SCENES FROM THE RAMAYANA

By V. Laxmanan
Courtesy: http://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/

ON THE OCCASION OF HAPPY SIBLINGS DAY

Rama breaks the Divine bow of Shiva and Sita garlands Him to celebrate the winning of Her hand in marriage. From Nama Ramayanam 18. Tryambaka kaarmuka bhanjaka Raam 19. Seetaarpita varamaalika Raam

The breaking of the bow also led to the marriage of the four siblings, on the same day, to the two daughters of Janaka (Rama to Sita and LakshmaNa to Urmila) and the two daughters of Janaka's younger brother Kushadwaja (Bharata to MaaNDavee and Shatrughna to Shrutakeerti). Happy siblings they all were, the four brother and the four sisters too! Sita sees the golden deer near the ashram and wants Rama to get it for Her while Lakshmana looks on. Bharatasya Aryaputrasya shwashrooNaam Ma-ma ca Prabho l Mrugaroopam idam vyaktam vismayam janayishyati ll (Aranya Kanda); The noble Bharata and all my mothers-in-law will find this form of a deer that is manifested here to be absolutely bewitching. And so do I.
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Sugreeva challenges his brother Vaali to a duel while Rama is hiding behind the trees waiting for an opportune moment to kill Vaali. It is said that a single arrow released by Rama pierced through seven trees (named taala) and struck Vaali in his heart and he fell to the ground. Vaali then challenged Rama about the righteousness of such an attack on him while he was battling another.

Paraangmukha vadham krutvaa kOtra praaptas tvayaa guNah l Yadaham yuddha-samrabdas tvatkrute nidhanam gatah ll 4.17.16 ll
After Vaali fell down to the ground, being hit by Ramaas arrow, when the two great warrior brothers, Rama and LakshmaNa, approached him, Vaali spoke as follows, You are the son of a great King, renowned, well versed, of great and pleasing appearance. I was engaged in battle with another and not facing you. What glory have you attained here by killing me in this way? Why should I have to meet my death in this fashion from you? Vaali demands an explanation based on the principles of dharma. In this sarga 16 of the Kishkindha Kandam, and in the following sarga 17, Rama tried to justify His action but Vaali rejects each assertion of Rama as a misapplication of alien principles, applicable to humans but not applicable to vaanara. He challenges Rama by saying, if He wanted to get back His abducted wife, all He to do was to approach him and he (Vaali) would have dueled Ravana and secured Mythili for Him (sarga 16, verse 49). It is quite appropriate, he says, that Sugriva get the kingdom when he has gone to heaven, but wholly inappropriate that he has been killed by Raama using means that are contrary to the principles of dharma (verse 52). Think well and give me a good answer now, he says, if you can. What great good (kshemam cet) has been obtained by Your honorable self (bhavataa)? After speaking thus, in his defense, Vaali became silent. Raama gives his justifications in sarga 17 which ends with Vaali accepting the principles of dharma that Raama was trying to uphold. Vaali begs Raamas forgiveness for chastising Him without full knowledge.
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The great duel with Ravana

Sita enters the fire to provide unquestioning proof of Her chastity Rama is actually scolded by his father Dasharatha who appears at this time before Him, and also by other celestials, including Lord Shiva, who appear and ask Him if He was forgotten who He is and who Sita is.

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The Joyous Scene of Ramas Coronation in Three Frames

The Right Panel of the Coronation Scene

The Middle Panel of the Coronation Scene

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The Left Panel of the Coronation Scene

These eight lovely scenes depicting the Ramayana story can be found in the form of a scrolling display at the following website http://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/

According to the Valmiki RamayaNa website, these lovely paintings are by the legendary Andhra artist (brushman) named Bapu

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http://www.valmikiramayan.net/vrhd.jpg The four siblings together in this Ramas coronation scene. Sita is to the left, sitting on His lap. Lakshmana is on the right fanning Rama. Bharata and Shatrughna are to the left. Hanuman is in front. This is the description given in the first two line of the famous Vaame Bhootisutaa sloka, given below. Vaame Bhoomisutaa purasch ca Hanumaan pashcaat Sumitra sutah l ShatrughnO Bharatash ca paarshva dalayoh Vaayvaadi koNeshu ca ll Sugreevash ca VibhishaNash ca yuvaraat TaraasutO Jambhavaan l Madhye neela-saroja komala rucim Raamam bhaje shyaamalam ll

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SARGAS AND SLOKAS COUNT IN VALMIKI RAMAYANAM V. Laxmanan

I have tabulated the values given in Tamil from the blog cited Kanda 1. Bala 2. Ayodhya 3. Aranya 4. Kishkinda Kanda Sarga Slokas 5. Sundara 68 2807 6. Yuddha 128 5675 First six 534 19,827 7. Uttara 111 3,373 Additions 14 664 Total of seven 645 23,200 The total slokas count is 23,200 + 664 = 23,864 ~ 24,000 Sarga 77 119 75 67 Slokas 2266 4185 2441 2453

Courtesy: Blog In the Path of Rama Raminin Padhaiyil

http://sriramaninpadhayil.blogspot.com/2013/05/sri-ramanin-padhayil-episode-5-may-19.html

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