The Defeat of Vali

 The Defeat of Vali

Rama and Lakshmana stood with Sugreeva, gazing at a pile of bones scattered near the mountain.

"Whose bones are these?" Rama asked.

Sugreeva sighed. "These belong to Dundubi, a fearsome buffalo-shaped demon. He once begged Lord Vishnu for eternal battle and was sent to fight Vali. They clashed for a year before Vali defeated him and hurled his body into the sky. But the bones fell upon this sacred mountain, angering a sage who cursed Vali."

Rama nodded thoughtfully. "These bones bring misfortune. Lakshmana, remove them."

Lakshmana kicked the bones away, purifying the land. Then Sugreeva hesitated before speaking again.

"Rama, I saw Ravana carrying Sita away. Here—these are her jewels." He handed Rama a golden necklace and earrings.

Rama’s hands trembled. Tears spilled from his eyes as he clutched the ornaments to his heart. Overcome with grief, he collapsed.

Hanuman and Sugreeva rushed to his side. "We will find her," Sugreeva vowed.

Rama’s voice was heavy with sorrow. "I failed her…"

"But we will not," Hanuman said firmly. "First, we must defeat Vali so Sugreeva can reclaim his kingdom. Only then can we gather an army to rescue Sita."

The Challenge

The group traveled to Kishkindha, where Sugreeva roared, "Vali! Face me!"

Vali, deep in slumber, awoke with a growl. His wife, Tara, clutched his arm. "Do not go! Rama stands with Sugreeva, and his bow is invincible!"

Vali scoffed. "Rama is noble. He would never strike me unfairly!" Ignoring her plea, he charged into battle.

Hidden behind rocks, Rama and Lakshmana watched the two monkey kings clash.

"Brother," Lakshmana whispered, "can we trust Sugreeva? Is this fight just?"

Rama hesitated. "We must keep our word."

The battle raged—fists like thunder, tails whipping like storms. Bloodied and exhausted, Sugreeva cried, "Rama, help me!"

"Wear this vine," Rama instructed, tying a creeper around Sugreeva’s neck. "I must know it is you."

As Vali lifted Sugreeva high, Rama drew his bow. Twang! The arrow pierced Vali’s heart.

Vali’s Last Words

Vali staggered, gripping the arrow in shock. "Who... could strike me down?" He pulled the shaft free and saw Rama’s name engraved upon it.

"Rama?" Vali gasped. "Why? You are righteous—this act stains your honor!"

Rama stepped forward. "You tried to kill your own brother. You took his wife. As a king, you failed justice."

Vali shook his head. "Our ways are not yours. Among monkeys, this is no crime."

"But you are no mere beast," Rama said. "You think, you reason—you must uphold dharma."

Vali’s anger faded. He bowed his head. "Perhaps... you are right." Turning to Sugreeva, he whispered, "Rule wisely... and serve Rama well."

With his last breath, Vali said, "Tell the world... my brother brought my salvation."

Tears streamed down Sugreeva’s face as Vali’s spirit ascended to the heavens.

Rama placed a hand on Sugreeva’s shoulder. "Now, we prepare for war. Sita will be freed."

And so, with Vali gone, the alliance was sealed—Rama’s quest to rescue Sita had truly begun.

The End.

Moral: Even the mighty must listen to wisdom. True strength lies in justice, not in power alone.

 

