SRI RAMA - 1

Sri Rama , an avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya after the king performed the Aswamedha and Putrakameshthi yajnas. Rama and his three brothers had all the qualities of kshyatriyas and endeared themselves to one and all in Ayodhya. Sage Viswamitra once came to the king’s palace and requested for Rama to be sent to protect his yajna from two demons’ interference. Much to the king’s consternation, Rama and Lakshmana left with the sage. The sage initiated Rama into the ‘Bala- Atibala’ mantra. He first tackled Tataki successfully. The sage was so pleased that he initiated Rama into a number of divine weapons. Rama, in turn, initiated Lakshmana into them. Armed suitably, all the three reached the ashram where the yajna was to be performed. Everything went off well for five days but on the sixth day, Rama and Lakshmana destroyed Mareecha and Subahu as well as many demons who tried to defile the yajna. The yajna was then completed successfully. In due course, the princes heard the stories of the sage’s parentage and how he came to live in Siddhashrama, of Ganga, Himavantha, King Sagara and Sage Kapila. They reached Gowthama’s ashrama where Rama relieved the sage’s wife, Ahalya, of the curse she had been under. Moving on from there, they went to Mithila where Rama won Sita’s hand. After their marriage, Lakshamana got married to Urmila, Bharatha to Mandavi and Shatrughna to Shrutakirthi.

ಶ್ರೀರಾಮ - ಭಾಗ ೧

ದಶರಥ ಸಂತಾನಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ನಡೆಸಿದ ಪುತ್ರಕಾಮೇಷ್ಟಿಯಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ದೊರೆತ ಪಾಯಸದ ಸೇವನೆಯಿಂದ ಕೌಸಲ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದ ರಾಮ ವಿಷ್ಣುವಿನ ಅವತಾರ. ಅವನ ತಮ್ಮಂದಿರು ಭರತ, ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣ ಮತ್ತು ಶತ್ರುಘ್ನ. ರಾಮ, ರಾಮಭದ್ರ, ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ, ರಘುನಾಥ, ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯಲ್ಪಡುವ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮ ವಿಶ್ವಾಮಿತ್ರರ ಯಾಗರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನೊಡನೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಯಜ್ಞಕ್ಕೆ ವಿಘ್ನವುಂಟು ಮಾಡಲು ಬಂದ ತಾಟಕಿ, ಸುಬಾಹುಗಳನ್ನು ಸಂಹರಿಸಿ ಮಾರೀಚನನ್ನು ದೂರಕ್ಕೆ ಅಟ್ಟುತ್ತಾನೆ. ವಿಶ್ವಾಮಿತ್ರರಿಂದ ಬಲ-ಅತಿಬಲಾ ವಿದ್ಯೆಯನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ. ನಂತರ ಸೀತಾಸ್ವಯಂವರಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಮಿಥಿಲೆಗೆ ಹೋಗುವ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗೌತಮಾಶ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಗೌತಮರ ಶಾಪದಿಂದ ಕಲ್ಲಾದ ಅಹಲ್ಯೆಯ ಶಾಪವಿಮೋಚನೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ನಂತರ ಮಿಥಿಲೆಯ ಜನಕ ರಾಜನ ಅರಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಸೀತಾಸ್ವಯಂವರದ ಅಂಗವಾಗಿ ಪಣವಾಗಿ ಇಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ ಶಿವಧನುಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಭಂಜಿಸಿ ಸೀತೆಯನ್ನು ವಿವಾಹವಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.

