The Ramayana: Summary and Analysis

The Ramayana

Dasaratha, King of Ayodhya

Dasaratha, king of Ayodhya, had three wives and four sons. His eldest son, Rama, was born to his principal wife, Kausalya. His second wife, Kaikeyi, bore Bharata. His other two sons, Lakshmana and Satrughna, were twins born to his third wife. Rama and Lakshmana were of the blue lineage and were close companions. In Mithila, the first city created by the gods, lived the beautiful Sita. When Sita was of marriageable age, her father held a contest to find her a suitable husband. The princes were tested on their ability to lift a giant bow. No one could lift the bow except Rama, who not only lifted it but broke it. Thus, Sita and Rama were married.

Rama’s Exile

King Dasaratha decided to leave the throne to his son Rama and retire to the forest to seek moksha (spiritual liberation). Everyone was content with this decision, which was in agreement with dharma: the eldest son should assume the position of ruler. Everyone was in agreement except Dasaratha’s second wife, Kaikeyi, who wanted her own son, Bharata, to be king. Thus, she invoked a promise made to her years ago by the king that he would grant her any wish. She convinced the king to exile Rama to the forest for fourteen years. The king was obliged to keep his word, and Rama, ever obedient, was exiled to the forest. Sita convinced Rama to let her accompany him. His brother, Lakshmana, also accompanied him. Bharata was very upset when he learned what had happened and tried to convince Rama to return. However, Rama insisted on obeying his father. Thus, Bharata bid his brother farewell and returned to Ayodhya.

Sita’s Abduction

Years passed, and Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana lived happily in the forest. Rama and Lakshmana destroyed the Rakshasas (evil demons) who interrupted their meditation. One day, a Rakshasa princess tried to seduce Rama. Lakshmana wounded her. She returned to her brother, Ravana, the king of Lanka, and told him about the beautiful Sita. Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita. He appeared as a wise sage and sent a magical golden deer to distract Rama and Lakshmana. Seeing the deer, Sita asked Rama to hunt it for her. Rama and Lakshmana went to hunt, first drawing a protective circle around Sita so that she would remain safe. While they were gone, Ravana appeared in the guise of a beggar seeking food. He tricked Sita into leaving the protective circle and abducted her. Rama was heartbroken when he returned and could not find Sita. An army of monkeys offered to help him search for her.

Hanuman’s Search for Sita

Ravana took Sita to his palace in Lanka. He could not force her to become his wife, but she would neither eat nor sleep, only thinking of Rama. Hanuman, the general of the monkey army, who had the ability to fly, went to Lanka to search for Sita. When Hanuman was discovered, Ravana’s soldiers set his tail on fire. Hanuman escaped and, with his tail ablaze, jumped from roof to roof, setting Lanka on fire. He returned to Rama with news of Sita’s location.

Rama’s Rescue of Sita

Rama, Lakshmana, and the monkey army built a bridge from the tip of India to Lanka. Then, a fierce battle ensued between Rama and Ravana. After several of Ravana’s brothers were killed (including Kumbhakarna), Rama killed Ravana with his weapon, the brahmastra.

Rama’s Return to Ayodhya

Rama and Sita returned to Ayodhya, where the people proclaimed Rama their new king. However, Sita was accused of adultery because she had lived in Ravana’s palace during her captivity. Sita voluntarily submitted to a trial by fire to prove her purity. Rama accepted her back, but he knew that he must not only be pure but appear to be pure. Thus, he exiled Sita (despite her innocence).

Sita’s Exile and Death

Sita took refuge in the hermitage of the sage Valmiki (the supposed author of the Ramayana), where she gave birth to Rama’s twin sons, Lava and Kusha. They became Valmiki’s disciples and learned to sing the Ramayana, which Valmiki had composed. Later, Rama held the Ashvamedha Yagna (horse sacrifice), which was attended by the sage Valmiki and Lava and Kusha. The children sang the Ramayana in Rama’s presence. When Lava and Kusha revealed their identities as Rama’s sons, Rama was heartbroken. Valmiki brought Sita before Rama. Rama refused to take her back. In despair, Sita called upon the earth to swallow her (as it had her mother, who had been found in a furrow in the earth).

The Ramayana of Valmiki

The Ramayana of Valmiki, the oldest version of the Ramayana, is the basis of various versions that prevail in different cultures. The text survives in numerous partial or complete manuscripts, the oldest dating from the eleventh century CE. The current text has come down to us through two different versions, from North and South India. It was traditionally divided into seven books, dealing with the life of Rama from his birth until his death.

• Bala Kanda (Book of Rama’s Youth): Details his miraculous birth, his early life in Ayodhya, the slaying of the forest demons at the request of Vishvamitra, and his marriage to Sita.
• Ayodhya Kanda (Book of Ayodhya): Dasaratha suffers from the promise made to Kaikeyi, leading to the exile of Rama.
• Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest): Describes the life of Rama in the forest and the abduction of Sita by Ravana.
• Kishkindya Kanda (Book of Kishkinda, the Vanara Kingdom): Rama befriends Sugriva, and the Vanara army begins searching for Sita.
• Sundara Kanda (Book of Beauty): Hanuman goes to Lanka, finds Sita imprisoned, and brings the news to Rama.
• Yuddha Kanda (Book of War): Narrates the war between Rama and Ravana and the victorious return of Rama to Ayodhya and his coronation.
• Uttara Kanda (Later Book): The life of Rama and Sita after their return to Ayodhya, Rama’s banishment of Sita, and the deaths of Sita and Rama.

There has been much speculation about whether the first and last books of Valmiki’s Ramayana were written by Valmiki. Many experts believe they are integral to the book, despite differences in style and some contradictions in content between these and the rest of the book. These books contain most of the mythological references found in the Ramayana, such as Rama’s miraculous birth and divine nature and the many legends about Ravana.