नारदजीका वाल्मीकि मुनिको संक्षेपसे श्रीरामचरित्र सुनाना

Beginning of the Ramayana

Ascetic Valmiki, absorbed in penance and meditation, asked Muni Narada—॥ 1 ॥

[O Muni!] Who is the man in this world at this time who is virtuous, virile, righteous, grateful, truthful, and steadfast in conduct? ॥ 2 ॥
‘Who is the (sure) man who is virtuous, beneficial to all creatures, learned, powerful, and uniquely famous? ॥ 3 ॥

‘Who is the one who has control over his mind, conquers anger, has no desires, and does not disrespect anyone? And who is feared by the gods when enraged in battle? ॥ 4 ॥

‘O great sage! I want to hear this, I am very eager for it, and you are capable of knowing such a man ॥ 5 ॥

Narada's Answer

Hearing this statement of Valmiki, Narada, who had knowledge of the three worlds, thoughtfully replied and then spoke truthfully ॥ 6 ॥

‘O Muni! I will tell you after considering the man who possesses the rare qualities you have described, please listen. ॥ 7 ॥

24 Divine Qualities of Shri Ram – The 24 Divine Qualities of Shri Ram

There is a man born in the Ikshvaku dynasty, whom people know by the name of Ram. He is the one who controls his mind, is mighty, devoid of desires, patient, and has conquered his senses. ॥ 8 ॥

‘He is intelligent, skilled in policy, influential, radiant, and a destroyer of enemies. His shoulders are thick and his arms are long. His tongue is like a conch and his chin is fleshy (plump). ॥ 9 ॥

‘His chest is broad and his bow is large, the bone below his neck (collarbone) is covered with flesh. He is the suppressor of enemies. His arms are long to his knees, his face is beautiful, his forehead is broad, and his gait is charming. ॥ 10 ॥

‘His body is [neither too tall nor too short] medium and well-formed, the color of his body is radiant and shiny. He is a great ascetic. His chest is covered with hair, his eyes are large. He is radiant and endowed with auspicious signs. ॥ 11 ॥

‘He is the protector of dharma, a follower of truth, and engaged in the welfare of the world. He is famous, knowledgeable, pure, has conquered his senses, and keeps his mind focused. ॥ 12 ॥

‘He is a protector like Prajapati, patient, free from enmity and opposition, and a protector of beings and dharma. ‘He is a protector of dharma and justice, a knower of the elements of the Vedas and Vedangas, and skilled in archery. ॥ 13-14 ॥

‘He is a knower of all the scriptures, always ready for war in the battlefield, and influential. He is free from inauspicious thoughts, generous, compassionate, and full of valor. Shri Ramachandraji is skilled in conversation and famous in all the worlds. ॥ 15 ॥

‘Just as rivers meet the ocean, so do virtuous men always come to meet Shri Ram. He has a sense of equality in age and wealth, his sight always seems auspicious. ॥ 16 ॥

‘Endowed with all virtues, the brave Shri Ramachandraji enhances the honor of his mother Kausalya. He is like an ocean of fame and like the Himalayas in patience. ॥ 17 ॥

‘He is as strong as Lord Vishnu. His sight is as bright and pleasing as the sun. He is like the fire of destruction in anger, like the earth in patience, like Kubera in wealth, and like Yamaraja in the observance of dharma. ॥ 18 1/2 ॥

In this way, Shri Ramachandraji, who is endowed with excellent qualities, equipped with all weapons, radiant, and omnipotent, who is engaged in the welfare of the world, has been born for the protection of the world. King Dasharatha lovingly expressed his desire to anoint him as the crown prince. ॥ 19-20 1/2 ॥

Shri Ram’s Crown Prince Coronation and Exile – Shri Ram’s Crown Prince Coronation and Exile

‘Then, seeing the preparations for Ram's coronation, Queen Kaikeyi, who had already been granted a boon, asked the king for this boon that Ram should be exiled and Bharat should be crowned. ॥ 21-22 ॥

‘King Dasharatha, bound by the limits of dharma due to his promise, exiled his most beloved son Ram. ॥ 23 ॥

‘To fulfill this wish of Kaikeyi, the brave Shri Ram went to the forest, obeying his father's command. ॥ 24 ॥

‘Then, Lakshmana, who enhanced the glory of Sumitra, who was gentle, very dear to his elder brother Shri Ram, also showed his superior intelligence and went to the forest with the most patient Ram. ॥ 25 1/2 ॥