SITA

Sita, Kushadhwaja’s daughter was Vedavathi who did severe tapas to win Vishnu as her husband. As Ravana tried to take her forcibly by her hair, she swore that he had defiled her and that she would be born as a woman just to destroy him. Thus, King Janaka found her as a baby in a box while ploughing the field. She was called Sita and came to be known as Maithili, Janaki and Vaidehi. When she grew up, King Janaka announced that he would get her married to the one who would string Shiva’s bow. It was thus that Rama won her hand. Sita remained an ideal wife to him, following him to the forest and renouncing everything in the palace. If Anasuya blessed her by giving her a divine string of beads, sages in Agastya’s ashram placed her among the greatest pathivrathas. He troubles started with the arrival of Shoorpanakha. Ravana then abducted her. All through her stay at the Asokavana in Lanka, she refused Ravana’s offer to become his queen and in fact, did not succumb to his threats either. She was thrilled on meeting Hanuman and knowing that Rama and Lakshmana had left no stone unturned in their search for her. After Ravana was killed by Rama in a mighty battle and she was released , Rama wanted her to prove her fidelity. She prayed to Agnideva and entered the lit pyre. The Fire God then emerged with her and handed her over to Rama. In spite of this test, she had to prove her fidelity once more after Rama was crowned king and some people started suspecting her. Rama asked Lakshmana to leave a pregnant Sita in the forest near Sage Valmiki’s hermitage. Sage Valmiki took care of her until she gave birth to twin boys. He then initiated them into education and when they were grown up, he came to Ayodhya along with Sita, Lava and Kusha. Again when Sita was asked to prove her purity to the people of Ayodhya, she prayed to Mother Earth to vouchsafe for her. In no time, Mother Earth appeared seated on a divine throne. She beckoned to Sita to sit on her lap and simply disappeared. Sita led a life of suffering, yet she never complained even once . She remained a faithful and loving wife and truly a queen.

ಸೀತೆ

ಜನಕರಾಜನ ಮಗಳು ಸೀತೆ. ಅಯೋನಿಜೆ. ಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿಯ ಅವತಾರ. ಸೀರಧ್ವಜನು ಯಜ್ಞಮಾಡಲು ಭೂಮಿಯನ್ನು ಉಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ನೇಗಿಲಿನ ಗುಳಕ್ಕೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ಪೆಟ್ಟಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿಶುವಿನ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ದೊರೆತವಳು ಸೀತೆ. ಮೈಥಿಲಿ, ಜಾನಕೀ, ವೈದೇಹಿ ಮುಂತಾದ ಹೆಸರುಗಳೂ ಇವೆ. ಶಿವಧನುಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಬಗ್ಗಿಸಿ ಹೆದೆಯೇರಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿ ಧನುಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಮುರಿದ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮನನ್ನು ಪತಿಯಾಗಿ ವರಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಶ್ರೀರಾಮ ಅರಣ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊರಟಾಗ ತಾನು ಕೂಡ ಅರಣ್ಯದ ಕಷ್ಟಜೀವನವನ್ನು ಲೆಕ್ಕಿಸದೆ ಪತಿಯೊಡನೆ ಹೊರಡುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಅರಣ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾವಣನಿಂದ ಅಪಹರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು ಲಂಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಕ್ಷಸಿಯರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ರಾಮನನ್ನೇ ಧ್ಯಾನಿಸುತ್ತಾ ಕಾಲಕಳೆಯುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಪರಮ ಸಾಧ್ವಿ ಸೀತೆಯ ಜೀವನ ಎಲ್ಲ ಸ್ತ್ರೀಯರಿಗೂ ಆದರ್ಶವಾದುದು.

HANUMAN

Hanuman was born to Anjana, a vanara woman who was cursed by Brihaspathi for having pestered him to marry her. Hanuman was extremely radiant at birth and as a little baby, had once jumped into the sky to eat up the sun thinking it was a fruit! During a scuffle among Devendra, Rahu and Hanuman, Indra injured the child Hanuman and Vayudeva got angry with him. In retaliation, he took away the child and went into a cave. The world became bereft of air and Brahma had to intervene to ease the situation. He and all the devas took turns to specially bless the child and bestow on him special powers. Later Hanuman used these powers in his search for Sita and during the great battle at Lanka. The whole of Lanka was petrified by his actions as he went about destroying Pramadavana and the 80,000-strong army of Ravana. His tail was set on fire and he was paraded through the streets of Lanka but he used this opportunity to observe each and every house and street of Lanka. During the battle when Rama and Lakshmana fell down unconscious, he brought the Sanjeevani mountain which contained life-saving herbs. Hanuman was a divine messenger as he carried the good news of Ravana’s death to Sita as well as to Bharatha and Guha. Earlier he had carried the most comforting message of Rama and Lakshmana’s search for Sita to her. After the coronation, Sri Rama gave expensive gifts to everyone. When he gave an exquisite necklace of pearls to Sita, she looked at him to be told that she could give it to anyone who had made her happy. Very rightly, she gave it to Hanuman. When Sri Rama was ready to go to his heavenly abode after completing the mission of his incarnation, he ordered Hanuman and Vibhishana to remain on earth as pillars of his victory and his righteousness.

