We had seen two events unfolding in the last few posts – one is the birth of Lava and Kusha as twin sons of Rama and Sita and the next is the slaying of demon Lavana by Shatrughna. These are great to know events as they happened to Rama. But as per texts Rama is completely unaware of Sita’s pregnancy and the birth of his own sons for many years. The happy events and many happy ones to the public and the viewers of the great narrative called Ramayana comes at tremendous personal cost to Rama. As mentioned, he doesn’t follow along how his wife is doing nor about the birth of his sons. As king, Rama felt compelled to uphold public opinion and royal duty above his personal happiness. When rumors questioned Sita's purity despite her trial by fire, he chose the painful path of separation to maintain his kingdom's trust. This separation represents the ultimate sacrifice Rama makes for his role as an ideal king (Adarsh Raja). He suffers profound personal loss while fulfilling what he perceives as his royal responsibility. Rama's private grief and loneliness is immense, and he never remarried, keeping a golden image of Sita beside him during rituals, revealing his continued devotion despite the separation. Rama only discovered the existence of his sons years later during the Ashwamedha Yagna (horse sacrifice), when the young princes captured the sacrificial horse and defeated Shatrughna's forces. We can look at this much later. For now, the situation creates a profound irony—the very king known for his perfect adherence to dharma must live with the knowledge that he abandoned and separated a pure wife from her rightful place and unknowingly abandoned his own sons as well. So much for the public good and public welfare. Rama upheld the welfare of the world (loka kalyanam) while enduring personal separation from Sita and his sons, Lava and Kusha.
Unless we look at it with intent and curiosity, this personal story or perspective isn’t key aspect of Ramayana. Neither given any importance. The one king and his personal life is never paramount but the happiness and welfare of millions of people in kingdom is all that mattered in the epic and in reality. We need to strive for that alone – country above the self. One should take care of the other. This narration of the birth of Lava and Kusha simply follows the pursuit of Shatrughna to kill Lavana and nothing more than that. The trail of Shatrughna to kill Lavana and protecting the common men, kingdom is main story and not the birth of Rama’s progeny. We have looked the same in last few chapters where Shatrughna, after taking leave of Valmiki, wages a battle with Lavana and kills him. We can look at the successive story in following chapters.
In chapter 70, Shatrughna establishes himself in the city of Madhu.
With the demon Lavana slain by the valiant Shatrughna, the Gods, led by Agni, descended to the battlefield. They addressed the warrior affectionately, praising his victory and expressing their joy at the destruction of the fearsome Rakshasa. Speaking with warmth and reverence, they said, “O noble child, blessed is your triumph! Lavana, the terror of the Three Worlds, is no more. Ask of us a boon, O long-armed warrior. We, the distributors of blessings who yearned for your success, stand ready. Let our presence not go in vain.”
In response, Shatrughna, ever humble despite his great feat, folded his hands in reverence and bowed his head. With respectful words he answered, “It is my dearest wish to take possession of this magnificent and picturesque city, created by the Gods themselves.”
The Celestials, delighted by his modest request, declared, “So be it! This enchanting city shall henceforth be known as Shurashena.” Having thus granted his wish, the Gods returned to their heavenly realms.
Following this divine sanction, Shatrughna summoned his army, which had been camped along the banks of the Yamuna. The soldiers, having heard of his glorious victory, assembled promptly. In the sacred month of Shravana, Shatrughna formally established his rule over the city.
Under his righteous and powerful governance, the region flourished for twelve years. The people lived in peace and prosperity. Protected by the arms of their noble king, the rains came at the right time, sent by Indra himself. The land became bountiful with crops, and the citizens enjoyed good health and happiness. The capital, shining like the crescent moon, stood resplendent on the banks of the Yamuna. It was adorned with magnificent buildings, grand avenues, busy markets, and noble homes, housing people of all four castes in perfect harmony.
Shatrughna beautified and expanded the already impressive structures once built by Lavana. He had them embellished with vibrant colors and exquisite craftsmanship. Throughout the city, parks and places of leisure were established, and it was adorned with both human and divine works of art. Its streets were lively with commerce, and traders from far-off lands brought goods of every kind. This city of celestial beauty, now bustling with life, stood as a testament to Shatrughna’s leadership and vision.
