The story of the Ramayana, intricately interwoven with mythologies, legends and the supernatural, bases upon events having taken place sometimes in the 8th century B.C., the lowest dateline determined by scholars. It was in the state of Kosala in east India, that, there flourished a king named Dasharatha with his capital in Ayodhya. He was very pious, truthful and righteous king. In order to procure a successor he married three times with women named Kausaly, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi in that order. Having failed to have a son from them he undertook a son-begetting sacrifice resulting into births of Rama to Kausalya, Bharata to Kaikeyi, and the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna to Sumitra.
From the very beginning, being the eldest son, Rama was groomed as the future king. He was brave, courageous, and valorous person as well as truthful, obedient, and righteous son. In an early age, he killed several ferocious Rakshasas, belonging to a savage race comparable to demons. Rama won the hand of Sita, the daughter of king Janaka of Mithila by stringing a great celestial bow. At the age twenty-five, he was to be consecrated as a crown prince.
However, Kaikaeyi, mother of Bharata, played the spoiler. As earlier, she had been promised two boons by her husband, she took that opportunity to get them fulfilled. She secured crown for her son Bharata and fourteen years of exile for Rama in a forest. Reluctantly agreeing to kaikaeyi’s deictates the king banished his beloved son, but died out of grief. Rama left for the forest. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana accompanied him. He spent his time protecting the Brahmanas and ascetics from the Rakshasas in different forests and safeguarding their interests.
During the last year of their sojourn Ravana, the king of Lanka and head of all the Rakshasas, abducted Sita. Rama undertook journey to the southern state of Kishkindha, made friendship with Sugriva, the king of the Vanara community, by restoring his throne to him after killing his oppressive brother Valin. With the help of Sugriva, he was able to wage a war against Ravana, kill him, and recover Sita. However, for the fear of public opinion going against Sita because of suspected violation of her dhastity during her captivity by Ravana, Rama was initially reluctant to take her back as a wife.
Sota was required to undergo a trial by placing herself in the fire to prove her chastity. Although Rama accepted her initially after her successful trial, when he found later that the public opinion in Ayodhya was against her, he banished her into a forest. Sita took refuge in the hermitage of Valmiki. Being already pregnant, she delivered twin sons named Kusha and Lava there. At an early age of twelve, the two children sang Ramayana as composed by Valmiki in the streets of Ayodhya and won a pardon for their mother not only by Rama, but also by the people. However, it was too late for Sita. She prayed the mother earth to take her in her la and vanished into it.
After ruling for several more years and setting up a model system of administration, still considered the ideal one, Rama finally took to heaven.
