Essence of Valmiki Aaranya Ramayana
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Translated and interpreted byV.D.N.Rao, former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organization, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, now at Chennai Other Scripts by the same Author: Essence of Puranas:-Maha Bhagavata, Vishnu Purana, Matsya Purana, Varaha Purana, Kurma Purana, Vamana Purana, Narada Purana, Padma Purana; Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Skanda Purana, Markandeya Purana, Devi Bhagavata;Brahma Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Agni Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Nilamata Purana; Shri Kamakshi Vilasa Dwadasha Divya Sahasranaama: a) Devi Chaturvidha Sahasra naama: Lakshmi, Lalitha, Saraswati, Gayatri; b) Chaturvidha Shiva Sahasra naama-Linga-Shiva-Brahma Puranas and Maha Bhagavata; c) Trividha Vishnu and Yugala Radha-Krishna Sahasra naama-Padma-Skanda-Maha Bharata and Narada Purana. Stotra Kavacha- A Shield of Prayers -Purana Saaraamsha; Select Stories from Puranas Essence of Dharma Sindhu - Dharma Bindu - Shiva Sahasra Lingarchana-Essence of Paraashara Smriti- Essence of Pradhana Tirtha Mahima Essence of Upanishads : Brihadaranyaka , Katha, Tittiriya, Isha, Svetashwara of Yajur Veda-Chhandogya and Kena of Saama Veda-Atreya and Kausheetaki of Rig Veda-Mundaka, Mandukya and Prashna of Atharva Veda ; Also ‘Upanishad Saaraamsa’ -Essence of Maha Narayanopanishad; Essence of Maitri Upanishad Essence of Virat Parva of Maha Bharata- Essence of Bharat Yatra Smriti Essence of Brahma Sutras Essence of Sankhya Parijnaana- Essence of Knowledge of Numbers for students Essence of Narada Charitra; Essence Neeti Chandrika-Essence of Hindu Festivals and Austerities Essence of Manu Smriti- Quintessence of Manu Smriti- Essence of Paramartha Saara; Essence of Pratyaksha Bhaskra; Essence of Pratyaksha Chandra Essence of Vidya-Vigjnaana-Vaak Devi; Essence of Bhagya -Bhogya-Yogyata Lakshmi Essence of Soundarya Lahari- Essence of Popular Stotras- Essence of Pancha Maha Bhutas Essence of Taittireeya Aranyaka- Quintessence of Soundarya Lahari- Essence of Gayatri Essence of Ganesha Mahima - Essence of Shiva Raatri Mahima Essence of Chaturupanishads- Essence of Ashtaadasha Upanishads - Essence of Bhagavad Gita Essence of Valmiki Baala Ramayana- Essence of Valmiki Ayodhya Ramayana- Essence of Aranya Ramayana Note: All the above Scriptures already released on www. Kamakoti.org as also on Google by the respective references. INRODUCTION As Brahma Maanasa Putras of Sanaka-Sanandana-Sanaatana-Sanat Kumaras were interrupted by Vaikuntha Dwaara Palakaas of Jaya Vijayas, the Kumaras cursed to be born in ten sucessive births of Evil Energies of the Time Cycle. Hence Maha Vishnu was necessitated to assume Ten ‘Avataaraas’ to vindicate Dharma and Nyaaya again and again. An ‘Avatara’ (Incarnation) is like the lighting of a lamp from another lamp; like-wise, Bhagavan is a manifestation suited to specific purpose and end-use. Among such Avatars of Vishnu, the first well-known manifestation of Matsya the Fish which retrieved the Sacred Vedas stolen from Brahma by Makarasura. The temptation to Danavas to obtain ‘Amrit’, ‘Samudra Mathana’was set as Manthara Mountain as the churning rod, Maha Sarpa Vasuki was the string with which to tie up the Mountain and Bhagavan himself as balancing Shakti as the Avatar of Kurma to ensure that the Meru Mountain would be made stable and steady. As Hiranyaakasha, the mighty son of Devi Diti pulled up Bhu Devi and dragged her into the depths of the Ocean down to the ‘atholokas’, Lord Vishnu assumed the incarnation of Maha Varaha and killed himas Devi Prithvi heaved a great sigh of relief. Hiranyakashipu got on to his wits’ end, when his own son Prahlada was forced to show that Narayana any where, say in a Pillar, he broke it with his mace and there emerged the fierce Man-Lion, Narasimha, who had half-body as a giant Lion roaring and killed the demon. Bhagavan agreed to be born to Aditi and Kashyapa as Vamana the foremost human as dwaf; grew up as a Brahmachari, learnt Vedas, sporting ‘Mriga Charma’, Danda and wooden footwear appeared at the Yagna by daanava Bali Chakravarti and asked for a charity of three feet of land.Vamana then assumed a sky body and measured one foot as Earth, Samudras, Parvatas; second foot as Sky, Nakshtras, Planets, Deva- Brahmaaadi lokas. Even as the second foot still fell short of the required size , Vaamana had to push Bali’s head down to ‘Rasatala’. As Manu prayed to Vishnu as his son, the Lord agreed for Preservation of Dharma and affirmed: Paritra naaya Sadhunaam Vinaasaaya cha Dushkrutaam, Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yugey! (I shall no doubt take human birth to revive Dharma and punish Evil from time to time). As promised by Vishnu, Swayambhu was born as King Dasaratha