Amar Nath Cave-Kashmir

Amar Nath Cave 

Location: 145 km from Srinagar, Kashmir Region

Altitude: 4,175m (13,700ft). Darshan Season: July To August One of the holy Trinity, Shiva, is a living God. The most sacred and the most ancient book of India, the 'Rig Veda" evokes his presence in its hymns. Vedic myths, rituals and even astronomy testify to his existence from the dawn of time. But Shiva, Destroyer, the mendicant, is indefinable. AMARNATH CAVE The Yatra (pilgrimage) on foot to Amarnath Cave, considered one of the holiest naturally occurring shrines of the Hindu faith, has continued annually for little more than a hundred years. Extending up 130 feet, the Amarnath Cave is high and shallow. A Linga Of Ice Inside the large opening, behind an open-gated iron fence, an underground trickle of water emerges 10 feet up from a small cleft in the sedimentary rock and freezes s it drips to form a small cleft in the sedimentary rock and freezes as it drips to form a tall, smooth cone of ice. This cone was originally called "the formless form", but it has come to have another symbolism. The ice figure is believed to be a Lings (also spelt as Lingam), a manifestation of the Lord Shiva's phallus. On the full moon of the Sawan month, in July or August, tens of thousands of yatris (also called pilgrims), walk from Pahalgam to view the Ice phallus and make offerings of food, money, sweets, and garlands of flowers before it.

Amarnath: The Icy Abode of Shiva

High in Kashmir’s rugged embrace,
Where heaven and earth in whispers grace,
Stands Amarnath, the cave divine,
Where frozen light and faith entwine.

A trek of zeal, a pilgrim’s might,
Through mist-clad trails and starry night,
From Srinagar’s vale, so far, so steep,
To where the gods in silence sleep.

Four thousand meters touch the sky,
Where mortal breath turns thin and shy,
Yet hearts burn fierce with fervent prayer,
To meet the Lord who waits them there.

Within the cave, so vast, so cold,
A miracle of ice unfolds—
A Linga bright, by drops conceived,
Where Shiva’s form is half-believed.

From ancient hymns to Vedic lore,
The Destroyer’s might we still adore,
Yet here He stands, in frozen flame,
Both formless form and sacred name.

When Sawan’s moon hangs full and bright,
A sea of faith bathed in its light,
They come with flowers, sweets, and gold,
To seek the truth the sages told.

Oh Amarnath! Thy mystic shrine,
Where earth and eternity align,
Not just a cave, but heaven’s door—
Where Shiva dwells forevermore.

Sundra

Sham Misri

Birth of Lord Rama

 Birth of Lord Rama

Story: Narada, the sage, tells the story. The sage told Valmiki of King Dasharatha and his wish to install his eldest son, Rama, as the crown prince. He told him of Rama's 14-year exile in the forest and his great battle with Ravana, the Rakshasa king.

He narrated the details of Rama's return, still speaking of past events. Finally, Narada described how Rama's perfect reign would be, talking of the past, present, and then the future.

After ruling for 11,000 years, Narada said, Rama would go to Brahma's realm.

He ended his account by saying, "This is a sacred ancient account, reading it.

For the Want of a Son- Desperate for an heir, the great king Dasharatha prayed to the gods and conducted an elaborate sacrifice. Meanwhile, tormented by the powerful Rakshasa Ravana, the gods begged Vishnu for deliverance. Indeed, many things had to come together for the birth of Rama and his brothers

One day, driven by the desire for an heir, the king decided to appease the gods and conduct a special horse sacrifice. Dasharatha asked Sumantra, his trusted advisor and charioteer, to summon the priests so that they could begin preparations.

Sumantra, however, had heard that the birth of Rama had been preordained. He told the king of an ancient account, when the sage Sanatkumara informed an assembly that Dasharatha would request the sage Rishyashringa to perform a sacrifice. The king would then father four sons.

Dasharatha immediately set off for the kingdom of Anga, where Rishyashringa lived. There, he requested the sage's presence at the sacrifice. The sage agreed and accompanied the king to Ayodhya, where the citizens welcomed them with the blowing of conch shells and the deep beats of drums.

The sacrifice- Rishyashringa performed the rites and, a year later, sacrificed the horse as a part of the ritual. This merely cleansed the king of his sins. The sage began the second sacrifice that would help Dasharatha get children. The gods gathered in the heavens as he recited the mantras.

The assembly of gods -The gods, Gandharvas (magical beings), and sages gathered to observe the rituals. They saw Brahma, the Creator of the universe, and pleaded, "The Rakshasa king, Ravana, whom you had once granted a boon, torments us. We cannot perform our duties. The wind cannot blow near him, the ocean does not dare disturb him, and the sun is too afraid to scorch him. Help us."