In the heart of this thriving metropolis, Shatrughna, the younger brother of Bharata and a lion among men, found deep satisfaction. The people honored him, the city prospered, and harmony reigned.
Yet after twelve years of rule in this blessed city, a longing stirred within the prince. Sitting in the splendor of Shurashena, his thoughts turned to his beloved brother, Rama, the Chief of the Raghus. A deep desire grew in his heart—to behold the feet of Rama once more. Though surrounded by wealth and success, his soul yearned for the comfort of familial love and the sight of the noble one to whom he owed his deepest loyalty.
Thus, Shatrughna, still residing in the flourishing city filled with people of every station, resolved to return and once again gaze upon Rama, the jewel of the Ikshvaku line.
In chapter 71, Shatrughna seeks out the sage Valmiki.
In the twelfth year of his rule in the flourishing city of Shurashena, Shatrughna, the noble son of Dasaratha and younger brother of Rama, was seized by a deep desire to return to Ayodhya and behold Rama once more. With this longing in his heart, he decided to journey back, taking with him only a small escort of loyal servants and soldiers. He declined the company of his chief ministers and foremost warriors, choosing instead to travel lightly and with great purpose. Mounted on a magnificent steed and accompanied by a hundred chariots, Shatrughna began his journey toward the city of his birth.
After traveling through fifteen stages, he reached the serene hermitage of the great sage Valmiki. There, the noble prince halted, drawn by the tranquility and spiritual aura of the place. Upon his arrival, Shatrughna offered respectful salutations to the venerable ascetic, who welcomed him warmly and performed the rites of hospitality with his own hands—offering water to wash his feet and the sacred Arghya.
Valmiki, filled with affection and admiration, greeted Shatrughna with joy. In their conversation, the sage praised the prince’s extraordinary feat of having slain Lavana, the fearsome Rakshasa who had terrorized the region for generations. With sincere admiration, Valmiki declared that Shatrughna had accomplished what many mighty kings, even with their formidable armies of infantry and cavalry, had failed to do. “You have slain him almost in sport,” the sage said. “Your valor has ended the fear that plagued the worlds. Even Ravana, the great Rakshasa, was defeated by Rama with difficulty, but your feat was achieved with apparent ease.” Valmiki revealed that he had witnessed the combat from Vasava’s divine assembly and had been overwhelmed with joy. As a mark of his affection and blessing, the sage gently smelled the crown of Shatrughna’s head, a traditional gesture of love and honor.
The sage then extended full hospitality to Shatrughna and his companions. After they had eaten and rested, the prince was invited to listen to a most enchanting performance. Singers began to chant the glorious history of Rama—his deeds, trials, and triumphs—in verses composed by Valmiki himself. The music, accompanied by stringed instruments and sung in the triple mode—from the heart, throat, and head—was rich in melody and deep emotion. The tale of Rama’s imperishable exploits, brought to life through this symphonic narration, deeply moved Shatrughna. Tears welled in his eyes, and he sat motionless, overwhelmed with emotion and nostalgia. He felt as if the past had returned, and the great story of Rama was unfolding before him once more.
His soldiers and attendants, too, were spellbound. Lost in the beauty of the performance, they cried out in wonder, “What is this? Where are we? Is this a vision, or are we dreaming?” In their awe and confusion, they urged Shatrughna to question the sage, hoping to learn the mystery behind the magical performance. But the wise prince, ever respectful of ascetic tradition and mindful of propriety, gently reproved them. “It is not fitting to question such a great Rishi out of mere curiosity,” he said. “Many miraculous things happen in this hermitage. Let us accept them with reverence.”
Having calmed his astonished companions, Shatrughna once again offered his respectful obeisance to the illustrious Valmiki and quietly retired to his quarters within the hermitage, his heart still stirred by the memory of the divine music and the powerful evocation of his brother Rama’s life.
This concludes chapters 70 and 71 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen Shatrughna establishing himself in the city of Madhu, renamed as Shurashena, ruling it with flourishing governance for 12 years. After yearning to visit Rama, he ventures to travel back to Ayodhya and halts at the hermitage of Valmiki. The great sage praises Shatrughna for killing the demon with ease and narrates the story of Rama with a mesmerizing performance. Stirred by the powerful evocation of Rama’s life and all the memories brought back, Shatrughna retires for the night. We can look at him visiting Rama in subsequent chapters.
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