REFLECTIVE JOURNAL #2 - EPIC
Ramayana is an epic taught to every soul in India as it’s a path to righteousness. The epic portrays the ideal man. It’s on RAMA the 7th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, a Hindu deity. The epic has 24,000 verses divided into 500 songs written by poet Valmiki in Sanskrit, which was later translated into many languages.
Dasaratha, king of Kosala was loved by everyone. He was happy in all ways and the Kingdom was prosperous. Only issue that was bothering him was he had no children though he had 3 wives. He performed sacrifices to have children. And he had four sons ' Rama (incarnation of Lord Vishnu), Bharatha, Lakshman and Shatrugna. All four grew to be brave, strong, tall and skilled in archery. It is during this time that sage Viswamithra came to ask a favor from Dasaratha to send Rama and Lakshman with him to kill Thataka the female demon disturbing him and other saints at the asharam. Ram and Lakshman defeated and killed the demon. Viswamithra took them to Mithila were Rama fell in love with Sita who was the foster daughter of King Janaka. But string attached to marry Sita was that the man marrying her has to lift and bend the bow of Siva (Hindu Deity), many have tried before but no one was able to bend it. Rama did complete the task with ease. Dasaratha was informed, he was happy and he also gave his consent for the marriage. Rama got married to Sita.
Dasaratha had decided to conduct a ceremony and pass on the throne to Rama his eldest son. But Kaikeyi, Dasaratha’s second wife wanted her son Bharatha to be on the throne, so she plotted and exiled Rama from the country for fourteen years. Lakshmana and Sita accompanied him to the forest for fourteen years. Dasaratha died after the guilty consciousness of sending his son away. Rama, Sita and Lakshman lead a very simple life in the forest. During this time soorpanaka fell in love with Rama and tried to stalk on Sita. But Lakshman catches her and cuts her nose. Soorpanaka was...