and gave Shri Rama in Treta Yuga. Being a human, Rama was subject to the weaknesses of kama-krodha-mohas but being an ideal most specimen of humanity he was prone to cryings and wailings, bursts of anger and anguish, high possessiveness and frustrastion, passion and compassion. But, all rolled in yet covered by supreme and unique qualities of idealism, virtue and justice, devotion and veneration overshadowed by the single motivation of ‘Pitru Vaakya Paripalana’. All these traits were at display in the current series of Essence of Vaaklmiki Ramayana, especially in the instant Aranya Ramaayana, since the Baala and Ayodhya series had since seen attempted. As I approached with humility with a request to translate Ramayana, HH Vijayendra Saraswati of ‘Kanchi Peetha’ had spontaneously instructed : ‘ Try Vaalmiki Ramayana, but with vishleshanas’. It is that command which has generated ready inspiration and determination, quite apart from the innate power of the directive itself. For over a decade and half He has inspired me to take to translations of the essence of Ashtaadasha Puranas, Ashtaadasha Upanishads, Dharma Sindhu, Brahma Sutras, Manu Smriti, Soundarya Lahari, Bhagavad Gita, and scripts on Lakshmi-Sarasvati- Gayatri- Surya-Chandras etc. My earnest prostrations to Him by the self and family with all humility, faith and dedication. VDN Rao and family Contents Page Introduction 5 Retrospectives of Baala Kanda and Ayodhya Kanda 5 Sarga One: Shri Rama - Devi Sita-Lakshmanas felicitated in ‘Muni ashramas’ 10 [Vishleshana on Bali Vaishva Deva from ‘Dharma Sindhu’] Sarga Two: As Rama-Sita-Lakshmanas proceeded into the thick forest, they encounterd 12 Rakshasa Viraatha Sarga Three: Exchange of hot words by Rama Lakshmanas with Rakshasa Viraatha 14 Sarga Four: Rama Lakshmanas kill Rakshasa Viraatha Sarga Five: Shri Rama-Sita-Lakshmanas visit Sharabhanga Muni’s ashrama and after 15 ‘atithya’ the Muni departs for Brahma Loka Sarga Six: Vaanaprastha Munis approach Shri Rama for safety from Rakshasaas and Rama 17 Lakshmanas assure and pacify them Sarga Seven: Shri Rama-Sita-Lakshmanas reach the ashram of Muni Suteekshna who offers 18 ‘atithya’ overnight Sarga Eight: Next early morning Rama-Sita-Lakshmanas exit Suteekshna ashram 19 Sarga Nine: Gatheringa of innocent commoners and Munis seek protection from frequent 20 attacks by Rakshasaas and Devi Sita enumerates the tenets of dharma Sarga Ten: Rama Lakshmanas assure and make ‘pratigjnas’ of Kshatriya kula duty to 21 safeguard the tenets of Dharma Sarga Eleven: Rama Sita Lakshmanas visit Panchapsara Tirtha and Maandikarana ashrama 22 and after visiting other Muni Ashramas too, visit the ashram of the brother of Agastya Maharshi who lauds the glory of Agastya Vishleshanas on a) Creation of Agasthya and Vasishtha as brothers by MitraVaruna from Urvashi and b)Agastya Muni dries up the Ocean and enables to destroy the demon Kalakeya- Matsya-Padma Puranas respectively Sarga Twelve: Rama-Sita-Lakshmanas visit Agastya Maharshi and after welcoming them, 27 Agastya gifts ‘diyvaastras’ Sarga Thirteen:Maharshi Agastya complements Devi Sita as a ‘pativrata’ and directs 28 Rama Lakshmanas to construct Panchavati Ashram Vishleshana on Devi Arundhati Sarga Fourteen: On the way to Panchavati, Rama-Sita-Lakshmanas meet the Great Grudhra 29 Raja Jatayu who vividly explains the family background of Jatayu [ Vishleshana on Daksha Prajapati and Kashyapa from Puranas Sarga Fifteen: The compact and vastu based ‘Panchavati Parnashaala’of Rama-Sita- 33 Lakshmanas reside comfortably Vishleshana on Vaastu Shaanti Sarga Sixteen: Happy living by Rama Sita Lakshmanas at Panchavati through Hemanta 34 Ritu and Godavari Snaanaas [Vishleshana on a) Rithus / Seasons; abd b) on the Sacred River Godavari and the excellence of bathings in the River Sarga Seventeen: Rakshasi Shurpanakha arrives at Panchavati, introduces, proposes 38 to Rama to wed as his wife Sarga Eighteen: Shurpanakha compromises to wed Lakshmana as he was single there 40 but the latter cuts off her ears and nose Sarga Nineteen: Khara incensed the treatment to sister and despatches fourteen rakshasaas 41 to kill Rama Lakshmanas Sarga Twenty: Shri Rama devastates fourteen followers of Khara 42 Sarga Twenty One: Shurpanakha reaches brother Khara , conveys Rama’s killing fourteen 43 rakshasas, provokes Khara to seek revenge Sarga Twenty Two: Khara Dushana Rakshasaas along with fourteen thoushand sena attack 44 Panchavati of Ramas Sarga Twenty three: Khara then noticed dusshakunas like donkey brayings and squeaks of 45 vultures from the sky, but having ignored these, Khara reaches Shri Rama ‘ashrama’ [Vishlashana on premonitions of death in general terms to humans sourced from Markandeya Purana] Sarga Twenty Four: As the dusshakunas loomed large, Rama hopes for the doom of 47 Rakshasaas and victory for himself- as a precaution,