Story of Rama’s 14 years Exile (Story of Ramayana part 1)

Prologue:-

Once there was a magnificent city called Ayodhya on the banks of River Sarayu. It's people were leading a happy life. They were ruled by a generous king Dasaratha. But the king was unhappy as he had no children. The sages advised him to perform a ritual. As a result, he was blessed with four sons, Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

The princes grew up into individuals with great qualities excelling themselves in archery,hunting and many other fields. One day a great sage known as Vishwamitra asked Dasaratha to send his son Rama to protect them from the evil demons. Rama along with Lakshmana succeeded to destroy them. They then proceeded to the city of Mithila, where Rama got married to Janaka’s daughter Sita, as he managed to lift the divine rudra’s bow and string it.

14years of exile:-

Soon a time came when Dasaratha wished to hand over his reign to his eldest son Rama, son of Kausalya. But Kaikeyi, another wife of King Dasaratha reminded his two boons he had promised, that her son Bharata should succeed as King and Rama should be sent into exile into the forest for fourteen years.

To respect his father’s promises, Rama gave up the throne and went into the forest with Sita and Lakshmana. This decision of Rama bought enormous sadness and grief to Dasaratha and he soon died.

Bharat Milap:-

But Rama’s brother Bharata, disgusted with Kaikeyi’s boon, refused to take the throne, left Ayodhya and went in search of Rama into a forest.

On the other side, Rama was searching for a land undisturbed and isolated from others. They reached a place, Chitrakut, a peaceful place and built a small house. Soon Bharata approached Chitrakut and pleaded Rama to return back and rule Ayodhya. But Rama refused to return and insisted Bharata to rule Ayodhya wisely. However, Bharata was equally stubborn and refused. At last, Bharata agreed that he will rule only as his representative for the next fourteen years. Bharata carried Rama’s sandals with great respect on his head, back to Ayodhya.

Story of Shurpanaka and Sita Haran:-Later, Rama left Chitrakut and proceeded to another dark and deep forest Dandaka. One day, an ugly female named Shurpanaka, Ravana’s sister, fell in love with Rama and troubled him to marry her. To punish her, Lakshmana cut off her nose and Shurpanakha ran away to seek help from her brother Ravana. She pleaded him to take revenge on Rama and Lakshmana, who disfigured her face. Ravana decided to kidnap Sita in revenge.

He asked an evil demon Maricha to take the form of a golden deer to attract Sita. She requested Rama to catch the sparkling deer. When Ram went in hunt of the deer, Ravana (in form of a brahman) went to Sita's hut. By evil trick, he abducted Sita to Lanka though objected by a vulture, Jatayu. When Rama and Lakshmana returned and realized about Sita being missing and went in search. And they met eagle Jatayu, friend of Dasaratha, who informed them about Sita’s abduction by Ravana.Continue-Ravan Vadh (Story of Ramayana Part 2)

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