ಹನುಮಂತ

ಕೇಸರಿ ಅಂಜನಾ ದಂಪತಿಗಳಿಗೆ ವಾಯುದೇವನ ವರದಿಂದ ಜನಿಸಿದ ಪುತ್ರ ಹನುಮಂತ. ರುದ್ರಾಂಶಸಂಭೂತ. ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಸೂರ್ಯಗ್ರಹಣದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಉದಯಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನು ಹಣ್ಣೆಂದು ಭಾವಿಸಿ ನುಂಗಲು ಅಂತರಿಕ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಹಾರುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಆಗ ರಾಹು ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನು ನುಂಗಲು ಬರುತ್ತಿರುತ್ತಾನೆ. ರಾಹುವನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದ ಹನುಮಂತ ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ರಾಹುವಿನ ಕಡೆಗೆ ತಿರುಗಿದಾಗ ದೇವೇಂದ್ರ ವಜ್ರಾಯುಧದಿಂದ ಅವನ ಕೆನ್ನೆಗೆ ಹೊಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮೂರ್ಛೆ ತಪ್ಪಿ ಆಂಜನೇಯ ಭೂಮಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ವಾಯುದೇವ ಕುಪಿತನಾಗಿ ವಿಶ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಸಂಚಾರವನ್ನು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿ ಪುತ್ರನೊಡನೆ ಒಂದು ಗುಹೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡಗಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ನಂತರ ಎಲ್ಲ ದೇವತೆಗಳೂ ಆಗಮಿಸಿ ಆಂಜನೇಯನಿಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ವರಗಳನ್ನು ಅನುಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ವಾಯುವನ್ನು ಸಂತೋಷಪಡಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಚಿರಂಜೀವಿ, ರಾಮದೂತ ಹನುಮಂತನ ಚರಿತ್ರೆ ರಾಮಾಯಣದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿವರವಾಗಿ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ರಾಮ-ಸುಗ್ರೀವ ಸಖ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಮೂಲಕಾರಣ ಹನುಮಂತ ಸೀತಾನ್ವೇಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಸಮುದ್ರಲಂಘನ, ಲಂಕಾದಹನ, ಸೇತುಬಂಧನ, ರಾಕ್ಷಸ ಸಂಹಾರ, ಇಂದ್ರಜಿತುವಿನ ಸಂಹಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನಿಗೆ ಸಹಾಯಕ, ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತ, ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಅತಿಬಲಶಾಲಿಯಾದ. ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚಾರಿಯಾದ ಹನುಮಂತನ ಚರಿತೆಯನ್ನು ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಓದಲೇಬೇಕು.

RAVANA

Ravana was born to Kaikasi and Vishravasa, and Pulatsya ( son of Prajapathi Brahma) was his grandfather. Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana were his brothers and Shoorpanakha was his sister. As he was born with ten heads, he was known as Dashagreeva, Dashanana, etc. He went to Gokarna with his brothers and performed such severe penance that Lord Brahma appeared before him and granted him a boon by virtue of which he would be immune to death at the hands of devas, danavas, yakshas, nagas and garuda. He also got back his nine heads that he had offered to Brahma as well as the power to take any form he liked. Following Sumali’s advice he demanded Lanka back from Kubera and waged war against him too. Later he married Mandodari and due to arrogance, came to be cursed by Nandikeshwara, one of Siva’s followers, saying that his end would come at the hands of monkeys. He received the divine weapons, Shakthi and Chandrahasa . He misbehaved with Vedavathi who swore that she would take birth again only to destroy him. He fought with many kings and this brought him to Ayodhya where again he fought with King Anaranya of the Ikshwaku dynasty. Before dying, the king proclaimed that Sri Rama of his dynasty would destroy him. Taking up Narada’s challenge, he laid siege on Yamaloka. There was no end to his evil ways as he went about challenging, killing, fighting and reveling in his victories. It was however left to Sri Rama, Lakshmana and the vanara warriors to bring about Ravana’s end as well as the end of many other rakshasas.