‘And Sita, born in the family of Mithila Naresh Janak, the embodiment of chastity, supremely beautiful like Devamaya, endowed with all auspicious signs, endowed with excellent qualities, dear to Shri Ram like his own life, always wishing for the welfare of her husband, also followed Ramachandraji, just as Rohini follows the moon. At that time, King Dasharatha sent his charioteer and the residents of Ayodhya followed Shri Ram far away. ॥ 26-28 ॥

‘Then, reaching Shringaverpur on the banks of the Ganges, the righteous Shri Ramachandraji accepted the hospitality of Nishadraj Guha and ordered his charioteer to return to Ayodhya. ॥ 29 ॥

‘Shri Ram, along with Nishadraj Guha, Lakshmana, and Sita—all four went from one forest to another. Crossing many rivers filled with water on the way, they reached the ashram of Bharadwaj Muni and then went to Chitrakoot mountain from there. There, they performed delightful pastimes in the forest like gods and gandharvas, built a beautiful hermitage and started living there. ॥ 30-31 1/2 ॥

‘After Shri Ram went to Chitrakoot, King Dasharatha, afflicted by the grief of his son, lamented, calling out Shri Ram's name, and finally gave up his life. ॥ 32 1/2 ॥

Bharat’s Devotion – Bharat’s Devotion

‘After King Dasharatha passed away, a plan was made to coronate a new king for the management of all the royal affairs, but the mighty and righteous Bharat did not desire the kingdom. He set out for the forest to bring Shri Ram back and hand over the throne to him. ॥ 33-34 ॥

Reaching there, the truthful, righteous Bharatji pleaded with his elder brother, the supreme self-realized, great refuge-loving Shri Ram, and said— “O righteous one! You are the king.” ॥ 35 1/2 ॥

‘But the great renunciate, supremely generous, the embodiment of truth, the mighty Shri Ram also did not desire the kingdom, obeying his father's command. Consoling Bharatji, he gave him his sandals and repeatedly urged him to return to Ayodhya. ॥ 36-37 1/2 ॥

‘Even though his wish remained unfulfilled, Bharatji worshiped Shri Ram's feet and, waiting for his arrival, adopted the life of a forest dweller and started living in Nandigram. ॥ 38 1/2 ॥

‘After Bharat returned, Shri Ram, situated in truth and restraint, seeing the continuous arrival of the townspeople there, entered Dandakaranya in solitude to avoid them. ॥ 39-40 ॥

Shri Ram’s Slaying of Demons in the Forest – Shri Ram’s Slaying of Demons in the Forest

‘Reaching that great forest, the lotus-eyed Shri Ram killed the demon named Viradha and then visited Sharabhanga, Sutikshna, Agastya Muni, and his brother. ॥ 41 1/2 ॥

‘Then, on the orders of Agastya Muni, he respectfully accepted a divine bow, a sword, and two inexhaustible quivers (i.e., those whose arrows never ended). ॥ 42 1/2 ॥

‘One day, when Shri Ram was living in the forest with the sages, all the sages there came to him with a request that they were troubled by the atrocities of the demons and wanted protection from them. ॥ 43 1/2 ॥

‘At that time, Shri Ram, as radiant as a blazing fire in the forest, assured those sages, resolved to destroy the demons, and prepared for war to kill them. ॥ 44-45 ॥

Shri Ram’s Valor and the Annihilation of Demons – Shri Ram’s Slaying of Demons in the Forest

‘While living there, Shri Ram, wanting to become as powerful as Indra, had the demoness Shurpanakha, who lived in the form of a woman, punished by Lakshmanaji by cutting off her nose and ears. ॥ 46 ॥

‘Then, insulted, Shurpanakha incited her brothers Khar, Dushan, and Trishira to war against Shri Ram. They attacked with a large army of demons, but Shri Ram alone defeated and killed them all in battle. ॥ 47 1/2 ॥

‘While living in the forest, Shri Ram killed fourteen thousand wicked demons and freed the earth from their oppression. ॥ 48 1/2 ॥

The Golden Deer's Illusion and Sita's Abduction

Thereafter, hearing the news of the killing of his family, the demon named Ravana was filled with anger and sought help from the demon Maricha. ॥ 49 1/2 ॥

Although Maricha repeatedly explained to him, saying— "Ravana! It is not proper for you to be hostile to that mighty Shri Ram," Ravana, inspired by fate, ignored Maricha's words and set out towards Ram's ashram, taking him along. ॥ 50-51 1/2 ॥

