Let us continue to get more from the first of the six kandas – Balakanda of The Ramayana. As mentioned in the last post, the inquisition of Valmiki for the search of an ideal man with great qualities is answered by Narada, who points to Rama. In this way, Ramayana begins in the first chapter. The Balakanda has 77 chapters and first chapter has 100 verses. The fascinating story is briefly presented in this first chapter. It sets the tone for the remainder of the book. The qualities of Rama which are mentioned in the initial verses of first chapter are:
Sri Rama has steady nature, possess incomprehensible prowess, self effulgent, self commanding and subjects senses under his control.
Sri Rama is a great intellectual, adherent to rules, eloquent, handsome, destroyer of foes (sins), broad shouldered, strongarmed, having conch shaped neck and prominent cheeks.
He possess a broad chest, armed with a great bow, with fleshy collar bones, knee-long arms, a noble head, a graceful forehead and great prowess, he is the destroyer of foes (sins).
Mighty and powerful, he has a wellproportioned body, neither tall nor short, shining complexion, welldeveloped chest, large eyes, lustrous body and good qualities.
Pious, firm in his vows, he is ever intent on doing good to his subjects. He is, illustrious, wise, and pure at heart. He is obedient to elders (or accessible to those who are dependent on him) and ever meditating (on the means of protecting those who take refuge in him).
Auspicious like Brahma, Sri Rama is the sustainer of this world, destroyer of enemies and protector of all living beings and of the moral code.
He has performed the duties of a king and protected his subjects. knowledgeable in the true nature of the Vedas he is accomplished in military science (he is a great archer).
Sri Rama knows the true meaning of all scriptures and has a retentive memory. He is talented (possessing brightness of conception). He is beloved and well-disposed towards all people (and courteous even towards those who have done him harm). He has an unperturbed mind (even in times of extreme grief) and is circumspect (in doing right things at the right time).
Sri Rama, like sea to rivers, is accessible to men of virtue and has equal disposition towards all. He always has a pleasing appearance.
Sri Rama, bestowed with all virtues, enhanced the joys of Kausalya, He is like the sea in deportment and like Himavant in fortitude.
Sri Rama is like Visnu in prowess, the Moon in pleasing appearance, the all-consuming fire in anger, the earth in patience, Kubera in charity and the Sun in steadfastness.
Let me also present the brief story of Ramayana as touched in the very first chapter in simple words.
Dasharatha was the King of Ayodhya and had three wives and four sons. Rama was the eldest and his mother was Kaushalya. Bharata was the son of Dasharatha’s second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi. The other two were twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna whose mother was Sumithra. In the neighboring city the ruler’s daughter was named Sita. When it was time for Sita to choose her bridegroom (at a ceremony called a swayamvara) princes from all over the land were asked to string a giant bow which no one could lift. However, as Rama picked it up, he not only strung the bow, he broke it. Seeing this, Sita indicated that she had chosen Rama as her husband by putting a garland around his neck. Their love became a model for the entire kingdom as they looked over the kingdom under the watchful eye of his father the king.
A few years later, King Dasharatha decided it was time to give his throne to his eldest son Rama and retire to the forest. Everyone seemed pleased, save Queen Kaikeyi since she wanted her son Bharata to rule. Because of an oath Dasharatha had made to her years before, she got the king to agree to banish Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata, even though the king pleaded with her not to demand such a request. The devastated King could not face Rama and it was Queen Kaikeyi who told Rama the King’s decree. Rama, always obedient, was content to go into exile in the forest. Sita and Lakshmana accompanied him on his exile.
One day Rama and Lakshmana wounded a rakshasas (demon) princess who tried to seduce Rama. She returned to her brother Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka. In retaliation, Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita after hearing about her incomparable beauty. He sent one of his demons disguised as a magical golden deer to entice Sita. To please her, Rama and Lakshmana went to hunt the deer down. Before they did though, they drew a protective circle around Sita and told her that she would be safe for as long as she did not step outside the circle. After Rama and Lakshmana left, Ravana appeared as a holy man begging alms. The moment Sita stepped outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabbed her and carried her to his kingdom in Lanka.
Rama then sought the help of a band of monkeys to help him find Sita. Hanuman, the general of the monkey band can fly since his father is the wind. He flew to Lanka and, finding Sita in the grove, comforted her and told her Rama would come to save her soon. Ravana’s men captured Hanuman, and Ravana ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman escaped and hopped from house-top to house-top, setting Lanka on fire. He then flew back to Rama to tell him where Sita was.
Rama, Lakshmana and the monkey army built a bridge from the tip of India to Lanka and crossed over to Lanka where a cosmic battle ensued. Rama killed several of Ravana’s brothers and eventually confronted the ten-headed Ravana. He killed Ravana, freed Sita and after Sita proved here purity, they returned to Ayodhya where Bharata returned the crown to him.
After the brief story, the nature of his kingdom was also touched upon, which is as follows.
The entire world rejoiced to see Rama on the throne. The contented people followed the path of righteousness and grew from strength to strength. Soon, as adharma abated and dharma flourished, the people of Ayodhya could not recall want, sickness or any of the mental or physical afflictions that had previously plagued them. Droughts and floods, famine and deaths, thieving and plundering were unknown during the rule of Rama. Women were chaste, faithful and never widowed. The fields produced an abundance of crop and nowhere, neither in cities nor in villages, was there dearth of any kind felt. Such was the glory of Rama's kingdom.
Narada concluded his narration by saying that Rama performed a hundred ashvamedhas, gifted hundreds of thousands of cows to the Brahmins as prescribed in the scriptures, re-established the royal dynasty a hundred times more and set the four castes to do their respective work. Rama would return to Brahmaloka after ruling for eleven thousand years and establishing the rule of dharma on earth.
The story of Rama is as propitious as the vedas and whosoever reads or listens to it will be cleansed of his sins, lead a long and happy life on earth and be assured of a place in heaven. A Brahmin will gain eloquence, a Kshatriya will be able to rule the earth, a Vaisya will reap great profits in his trade and even a lowly Sudra will attain greatness.
This concludes the first chapter of the 77 chapters in Balakanda – the first of six kandas or books. We will delve deeper into the story and the aspects surrounding it along with the many takeaways from this wonderful scripture in the subsequent posts. Let us contemplate on the great virtues or qualities of Sri Rama, how he instated dharma in his rule and how the people are under his rule. Let us wish for a world where a ruler of his nature reigns supreme and establish a great kingdom with everyone leading a meaningful life.
