Ramayana Explained: The Complete Story of Valmiki's Ramayana

[00:00:05]Arav, this is the Ramayana gallery.

[00:00:09]>> I know the Ramayana.

[00:00:12]>> Really?

[00:00:14]The story of Lord Rama's exile from Ayodhya, Sita's abduction [music] by Ravana, Hanuman's journey to Lanka.

[00:00:22]>> Dad, everyone knows the story of the Ramayana.

[00:00:36]>> [music] [music] >> The Ramayana is one of ancient India's [music] two great Sanskrit epics.

[00:00:53]Traditionally attributed to the sage Valmiki, it tells the story of Rama, a prince whose journey became [music] one of India's most enduring stories.

[00:01:02]The story begins in the kingdom of Kosala in its capital, Ayodhya. Ayodhya was ruled by King Dasaratha, father of four sons, Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, [music] and Shatrughna.

[00:01:15]Rama, the eldest son of Queen Kausalya, is the central hero of the Ramayana and is revered in Hindu tradition >> [music] >> as an avatar of Vishnu. His wife was Sita, princess of Mithila, and daughter of King [music] Janaka.

[00:01:29]Far across the sea ruled Ravana, the powerful king of Lanka, and soon their lives will become part of the same story.

[00:01:46]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Mom?

[00:02:23]Dad?

[00:02:28]>> [music] >> Excuse me, where am I?

[00:02:35]>> Ayodhya.

[00:02:37]>> What's happening?

[00:02:39]>> Prince Rama is leaving Ayodhya.

[00:02:43]>> The crown that never came.

[00:02:46]Only a short time earlier, King Dasaratha had [music] chosen Rama as his heir, and all of Ayodhya was preparing to celebrate.

[00:02:54]But before the ceremony, [music] >> You once granted me two boons.

[00:02:58]I ask for them now.

[00:03:01]Rama must live in the forest for 14 years. [music] >> Queen Kaikeyi reminded Dasaratha of two boons he had once granted her.

[00:03:10]Kaikeyi demanded that her son Bharata receive the kingdom, [music] and that Rama be sent into the forest for 14 years.

[00:03:18]Dasaratha [music] was devastated.

[00:03:20]But when Rama learned of the demands, he accepted the exile rather than oppose the promise his father had made.

[00:03:27]Rama prepared [music] to leave Ayodhya, but Sita refused to remain behind.

[00:03:33]Sita chose to accompany her husband, and Rama's [music] younger brother Lakshmana joined them.

[00:03:39]Instead of celebrating Rama's installation, the people of Ayodhya watched Rama, [music] Sita, and Lakshmana leave for the forest.

[00:03:49]Overcome by grief [music] after Rama's departure, King Dasaratha died while his son [music] remained in exile.

[00:03:57]When Bharata returned to Ayodhya and learned [music] what Kaikeyi had demanded in his name, he rejected her actions, refusing to take Rama's kingdom as his own.

[00:04:07]Bharata traveled into the forest and begged his brother to return.

[00:04:13]Would not abandon the 14 years of exile tied to his father's promise.

[00:04:18]Bharata returned with Rama's sandals and placed them upon the royal seat as a symbol of [music] Rama's authority, governing Ayodhya while waiting for his brother's return.

[00:04:31]Sita and Lakshmana traveled through the forests of exile, crossing rivers, [music] visiting hermitages, and living far from the royal comforts of Ayodhya.

[00:04:41]For a time, their life in the forest [music] was peaceful.

[00:04:45]Then, in the Dandaka forest, they encountered Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, the powerful [music] king of Lanka.

[00:04:55]Surpanakha became attracted to Rama, but after he rejected her and she threatened Sita, Lakshmana intervened and cut off her [music] nose and ears.

[00:05:05]Humiliated and furious, Surpanakha fled and the conflict that followed eventually drew the attention of her brother, Ravana. [music] In Lanka, Surpanakha told Ravana of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita.

[00:05:21]Ravana's [music] attention turned towards Sita, and with the Rakshasa Maricha, he prepared a trap.

[00:05:30]One day, an extraordinary [music] golden deer appeared near their forest dwelling, but the creature was actually [music] Maricha, who had taken this form as part of Ravana's plan.

[00:05:42]Captivated by the deer, Sita asked Rama to capture it, and Rama followed the creature into [music] the forest while Lakshmana remained with her.

[00:05:52]When Rama finally struck Maricha with an arrow, the illusion fell away.

[00:05:58]But before dying, Maricha [music] cried out in a voice resembling Rama's.

[00:06:03]Hearing the cry, Sita feared Rama was in danger and desperately urged [music] Lakshmana to find him.

[00:06:09]Lakshmana hesitated but eventually left.

[00:06:13]Sita was alone and Ravana's trap was complete.

[00:06:19]With Rama and Lakshmana [music] away, Ravana approached Sita disguised as an ascetic before revealing his true identity and abducting her.

[00:06:28]As Ravana carried Sita south [music] towards Lanka, the great bird Jatayu heard her cries and fought to rescue her.

