Today is Rama Navami, an auspicious festival to mark the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who descended to Earth to uphold dharma and vanquish the forces of darkness. The protagonist of the subject of this blog or Lord Rama, whose journey we are all studying as Ramayana is born on this day. Celebrated on the ninth day (Navami) of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra (March–April), Rama Navami holds immense religious and cultural importance in India and among Hindu communities around the world. The festival is observed on April 6th this year.
According to Balakanda which we already studied, King Dasharatha despite being a powerful and virtuous ruler, was deeply troubled due to his lack of an heir. To resolve this, he performed the Putrakameshti Yagna, a sacred ritual seeking offspring, under the guidance of Sage Rishyashringa. After the yagna, the gods, pleased with Dasharatha's devotion, blessed him. Agni, the god of fire, appeared and gave him a sacred potion (payasam), which he distributed among his three queens — Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. In time, the queens gave birth to four sons: Rama (to Kausalya), Bharata (to Kaikeyi), and Lakshmana and Shatrughna (to Sumitra). Lord Rama, being the eldest and the embodiment of dharma (righteousness), was born on the ninth day of Chaitra month, during Madhyahna period (midday), which is why Rama Navami is observed on that day. It is believed that the very hour of Rama’s birth is auspicious, and many devotees perform special prayers, sing bhajans, and read from the Ramayana during this time.
In essence, Rama Navami commemorates the descent of the divine in human form, whose life and values continue to guide millions — making it one of the most sacred days in the Hindu calendar. Rama Navami is not just a celebration; it is an ode to the eternal principles that uphold humanity. It serves as a reminder that in every epoch, light will prevail over darkness, and truth will conquer deceit. The deepest spiritual significance of Rama Navami lies in the symbolic meaning of Lord Rama’s birth — not just as a historical or mythological event, but as the awakening of divine consciousness within the human heart. At its core, Rama Navami is not only a celebration of the birth of a prince in Ayodhya, but a profound reminder that divine virtues — like truth, compassion, courage, humility, and righteousness — can and must take birth within us. Let us rededicate to uphold His principles of virtue and integrity in our lives on this auspicious day by commemorating the Lord in any possible way we can. A Lord emerged on this day and a hope illuminated across the world to guide everyone for eternity – the eternal last words.
On this bright day, we can read from Valmiki Ramayana, especially Bala Kanda, which tells of Rama’s birth and youth. Alternatively, read Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas, which is soaked in devotion and poetic beauty. Even a few verses or listening to a good narration online can uplift your day. A simple chanting of "Sri Rama Jai Rama Jai Jai Rama" is believed to invoke his blessings.
A beautiful and spiritually rich poem to study on Rama Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama, is the “Sri Rama Ashtakam” composed by Adi Shankaracharya. It is one of the finest devotional hymns praising the virtues, divinity, and majesty of Lord Rama.
First stanza of Sri Rama Ashtakam in Sanskrit:
Shri Rama Rama Raghunandana Rama Rama
Shri Rama Rama Bharatagraja Rama Rama
Shri Rama Rama Rana-karkasha Rama Rama
Shri Rama Rama Sharanam Bhava Rama Rama
Meaning: O Lord Rama, Rama, the delight of the Raghu dynasty, the elder brother of Bharata, the fierce warrior on the battlefield—O Rama, we take refuge in You.
Circling back on the story, we studied in the last post about two evil forces or father-son duo of Madhu and Lavana who torment sages and seers. The ascetics seek out Rama for protection. We can look the continuation in following chapters where Shatrughna moves to fight Lavana.
In chapter 62, Shatrughna asks permission to fight Lavana.
In the presence of Rama, the ascetics recounted their dire experiences with Lavana, a monstrous demon dwelling in the forest of Madhu-vana. When asked by Rama how the demon lived, the sages explained that Lavana survived by devouring all living creatures, particularly targeting ascetics. His behavior was savage, and he prowled the forest like a destroyer of worlds, slaying thousands of animals—lions, tigers, antelopes, birds—as well as human beings, making their flesh his daily food. The sages, having lost countless brethren to Lavana’s brutality, pleaded for Rama’s intervention.
Moved by their suffering, Rama solemnly assured them that he would personally see to Lavana’s destruction. Turning to his brothers, who stood near him, Rama asked who among them would be willing and brave enough to take on the task of slaying the fearsome Asura. Bharata, filled with courage and resolve, immediately stepped forward and volunteered, stating that he was ready to undertake the mission.
However, before Rama could respond, Shatrughna, the youngest of the four brothers, humbly rose from his seat. Bowing before Rama, he offered his own service for the mission. Shatrughna argued that Bharata had already undergone great trials in the past, particularly during Rama’s exile. At that time, Bharata had lived in great austerity in Nandigrama, sleeping on the bare earth, eating only roots and fruits, and wearing bark garments, all while governing Ayodhya with devotion and restraint until Rama's return. Having passed that immense test, Shatrughna reasoned, Bharata deserved rest, not further hardship.