Seeing their despair, Brahma offered them a way out. He told them that though Ravana had listed several beings at whose hands he could not be killed, he had not included humans. "He does not respect humans, and it shall be a man who brings about his death," he said.

Vishnu decides to be reborn- Vishnu, the Preserver of the Universe, arrived just then.

His radiance cast a light around him. The gods begged him to defeat Ravana. "He is so fierce in his energy that he makes virtuous ascetics scream in fear," they said.

They pointed at the virtuous Dasharatha and his wives and said, "O Vishnu! Divide yourself into four parts and become their sons. Defeat Ravana."

Vishnu asked in a gentle voice, "How would I slay the lord of the Rakshasas?" "Assume a human form," they pleaded. "Only a human can kill Ravana."

The compassionate Vishnu agreed to their request.

It was an opportune moment, for Dasharatha was in the middle of the sacrifice for a son.

A divine gift - As Dasharatha performed the rituals, a dazzling figure emerged from the holy fire, holding a celestial dish made of molten gold. He was as tall as a mountain and blazed like the sun. He said, "Oh, king. Take this rice pudding that the gods have prepared."

He asked the king to give the pudding to his wives, and they would be blessed with sons. The king accepted it and rushed to the palace's inner quarters and to his three queens.

Shrupnakha describes Ravana

 When Ravana asks Shrupanaka to describe Sita. He falls instantly in love with her image, and Shrupanaka urges him to capture Sita. Ravana walks out of his hall, ignoring his wives, and shuts himself in his private room. He rages and feels that everything is out to torment him. He moves to the garden, where he finds the late winter cool and uncomfortable. Ravana shouts at the weather, which obligingly changes to early summer. Ravana is still unhappy with the weather, so the monsoon season is coming. Finally, Ravana banishes all seasons and years disappear. He eventually asks for the moon, but finds it too bright and recalls the sun. This wreaks havoc on the world, as birds wonder where night went and astronomers can't figure out what happened. Finally, he orders complete darkness and hallucinates about Sita.

Ravana's temper tantrum is demonstrative of his extreme power over the world. The reader is reminded that at this point Ravana is selfish and not at all interested in using his powers for good, as the beings subject to his whims and fancies are at least shocked, if not harmed by his changes in the weather. Also, unlike Rama (but like Sita and Soorpanaka), Ravana is completely derailed by falling in love. Though Rama was disturbed and didn't sleep, he still managed to function. Ravana's inability to do so further distances him from Rama's heroism and goodness, and aligns him with the reactions of women and evil.

Ravana summons Soorpanaka and asks her to confirm that he's hallucinating about Sita. Soorpanaka insists that she sees Rama, and that since he damaged her she can't forget him. She urges Ravana to go fetch Sita, and Ravana calls for his advisers. He only values them for the formality, however, and soon leaves to speak with his uncle, Mareecha. Ravana explains that Rama mutilated Soorpanaka, and Mareecha advises Ravana to stay away from Rama. Ravana asks Mareecha to come along and help him steal Sita, but Mareecha is trying to live a virtuous life and tries to refuse.

Ravana continues to behave selfishly. Rather than wanting to truly consult others to formulate the best plan, he only wants to speak to advisors so that he feels important. Here we see Ravana operating essentially as a lone agent and bullying others into following him; the story will later show that behaving like this has disastrous consequences. Mareecha's attempts to refuse, however, continue to suggest that it's possible to choose good over evil and right past wrongs.

 

Vanaras in Turmoil

 Vanaras in Turmoil

The Vanaras, their hope renewed, now faced a new dilemma. The vast, tumultuous ocean before them seemed an insurmountable obstacle. They knew where Sita was, but how would they cross the ocean? Who could leap 100 yojanas?

Seeing the massive ocean rumble and roar around them in its many moods and hues, here calm, there fierce, the Vanaras began to despair once again.

They wondered how they would cross an ocean that seemed unfathomable and untraversable, like the limits of the sky. Angada discussed this with the elders and spoke to the Vanara army, "Which mighty hero will cross the ocean? Who will free us from this terrible fear of death at Sugriva's hand? By whose grace will we see our wives, sons, homes again? Who shall please Rama and Lakshmana? Speak up. If you can cross the 100 yojanas, grant us this blessing of fearlessness."