[00:06:37]Ravana [music] mortally wounded Jatayu and continued towards Lanka.

[00:06:42]When Rama and Lakshmana returned, they found the forest dwelling empty.

[00:06:47]Searching desperately, the brothers [music] found the dying Jatayu who told Rama that Ravana had taken Sita towards the south.

[00:06:56]Jatayu died from his wounds.

[00:06:59]From that moment, Rama's exile became a search for Sita.

[00:07:04]Rama and Lakshmana continued [music] south and eventually reached Kishkindha where Hanuman led them to the exiled Vanara leader [music] Sugriva.

[00:07:13]Sugriva had lost his kingdom after a conflict with his brother Vali and Rama formed an alliance with him.

[00:07:20]After Rama killed Vali and Sugriva regained Kishkindha, Sugriva sent Vanara search parties across the land to find Sita.

[00:07:30]The southern search party, which included Hanuman, eventually encountered Sampati.

[00:07:35]The elder brother of Jatayu, Sampati revealed that Ravana had carried Sita across the ocean [music] to Lanka.

[00:07:42]At last, they knew where she was.

[00:07:45]Hanuman stepped forward and leapt across the sea towards Lanka.

[00:07:51]Hanuman entered the fortified [music] city of Lanka and searched its palaces and gardens until he found Sita in the Ashoka Vatika, held within Ravana's kingdom.

[00:08:02]Approaching carefully, Hanuman spoke to her of Rama and presented [music] Rama's ring.

[00:08:08]Sita recognized it immediately.

[00:08:11]The ring proved [music] that Hanuman was Rama's messenger and that Rama was searching for her.

[00:08:17]For the first time since her abduction, Sita knew that [music] Rama had found a path to her.

[00:08:22]Hanuman returned to Rama with the news that Sita was alive and being held in Lanka. Rama and the Vanara forces reached the ocean, but Ravana's island kingdom still stood across the sea.

[00:08:36]Under Nala's direction, the Vanaras built a bridge across [music] the ocean using trees, rocks, and other materials.

[00:08:43]When the bridge reached Lanka, Rama's forces crossed the sea.

[00:08:48]Rama had come to rescue Sita and confront Ravana.

[00:08:52]War was about to begin.

[00:08:54]A devastating war began in Lanka as Rama's [music] allies fought Ravana's Rakshasa forces.

[00:09:00]Ravana sent powerful warriors into battle, including his colossal brother [music] Kumbhakarna, who was eventually killed by Rama.

[00:09:08]Ravana's son [music] Indrajit also became one of Lanka's most dangerous fighters.

[00:09:14]And during the war, Lakshmana was gravely wounded.

[00:09:18]To obtain the [music] medicinal herbs needed for the wounded, Hanuman traveled to the mountain where they grew.

[00:09:25]Unable to identify [music] the required herbs, Hanuman lifted the mountain peak itself and carried it back, allowing the needed medicine to be obtained and Lakshmana to recover.

[00:09:37]Lakshmana later returned to battle and killed Indrajit.

[00:09:42]With his brother and son [music] fallen, Ravana prepared to enter the battlefield himself.

[00:09:48]At last, Rama and Ravana [music] faced one another on the battlefield.

[00:09:53]The two warriors fought with powerful weapons [music] until Rama raised his bow and released the final weapon against Ravana.

[00:10:00]The weapon struck.

[00:10:02]Ravana fell. The king of Lanka was [music] dead and the war was over.

[00:10:07]After the victory, Sita was brought before Rama for the first time since her abduction.

[00:10:13]But their reunion was not simple.

[00:10:16]Rama spoke harshly [music] of her captivity in Ravana's house and the questions surrounding her honor.

[00:10:23]Deeply wounded by his [music] words, Sita declared her faithfulness and called upon Lakshmana to prepare a fire.

[00:10:31]Before those gathered, Sita entered [music] the flames invoking the fire as witness to her purity.

[00:10:38]Agni, the deity of fire, returned Sita unharmed and affirmed her purity.

[00:10:44]Rama and Sita were reunited and the journey home could finally begin.

[00:10:50]>> [music] >> 14 years after Rama had left Ayodhya, his exile had come to an end.

[00:10:55]With Sita rescued and the war in Lanka over, Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana traveled north in the Pushpaka.

[00:11:03]Below them passed the forests, rivers, and lands connected to their long journey.

[00:11:08]Then, in the distance, Ayodhya appeared.

[00:11:14]News of Rama's return reached Ayodhya and the city prepared to receive the prince who had left 14 years earlier.

[00:11:22]Bharata waited for his brother.

[00:11:25]When Rama arrived, Bharata bowed before him and the two brothers embraced.

[00:11:31]The sandals that had represented Rama's [music] authority during his absence were returned.

[00:11:36]The exile was over.

[00:11:38]Ayodhya celebrated Rama's [music] homecoming as lamps glowed across the city.

[00:11:54]>> [music] [music] >> Arav.

[00:12:10]There you are. Where have you been?

[00:12:13]>> Let's go home, Dad.

[00:12:20]>> [music] [music]