Rama, acknowledging Shatrughna’s devotion and valor, agreed. He declared that Shatrughna would indeed be the one to slay Lavana. As a reward and as part of the mission, Rama also promised to install him as king over the conquered territory of Madhu, a kingdom rich in provinces and bordered by the Yamuna. Rama emphasized that once a tyrant is destroyed, a wise and just ruler must be installed to maintain order—otherwise, the one who brought about the change would incur sin.
He commanded Shatrughna to rule righteously after defeating Lavana, honoring the duty of a younger brother to obey the elder. Rama then instructed that the consecration ceremony for Shatrughna’s kingship be prepared, to be conducted by the venerable sage Vasishtha and other learned brahmins. Shatrughna’s acceptance of this sacred task marked a significant moment, not just in service to his brother but also in upholding the dharma and restoring justice to a land tormented by evil.
In chapter 63, the Installation of Shatrughna can be seen.
Shatrughna, though brave and loyal, was filled with doubt and humility upon hearing Rama's decision to install him as the king of Madhu after slaying the demon Lavana. Speaking with great modesty, he expressed his inner conflict to Rama. He questioned the propriety of installing a younger brother as king while his elder brothers still lived. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that it was his duty to obey Rama’s command, as the scriptures taught submission to rightful authority. Shatrughna admitted that his earlier bold statement about slaying Lavana had been impulsive and possibly disrespectful, as younger men should not interject when elders speak. Regretful, he vowed not to speak further unless bidden, requesting that Rama ensure his command did not bring dishonor upon him.
Rama, deeply pleased by Shatrughna’s humility and sincerity, turned to his other brothers, Bharata and Lakshmana, and instructed them to make preparations for Shatrughna’s installation as ruler of Madhu. He ordered the summoning of the priests, royal ministers, citizens, and elders to begin the formal consecration ceremony that very day.
The preparations were carried out swiftly under the guidance of the royal Purodhas (priests), and the palace of Rama was filled with nobles and sages. The ceremony was conducted with great reverence and joy. Shatrughna, the valiant son of the House of Kakutstha, was anointed king in a grand ritual, his radiance compared to that of the war-god Skanda when he had been enthroned by the celestial beings led by Indra. The people of the kingdom, as well as the queens—Kaushalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi—rejoiced at the occasion, feeling immense pride and happiness.
The sages who lived along the banks of the Yamuna, witnessing Shatrughna’s installation, prophesied Lavana’s imminent death, viewing this as a sign of the end of the demon’s tyranny.
Rama then embraced Shatrughna lovingly and, in soft, encouraging tones, presented him with a divine arrow. This extraordinary weapon, he explained, had been forged in ancient times by Brahma himself when he, in the form of Ajita, lay on the cosmic waters preparing to create the universe. At that time, the demons Madhu and Kaitabha had risen to obstruct creation. Enraged by their interference, Brahma created this powerful shaft to destroy them, thus enabling the formation of the three worlds. Rama revealed that he had refrained from using this potent weapon even against Ravana, fearing it would cause excessive destruction and loss of life.
Further advising Shatrughna, Rama spoke of the divine weapon that Lavana possessed—one gifted to Lavana’s father Madhu by Lord Shiva (Tryambaka). Lavana kept this weapon safely in his residence and only wielded it when provoked into battle. Rama cautioned that it would be impossible to defeat Lavana if he had this weapon in hand. Hence, he instructed Shatrughna to intercept Lavana while he was away from his abode, hunting and feeding—when he was without his weapon.
Rama’s plan was strategic and precise: Shatrughna was to lie in wait at the entrance to Madhu’s city with the divine arrow ready. When Lavana returned and was still unarmed, Shatrughna was to challenge him and strike him down swiftly. Rama emphasized that only under these conditions could the demon be vanquished. Any deviation from this plan, he warned, would render Shatrughna’s mission futile. He concluded by reminding Shatrughna of his valor and intelligence and trusted him to execute the mission with wisdom and precision, steering clear of the dreaded weapon of Shiva that Lavana otherwise wielded.
This concludes chapters 62 and 63 of Uttara Kanda where we had learned about the atrocities of evil Lavana as told by the sages to Rama. Shatrughna comes forward to bring an end to the reign of terror. Rama agrees and before that installs him on the throne of the very kingdom and prepares Shatrughna to battle Lavana. We can look at how Shatrughna ventures to battle Lavana and the birth of Kusha and Lava – sons of Rama and Sita in subsequent chapters.
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