The king began to weep.

Vishwamitra understood the king’s pain. But the sage also had no choice. He knew that Rama was an avatar, or incarnation of Vishnu on earth. He also knew that only Vishnu in human form could kill Ravana.

The king told Rama about Vishwamitra’s request. Rama understood and willingly went with the sage.

“I shall go, too, father,” declared Lakshmana. The king did not protest.

Rama and Lakshmana, weapons slung over their shoulders, and followed the sage along the Sarayu River bank.

The journey was a long one. Whenever the three stopped to rest, the sage took the time to teach the boys how to use the powerful weapons of the gods to fight the demons.

They journeyed until they reached the foot of a frightening forest. They paused. The sage said, “This was once a beautiful and prosperous country. Now the terrible she-demon, Tataka, lives here. She attacks and kills anyone who enters.”

Neither Rama nor Lakshmana were afraid.

The sage turned to Rama and said, “Now it is up to you to rid this forest of these demons. By doing so, you will restore the land to the prosperity and the peace it once enjoyed.”

Rama clutched his bow and removed arrows from his quiver. Rama and Lakshmana followed Vishwamitra into the forest. They heard many strange and frightening sounds. Each step they took brought them deeper into the forest.

Suddenly there was an unearthly roar. The three men stopped. From nowhere a huge rock came hurling out of the sky heading straight for Rama. He slipped an arrow in place and drew his bow. He fired just as the rock was about to hit him. The arrow split the rock in two. The pieces fell harmlessly to earth.

Then appearing out of between two trees, Rama saw a horrible sight. It was the hideous form of the demon, Tataka. She was enormous. Around her neck was a human skull. She had sharp claws on her hands. She looked at Rama and made a growling noise. Lakshmana decided to wait no longer. He fired his arrow and gravely wounded the demon. A strange look came over her face as she felt the arrow pierce her flesh. Placing her hand to the wound she moaned, “What mortals have wounded me?” Then taking careful aim, Rama fired his arrow into Tataka’s heart killing her.

No sooner had the she-demon died, than the gods in heaven rained lotus blossoms down on Rama blessing him. The three continued on their journey deeper into the forest. Along theway, Rama and Lakshmana killed many demons.

The sage told Rama: “I am delighted with you. I shall give you even greater weapons to defeat any enemy.”

He knew that Rama’s work was far from complete. There was still the powerful Ravana to deal with. It was one thing to kill Ravana’s demons; it was another to kill Ravana himself.

The three finally left the forest. They headed for Mithila to visit King Janaka.

Seeing the sage, Janaka greeted him saying, “Have I told you about my daughter?”

“Please tell me about her,” responded the sage.

The king spoke: “A few years ago a portion of my land was being plowed and I found a divine child in a furrow. I called her Sita and adopted her as my own daughter. She has grown into a beautiful, young woman. Many princes have desired her hand in marriage.

“But I wanted the man who married my Sita to be a man of great strength and righteousness. To prove his strength, this man would have to lift and string the ancient bow of Shiva. No man has shown the strength to even lift this bow.”

The sage turned to Rama and said, “There is a bow belonging to King Janaka that I would like you to string.”

Rama entered a long room filled with thousands of people. The bow was so heavy it took no less than five thousand exceptionally strong men to bring the bow and its casing into the room. Several princes who had tried to lift the bow looked on as Rama approached the weapon. Rama looked at Shiva’s bow. First he touched it. It was beautiful. Then with noeffort whatsoever, he hoisted the bow from its casing and started to string it. As he did so, the bow snapped in two and fell to the palace floor. First there was disbelief, then everyone stood and chanted, “Rama. Rama.”

The king rose to his feet and declared, “Sita has found her spouse! Send a messenger to Ayodhya informing them of the wedding of Rama to my daughter, Sita.”

The wedding ceremony was held in the palace. As part of this ceremony, the worship of the sacred fire began. The holiest sages recited mantras, prayers.

After this, King Janaka led Sita to Rama. He placed her hand in his and said to Rama,

“This is Sita, my daughter, O Rama, who is from today your partner in life. Accept her. Hold her hand in yours. She will always follow you as your shadow.”