In a quandary

Slowly, the Vanaras spoke up. Gaja said that he could cross 10 yojanas, then Gavaksha claimed he could do 20. Gavaya said 30 and Sharabha said there was no doubt he could do 40. Gandhamadana, Mainda, Dvivida, and Sushena spoke up as well, but no one could traverse 100 yojanas.

Jambavan said, "Once I circumambulated Vishnu in his massive form. I was blessed with strength and immense speed. I am old and frail now, but this task is for Rama and the king of Vanaras, so I cannot look the other way. I can travel 90 yojanas now. That is not the limit of my strength, but this is as much as I can do at my age."

Angada said that he could travel 100 yojanas without any trouble, but was not sure if he could return successfully.

Jambavan, however, told Angada that he could not go.

"Best of Vanaras," he said, "You may be able to leap even 100,000 yojanas and return quickly, but you are acting as our master. We cannot send you on a perilous journey while we wait in safety. Young hero, it is important to protect the root at all costs, for one can rely on it for new leaves again."

Angada was at his wits' end, and said, "If I cannot go, venerable Jambavan, and nobody else has the capacity, then perhaps we should return to our earlier resolve of fasting unto death."

Jambavan did not seem too concerned about Angada's pessimism. "I will speak to the one who will accomplish this task," he said.

Rise, Hanuman

He turned to Hanuman, took him aside, and said, "Why are you standing quietly, away from everybody? Why don't you speak? You are equal to Rama, Lakshmana, and Sugriva in strength. Your intellect and brilliance distinguish you from all beings. Do you not know yourself?

"You are the son of Anjana, Kesari's wife. The wind god was once attracted to her and embraced her. She called out, 'Who is this person, trying to violate my vow of monogamy?' The wind god replied. Do not worry. Since I have only embraced you with my mind, your vow shall remain intact.' He then blessed her with a heroic and brilliant son, who would be his equal in strength.

"As a young child, attracted to the red disc of the sun, you rose in the sky. Indra, the king of gods, grew worried, struck you with his weapon and injured your jaw as you fell. Angered, the wind god refused to move. Air fell still until Indra and Brahma, the Creator of the universe, blessed you. Your boons ensured that weapons would not kill you, and that only you could choose the moment of your death. As a child, you impressed the gods, and as a dear son of the wind, you are his equal in brilliance.

"We have given up all hope of life, and you are our only refuge now. Rise, tiger among Vanaras, and cross this immense ocean."

 

The Winged Oracle In Search of Sita

 The Winged Oracle

In Search of Sita

As the exhausted Vanara army sat down, defeated and helpless, awaiting their death, help came from unexpected quarters. The wise, aged vulture Sampati had overheard them talking and then mentioned a name that brought back many memories, but distressed him greatly as well.

The lord of vultures, Jatayu's older brother, Sampati, heard the voices of the Vanaras and came out of his cave in the Vindhyas. He heard their conversation of fasting unto death and grew delighted at the thought of eating them one by one as they dropped dead.

Angada's voice interrupted Sampati's thoughts. "We did not accomplish Rama's task or fulfil our king's wishes," he said. "Look at how the promises Kaikeyi extracted, have effected everyone.

Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita were exiled to the forest, Dasharatha died, Ravana abducted Sita, and Jatayu died as he tried to rescue her."

The grieving vulture

Shocked, Sampati spoke up, "Who speaks of Jatayu's death, causing my heart to tremble? It has been so long since I heard from him. My younger brother is virtuous and valorous. I wish to hear of his death, if that is what has happened."

At first, the Vanaras doubted Sampati's intentions, even though his voice trembled in grief. They realized that they had nothing to fear, as they were awaiting death by the ocean shore anyway, and so told him the entire story.

Sampati listened to them and then said, as he mourned his brother, "I cannot do anything even after hearing of my brother's slaughter in battle by that wretched Ravana, for I am old and without wings."

