Essence Of Maha Bhagavatha Purana

Lord Rama the Epic hero and an Illustrious Incarnation of Lord Vishnu

 From the lineage of Bhagiradha and against the background of stalwarts like Ikshvaku, Mandhata, Ambarisha, Harischandra and Sagara, as also in the immediate past of persons like Sudasa ( who was cursed by Sage Vasishtha to become a man-eater), Balika (who escaped Parasu Rama’s axing spree of Kshatriya Kings and hence his names ‘Nari Kacavacha’- hidden by women), Khatvanga-Dirghabahu-Raghu,Aja and Dasaradha, the father of Sri Rama-the Hero of Ramayana- and his memorable brothers Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna.

Maha Muni summarised one of the most heartening Epic Stories of Ramayana in great brevity as the largest part of humanity knew the nuances of each episode in it, irrespective of age and gender and is too popular to be over- emphasized. Lord Rama-the ‘Maryada Purusha’ is the unparalelled archetype hero of virtue, valour, maturity, discipline, dedication, discretion, and a model man to humanity.To his father he was a loyal son; to his mothers a person of genuine affection; to his brothers an inspirer; to his Gurus an obedient pupil of exception; to his relatives and friends a man of unfailing help; to the enemies of Virtue a demolisher; and to his followers and devotees a guiding star and provider. A multi-splendoured personality, Rama was an incarnation of Supreme Energy and indeed as an ideal human being having arrived in the midst of mankind.

Sri Rama followed Visvamitra to safeguard the Sacred Yagna undisturbed and in the process killed the wicked Tataki and Subahu and frightened away Maricha to flee; learnt Divine Powers to win Evil forces; relieved Devi Ahalya of Sage Gautama’s (her husband’s) curse to become a stone as Indra slept with her by trickery taking the form of Gautama; broke the famous ‘Siva Dhanush’ as a child play; married Devi Sita in ‘Swayamvara’( bride’s choice); lightened the ego of ‘Parasurama’who destroyed the erring race of Kshatriya Kings by his axe in successive wars; followed paternal instruction to spend fourteen long years of ‘Vanavas’ ( forest life) along with Devi Sita and followed by loyal brother Lakshmana; treated co- mother Kaikeyi without any ill-feeling and caressed mothers Kausalya and Sumitra with affection; assuaged the hard feelings of Bharata and Shatrughna and persuaded the former to maintain Kingship; shared the affection and wiped away the genuine tears of the Subjects of ‘Ayodhya’, the Capital City; appreciated the service and devotion of devotee ‘Guha’, boatsman in crossing the River Sarayu; shared the joy of eating fruits partly bitten by the grand mother figure of Devotee ‘Sabari’; relieved of a curse of  punished Demoness ‘Surpanakha’, the sister of the Epic Villian Ravana, asking Lakshmana to disfigure her by cutting her nose and ears and carry the message of warning to him; annihilated thousands of Demons headed by Khara, Dushana and Trisira as despatched  by Ravana as a sequel to Surpanakha’s incident; inspired confidence in the fugitive Vanara Heir-Apparent Sugriva that Rama could kill by breaking Seven Huge Trees in a row with a single arrow; helped Sugriva to terminate the Powerful Vanara King Vali and installed the former as the King of ‘Vanaras’( Monkey Brigade); received in immense measure the affection, loyalty and devotion of the illustrious Hanuman and of many other Vanara Warriors like Jambavanta and Angada; chased a golden deer ( disguised Demon Maricha) since Devi Sita desired to get the animal and when she crossed the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ ( a line drawn by Lakshmana to safeguard her by fiery  Mantras) she fell a victim of Ravana in disguise as an asetic who forcibly took her away to Lanka; found Devi Sita disappeared from the hermitage and along with Lakshmana searched for Sita in profound grief ; found the Great Bird ‘Jatayu’, an eye witness to the cries of  Devi Sita being carried away by Ravana; deputed Hanuman to cross over the Ocean, meet Devi Sita and to ransack entire Lanka; took the help of Sugriva, Hanuman and the full Monkey Brigade in crossing the Ocean across the ‘Rama Sethu’ built by the Brigade and the Divine Architect Visvakarma; welcomed Vibhishana, the virtuous brother of Ravana, into his camp; deputed peace emissaries to Ravana to return Devi Sita; and when the fight became inevitable a battle as   fierce and decisive was fought which destroyed the Demon camp totally. No doubt, Ram’s opposition could not be wished away as Demon stalwarts like the mighty Kumbhakarna, the wily Indrajit and innumerable experts of war like Kumbha, Nikumbha, Dhumrakesa, Durmukha, Surantaka and Narantaka besides Ravana himself proved tough to be destroyed.The Ten-headed Ravana who was a terror to the World was almost invincible, especially since his ten heads were sprouting again and again, till Vibhishana revealed that there was a deposit of life providing nectar in his abdomen. Finally the ultimate success was that of Dharma versus Adhrama and triumph of Truth and Virtue. Sri Rama and Devi Sita returned to Ayodhya when the celebrations were not only restriced to the Kingdom but to the entire humanity and indeed the whole Universe. The vast Kingdom of Rama was administered as a model to humanity and had gone down in the history of Earth as Rama Rajya! Even so, human nature being what it was even in Threta Yuga, there were stray voices in the Kingdom  that Devi Sita stayed in Ravana’s custody for long time and despite the so-called Fire Test ( Agni Pariksha) at Lanka, her existence like a ‘Pati Vrata’ ( Pure wife) was suspect! Sri Rama being a King of Virtue had to take the ugly decision to send away Devi Sita to forests even while she was in the family way and Sage Kanva provided refuge to her ; Lava and Kusa, the twin boys of Rama and Sita were born and grew as experts of War Techniques under the guidance of the Sage.There was an altercation between the twins on one hand and Sri Rama’s brothers on the other when the twins did not release the Sacrificial Horse as Rama performed the ‘Asvamedha Yagna’. Finally Sri Rama himself came to fight the twins. Devi Sita had to reveal that Rama and the twins were related as father and sons.Finally Sita’s mother, Bhudevi ( Earth) absorbed Sita into her lap and the illustrious Ram-Sita’s Golden Connection had ended, albeit temporarily as their incarnations as Vishnu and Lakshmi got revived again.Meanwhile, Rama observed celibacy and ruled for thirteen thousand  years, before returning to Vaikuntha, thier own abode.