The tale of Vishnu’s avatar, Ram, begins with a turbulent turn of events. Ravan reveled in his triumph over the abduction of Sita, while Lord Ram, appearing as an ordinary human, endured the profound sorrow of losing his beloved wife.
In the celestial realm of Swarga-lok, an urgent discussion unfolded between Lords Brahma and Indra after Ravan’s arrival in Lanka with the captive Sita. Brahma counseled Indra to descend to Lanka with divine offerings—a sleep-inducing potion for the rakshasis tasked with guarding Sita, and a specially prepared khir to alleviate her hunger and thirst (refer to the interpolation between Cantos 56 and 57 of Aranyakand, Balmiki Ramayan – Geeta Press Gorakhpur, Samvat 2080).
Meanwhile, in Dandkaranya, Ram hurried back to the Parn Shala after vanquishing Marich, encountering numerous ominous signs that deepened his distress over Sita. His fears were amplified when he spotted Lakshman approaching in the distance. Instinctively, Ram instinctively sensed trouble:
“Aho Lakshman! What folly has compelled you to abandon her? Is Sita safe?”
“I have no doubt that the rakshasas roaming the forest have either harmed her or consumed her,” he lamented.
Ibid/Canto 57(xvii-xviii)
Contrary to Ram’s fears, Sita had neither been harmed nor eaten, despite being held captive by Ravan. She remained hopeful, confident that Ram would soon come for her. As Ravan whisked her away towards Lanka in his chariot, Sita devised a plan to leave a trace of herself behind. Discreetly, she wrapped her jewels in her silk garment and dropped them where five monkeys watched the airborne chariot. Jatayu, the noble eagle, bravely confronted Ravan in an attempt to rescue her, damaging Ravan’s chariot and slaying the donkeys that pulled it, but ultimately suffering grave injuries that left Sita deeply grieved.
Upon arriving in Lanka, Ravan brought Sita directly to the women’s quarters of his palace, aiming to impress her with his wealth and power. The extravagant palace, adorned with jewels and filled with luxuries, boasted a stunning beauty and enchanting music. Ravan proudly proclaimed his formidable army of thirty-two lakh, with a thousand rakshasas at his service alone. In contrast, he mocked Ram, claiming he was merely a dispossessed, pitiful hermit, bereft of a throne due to Kaikeyi’s whims. Ravan distorted scriptures to entice Sita, asserting their union was permissible under dharma, and even bowed down with all ten of his heads at her feet as a gesture of submission.
Yet, Sita scorned his advances, refusing to even address him. Using a straw as a symbolic barrier, she declared:
“If Ram looks upon you with anger, you shall be reduced to ashes, just like Kaamdev was by Lord Shiva!”
Ibid/Canto 56(x)
Frustrated by Sita’s defiance, Ravan ordered her confinement in the Ashokvatika garden, where the most fearsome rakshasis would “strip her of her arrogance.”
Meanwhile, back in Dandkaranya, when Ram and Lakshman reached the Parn Shala, Ram’s worst fears were confirmed—Sita was missing. Lakshman attempted to soothe him, suggesting she might just be out gathering flowers or exploring nearby caves. “But why did you leave her alone?” Ram demanded, only to learn that Sita had driven Lakshman away with her accusations. Consumed with despair, he bitterly instructed Lakshman to abandon him and return to Ayodhya:
“Leave me behind in the jungle, go back to the beautiful Ayodhya; for without Sita, I cannot survive.”
Ibid/Canto 62(xv)
Lakshman swallowed his brother’s bitterness but recognized the need to bolster Ram’s spirits. Calmly, he reassured him that they would tirelessly search the ocean, mountains, jungles, caves, and all realms inhabited by devas and gandharvas until they found the one who had taken Sita. Moved by Lakshman’s fervent determination, Ram agreed, and the two brothers embarked on their quest.
Their journey involved traversing an uncharted forest area spanning over ninety-two thousand square kilometers. Unexpected allies emerged along their path. First, they encountered Jatayu, who, despite his mortal wounds, shared information about Ravan’s actions. Touched by Jatayu’s sacrifice, Ram offered to restore him, but the devoted bird expressed contentment in dying for Ram’s cause, saying, “It is due to my good deeds that I have obtained this honor.”
Further assistance came from Kabandh, a headless demon with a massive torso, cursed for harming sages. Grateful for his liberation, Kabandh provided directions to pursue Ravan and informed them that Sugriv, the monkey king, would be instrumental in rescuing Sita.
Until that moment, Ram wandered the forest aimlessly with Lakshman, but by Pampa Lake (in present-day Karnataka), he revealed his divine nature to the elderly sage Shabari, sharing the teachings of Navdha Bhakti—nine forms of devotion (refer to Ramcharitmanas/Aranyakand/34(iv)-35(v)).
As described by Sant Tulsidas in the introduction to the Aranyakand of Ramcharitmanas, Ram embodied righteousness, being “the root of the Dharma Tree and the Ocean of Discernment,” and also “Maryada Purshottam,” the epitome of virtuous humanity.
Indeed, walking the path of a man-God is a complex endeavor, as the Ramkatha suggests.
This content was originally published in Daily Excelsior.