Angada replied, "If Jatayu is your brother, tell us where this Rakshasa lives, if you happen to know."

News, at last

Jatayu's elder brother said, "I am a bird without wings. My valour and might are gone. I will, however, help Rama through my speech. I saw Ravana take a beautiful young woman who called out to Rama and Lakshmana. From her cries, I surmise it must have been Sita.

"Listen as I tell you where Ravana lives. He is the brother of Kubera, the god of wealth, and lives in the city called Lanka, which is a 100 yojanas (about 1,260 km or 900 miles) into the ocean, surrounded by water on all sides. Vishvakarma, the divine architect of the universe, built this great city.

Sita lives there, held by the Rakshasas. You must find a way to get there.

"Now, take me to the ocean shore so I may offer the ritual water in the memory of my deceased brother, Jatayu." He looked at the Vanaras and realized that they were not fully convinced, so Sampati reassured them. He told them that he knew this information to be true, for his son, Suparshva, had seen Ravana abduct Sita, as he foraged for food.

After performing the water rituals, Sampati told the Vanaras that he knew that they would succeed in their mission of finding Sita.

"Let me tell you how I know this," he said, and told them his story.

Historical Context of The Ramayana

 

Historical Context of The Ramayana

As a religious text, the Ramayana provides a basis for understanding the guiding principles of Hinduism. Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, and the three most important deities are Shiva, the destroyer of evil; Brahma, the creator; and Vishnu, the protector. It's these gods that orchestrate Rama's victory over Ravana. The Ramayana also hinges on the logic of Dharma, which refers to a universal order, practical morality, and the correct way of living. The laws of Dharma govern why, for instance, Rama must abide by his father's decision to banish him; had Rama allowed himself to be crowned, he would've upset both his own Dharma and that of his father.

Valmiki is celebrated as the first Sanskrit poet. The Mahabharata, another ancient epic, was written by the sage Vyāsa around the same time. Together, these two epic poems form the Itihāsa (translated as "history") of the Hindu religion. The Ramayana has remained an endless source of inspiration for Southeast Asian authors and artists; some version of the Ramayana exists in every Southeast Asian country, and in some cases has been adapted to fit the guiding principles of either the Jain or Buddhist religions.

Valmiki- The First Poet

The First Poet. Valmiki is credited with inventing the shloka meter of verse poetry, the most common meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. Legend has it that he uttered the first shloka in grief and anger when he saw someone suddenly shoot a mating duck. Valmiki's Ramayana states that Rama fondled a squirrel in thanks for his help building the bridge to Lanka. The path of Rama's three fingers formed the three white stripes that run down the backs of Indian palm squirrels.

Kamban's poem begins by describing the land of Kosala, where the story takes place. He describes the people at work on the land and the animals that live among them. The capital city, Ayodhya, is a fabulous city ruled over by King Dasaratha. Though Dasaratha is a compassionate and well-loved king, he laments that he's childless. One day, he tells his mentor that he has no sons to succeed him and asks him for help.

The mentor remembers his vision in which all the gods appealed to Vishnu for help in defeating Ravana. The gods explained to Vishnu that they'd promised Ravana extraordinary powers, but Ravana is now using the powers for evil. Neither the gods Brahma nor Shiva can help, as they gave Ravana his powers in the first place. Vishnu promises to reincarnate himself as the human son of Dasaratha, since Ravana never asked a human for help and can therefore be killed by a human. Shiva explains that his conch, wheel, and serpent will also reincarnate as his brothers, and all other gods will reincarnate as monkeys since Ravana is cursed to be destroyed by a monkey.

The mentor keeps the memory of his vision to himself but instructs Dasaratha to arrange for the sage Rishya Sringa to perform a sacrifice. The mentor explains that this sage will be difficult to fetch, as he currently lives at the court of Agna in luxury. Dasaratha invites the sage to Ayodhya, where he conducts a year-long sacrifice. At the end of a year, a being emerges from a sacrificial fire carrying a plate of rice. The being places it at Dasaratha's feet and returns to the fire.