ರಾವಣ

ಕೈಕಸಿ ಮತ್ತು ವಿಶ್ವವಸು ಅವರ ಮಕ್ಕಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿರಿಯವನು ರಾವಣ. ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನ ಮಗನಾದ ಪುಲಸ್ತ್ಯ ರಾವಣನ ಅಜ್ಜ. ಕುಂಭಕರ್ಣ, ವಿಭೀಷಣ ತಮ್ಮಂದಿರು. ತಂಗಿ ಶೂರ್ಪನಖಿ. ಹತ್ತು ತಲೆಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹುಟ್ಟಿದವನು. ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನಿಂದ ನರ-ವಾನರರ ಹೊರತಾಗಿ ಬೇರೆ ಯಾರಿಂದಲೂ ಮರಣ ಉಂಟಾಗಬಾರದೆಂದು ವರಪಡೆದು ಗರ್ವಿಷ್ಠನಾದ ರಾವಣ ದೇವತೆಗಳನ್ನು ತನ್ನ ಊಳಿಗಕ್ಕೆ ಇಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ತಂಗಿ ಶೂರ್ಪಣಖಿಗೆ ಆದ ಅಪಮಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರತೀಕಾರವನ್ನು ಸೀತಾಪಹರಣದ ಮೂಲಕ ತೀರಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ವೇದವತಿಯೊಡನೆ ಅನುಚಿತವಾಗಿ ವರ್ತಿಸಿ ಶಾಪಗ್ರಸ್ತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಸೋದರನಾದ ಕುಬೇರನನ್ನು ಲಂಕೆಯಿಂದ ಓಡಿಸಿ ಲಂಕಾರಾಜ್ಯ ಹಾಗೂ ಪುಷ್ಪಕ ವಿಮಾನವನ್ನು ಅಪಹರಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮುಂದೆ ರಾಮನೊಡನೆ ನಡೆದ ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಮನಿಂದ ಮರಣವನ್ನಪ್ಪುತ್ತಾನೆ.

VIBHISHANA

Vibhishana was Ravana’s youngest brother, endowed with great learning and very unlike his brothers and sister. In spite of being born in the rakshasa clan , he stood by dharma and Brahma granted him immortality and the ability to wield the brahmastra. He married Shaileesha’s daughter Sarama. Observing that Ravana’s evil ways were only growing, he tried his best to put some sense into him. Being a clever statesman, he warded off Ravana’s attempt to kill Hanuman who had come as Rama’s messenger. Later when Hanuman went about burning Lanka, it was Sita and Vibhishana who remained unhurt. Vibhishana again requested Ravana to return Sita to SriRama and make peace with him. When nothing could change Ravana’s mind, he gave up everything including his wife and children and left Lanka. He pledged himself in support of Sri Rama. Everyone in Rama’s army doubted his intentions but it was Hanuman who rightly advised Rama to take in Vibhishana as he believed that his intentions were genuine. He helped Rama with constructive suggestions, gave him timely advice and warning, and was able to recognize Ravana’s spies who had mingled with the vanaras. He invited Indrajit’s wrath when the latter saw him guiding Lakshmana. In the end, when Ravana lay dead on the battlefield, Vibhishana was overcome with grief. He was torn between his duty in performing his brother’s last rites and denying it on the grounds that Ravana had indulged in sinful acts. It was Rama who convinced him to go ahead with it in order to send his brother to heaven. Sri Rama then asked Lakshmana to crown Vibhishana king of Lanka.

ವಿಭೀಷಣ

ರಾವಣನ ಕಿರಿಯ ತಮ್ಮ ವಿಭೀಷಣ. ಮಹಾದೈವಭಕ್ತ. ಧರ್ಮಶಾಲಿ. ರಾವಣ ಸೀತೆಯನ್ನು ಅಪಹರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಬಂದಾಗ ಸೀತೆಯನ್ನು ರಾಮನಿಗೆ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿಸುವಂತೆ ರಾವಣನಿಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ಬಾರಿ ಬುದ್ಧಿವಾದ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಆದರೆ ರಾವಣ ಅವನ ಮಾತನ್ನು ಕೇಳದೆ ತುಂಬಿದ ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನನ್ನು ಅವಮಾನಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಇದರಿಂದ ವಿಭೀಷಣ ಬೇಸರಗೊಂಡು ಸೈನ್ಯಸಮೇತನಾಗಿ ಲಂಕೆಗೆ ಆಗಮಿಸಿದ್ದ ರಾಮನಿಗೆ ಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳೊಡನೆ ಶರಣುಬರುತ್ತಾನೆ. ರಾಮ ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ಮೊದಲೇ ವಿಭೀಷಣನಿಗೆ ಲಂಕೆಯ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿಯಾಗಿ ಅಭಿಷೇಕ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮುಂದೆ ನಡೆದ ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಭೀಷಣ ರಾಮನಿಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೆರವಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.