The illusionary Maricha took the form of a golden deer and lured Ram and Lakshman away from the hut, and taking advantage of that opportunity, Ravana himself abducted Janakiji. While going, he also mercilessly killed the vulture king Jatayu, who tried to stop him on the way. ॥ 52 1/2 ॥

Shri Ram’s Grief and Jatayu’s Last Rites – Shri Ram’s Grief and Jatayu’s Last Rites

After this, when Shri Ram saw the wounded Jatayu and heard from his mouth about the abduction of Sita, he became distraught with grief and began to lament. At that time, all his senses were overwhelmed with sorrow. ॥ 53 1/2 ॥

Then, immersed in the same grief, he performed the last rites of Jatayu and, while wandering in the forest in search of Sita Mata, he encountered a demon with a terrible form named Kabandha. The mighty Shri Ram killed him and also cremated him, due to which he attained the Gandharva form due to his virtuous deeds. ॥ 54-55 ॥

While dying, Kabandha said to Shri Ram— "Raghunandan! You should go to the ashram of the righteous ascetic Shabari, she will guide you." ॥ 56 1/2 ॥

First Meeting of Shabari and Hanuman – First Meeting of Shabari and Hanuman

In this way, the highly radiant Dasharatha Nandan Shri Ram reached Shabari's ashram, where she welcomed and worshiped Shri Ram with devotion. ॥ 57 1/2 ॥

After this, on the banks of Pampa Sarovar, Shri Ram met Hanumanji. At Hanumanji's request, he also befriended Sugriva. ॥ 58 1/2 ॥

॥ 58 1/2 ॥

The Story of Vali's Injustice

Thereafter, the mighty Shri Ram told Sugriva the reason for his exile, what he had experienced, and especially about the abduction of Sita Mata. ॥ 59 1/2 ॥

Hearing all the things of Shri Ram, Vanarraj Sugriva made friends with him lovingly, considering fire as a witness.

After this, Sugriva narrated the entire story of the injustice of his brother Vali and the enmity with him to Shri Ram in detail.

At that time, Shri Ram resolved to kill Vali, but Vanarraj Sugriva had doubts about Ram's strength, as he was well aware of Vali's immense strength. ॥ 62-63 ॥

To prove Ram's prowess, he showed the huge body of the demon Dundubhi, which was like a huge mountain. ॥ 64 ॥

The mighty Shri Ram, smiling gently, threw the huge corpse of that demon ten yojanas away with the toe of his foot. ॥ 65 ॥

After this, with a single arrow, he pierced seven Tal trees, a mountain, and even the netherworld, demonstrating his power. ॥ 66 ॥

Seeing this amazing feat, Sugriva was pleased in his heart and had complete faith in Shri Ram. Then both of them went to the cave of Kishkindha to fight Vali. ॥ 67 ॥

There, the golden-complexioned warrior Sugriva roared and challenged him to battle. Hearing his fierce roar, Vanarraj Vali reassured his wife Tara and entered the battlefield and clashed with Sugriva. In this duel, Shri Ram killed Vali with a single arrow. ॥ 68-69 ॥

Hanumanji's Journey to Lanka

According to Sugriva, after killing Vali, Shri Ram anointed Sugriva as the king of Kishkindha. ॥ 70 ॥

After this, Sugriva gathered all the Vanara warriors and sent them in all four directions to search for Sita Mata. ॥ 71 ॥

Then, with the indication of the vulture king Sampati, the mighty Hanumanji came to know that Sita Mata is in Lanka, and he became ready to cross the hundred-yojana wide ocean and go there. ॥ 72 ॥

Reaching Lanka, Hanumanji saw Sita Mata in the Ashok Vatika protected by Ravana. ॥ 73 ॥

Then, introducing himself, he conveyed Shri Ram's message and assured Sita Mata that Ramji would soon come to free her. ॥ 74 ॥

After this, Hanumanji destroyed the Ashok Vatika, killed five of Ravana's generals and seven princes, and also killed the brave Akshayakumar. After this, he voluntarily became a prisoner. ॥ 75 ॥

Hanumanji's Valor and Return from Lanka

When Anjaninandan Hanuman was freed from bondage by the boon of the fire god, he still endured the punishment according to the crime of the demons and forgave them. ॥ 76 ॥

After this, after burning Ashok Vatika, assuring Sita Mata, the mighty Hanumanji returned from Lanka to give the good news to Shri Ram. ॥ 77 ॥

Hanumanji's Dialogue