule the

planet for ten thousand and ten hundred years and for posterity set

forth the standards of a person ideal in all respects. Lord Vishnu

also instructs the demigods to prepare for His arrival by expanding

themselves on Earth. Since the greatly arrogant Ravana had not asked

for protection from animals, the demigods are instructed to expand

in the form of monkeys and bears.

 

Thus instructed, the demigods create a race of celestial monkeys and

bears, immensely powerful and mystical. The race is headed by Vali

(son of Indra) and his younger brother Sugriva (son of Surya). The

celestial architect Vishvakarma begets Nala and the Ashwini twins

beget Mainda and Dvivida. At this time also appears the famous

Hanuman (son of Vayu the wind god). From Jambavana, the son of

Brahma appear a race of powerful bears. Thus this divine race of

monkeys and bears, their strength and numbers increasing to the

thousands, roam the Earth and await the descent of Lord Vishnu.

 

The sacrifice concludes

 

As the sacrifice draws to an end, an effulgent figure appears in the

fire of the sacrifice and offers a pot of the sacred payasam (sweet

rice) to King Dasaratha. In a grave voice like rolling thunder, the

mystical being instructs King Dasaratha to share this with his wives

in order to receive the blessings of a child.

 

The great Dasaratha then pleases all the assembled priests and

guests with expensive gifts and charming words of true humility.

Having received their blessings he proceeds to the inner chambers of

his palace where his three wives are expectantly waiting. He first

offers the pot to his eldest wife, Kaushalya, who partakes of half

the offering and gives the bowl to Sumitra who takes half of the

remaining payasam. Kakeyi then takes half of the remaining payasam.

Dasaratha then offers the pot again to Sumitra who finishes the

remnants.

 

Birth of Lord Rama

 

In this way imbued by the potency of the offering, the three queens

soon begin to show signs of expectant mothers. First born is the son

to Queen Kaushilya, Lord Ramacandra, an incarnation of the Lord

Vishnu. Next Kaikeya gives birth to Bharata and finally Sumitra,

having partaken of the payasam twice, gives birth to the twins,

Lakshmana and Shatrugahana.

 

The Ramayana

 

Thus was set the stage for the annihilation of Ravana who would be

eventually killed by a `mere mortal' Lord Rama assisted by an army

of monkeys and bears headed by Sugriva and Jambavana and His

greatest servitor Hanumana. The epic Ramayana recited by the great

sage Valmiki under the instructions of Lord Brahma records the

pastimes of Lord Ramacandra. The recitation or hearing of the

Ramayana is considered most auspicious for spiritual advancement,

more so on the appearance day of its hero, Lord Ramacandra.

 

All glories to Lord Rama! All glories to Ramayana!!

 

Reference: Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Sarga 8-12