Rama looked at Sita. He had never seen a more beautiful woman. Sita looked at Rama. She had never seen a more handsome man.

Following the wedding everyone returned to Ayodhya. All in the city cheered their arrival. Rama and Sita continued to serve their parents and delight the holy ones and gods. Sita and Rama were the perfect husband and wife. They were exceedingly devoted to each other.

Rama’s parents watched him mature into a young prince. Rama was a perfectly perfect young man. He had all the noble qualities. He was patient with others’ wrongs, but would not do wrong himself. He enjoyed the company of elders and wise men. He was very intelligent and courageous. He was righteous and kind. He was the perfect warrior. He knew when to use violence and when not to. He was healthy, strong and handsome. He was highly learned in the scriptures. Rama was a sat-purusa, the ideal man.

Life In Ayodhya

Now the king was growing older. He noticed omens suggesting his end was near. “I have lived long enough,” he thought. “I must be sure my throne goes to Rama, the most worthy of my sons. What a great blessing it would be to see him as king before I go to heaven.

“Then it will be done,” Dasaratha concluded, “I shall step down and Rama shall be made king.”

The king told everyone about his decision. He informed the priests to begin the sacred rites that would allow Rama to assume the throne of Ayodhya.

Kaikeyi, the last and youngest of the king’s three wives, had heard of the decision to make Rama king while Dasaratha was still living. This decision pleased her.

But Manthara, a maid-servant, did not want Rama to be king. If she could some how convince Kaikeyi to change the king’s mind, her position at the palace would be secure.

That evening, she spoke to Kaikeyi in secret. “If Rama takes the throne, you would lose all your control over the king. If Rama is crowned, his mother will control of the kingdom Your rule will come to an end. Awake. Act now. You must convince Dasaratha that it is your son who should be king.”

Kaikeyi believed Manthara. She decided to see Dasaratha.

She tried everything to convince Dasaratha to listen to her.

“Dasaratha,” Kaikeyi began, “Do you remember that fateful day I saved your life in battle? Do you remember how I stopped your runaway chariot. “

“Yes,” replied the king.

“And do you remember what you said after I saved your life?”

Without waiting for an answer, she said, ” Oh my powerful king and beloved husband you promised me two boons. Hear my boons now so that they may be granted.”

The king reluctantly listened to his wife’s requests.

“First,” she began. “I wish to have my son, Bharata, placed upon the throne of Ayodhya. Second, I want Rama banished from the kingdom for a period of no less than fourteen years.”

The king fell to his knees and begged his young wife not to hold him to these dreadful wishes.

As a righteous and honest man, he knew he could not go back on his word. Yet, he couldn’t bear to ask Rama to forsake the throne and go away for fourteen years. He turned pale and speechless.

Kaikeyi told Rama the terrible news. Rather than argue, Rama comforted his father.

“Father, your word is law. I shall do whatever you bid. It is the sacred duty of a son to respect his father.”

Then, he turned to his own mother Kausalya, and requested “Please be sure that father installs Bharata as crown prince.”

Rama knelt and touched the feet of his parents respectfully. He stood, turned and left the palace.

Lakshmana declared, “I shall destroy anyone who opposes your right to the throne..”

Rama responded, “No, Lakshmana. You know it is my sacred duty, my dharma, to fulfill these wishes.”

“My brother, if you must leave Ayodhya, then I shall follow you,” Lakshmana said.

Rama tried to convince Sita to remain, but she said sobbing, “And, it is my duty, my dharma, as a wife to be at your side. How can I live without you? I must join you.”

Rama tried hard to convince them to stay but they were insistent.

“Then, Sita, come with me,” Rama said.

Rama also gave his brother permission to join them.

As the three left the palace, they cast away their royal robes and put on the clothes of hermits.

The people of Ayodhya wept as Rama, Sita and Lakshmana passed from the city. As the chariot went from sight, Dasaratha cried, “Rama! Rama! Do not leave me.”

In time, Dasaratha lost the will to live. His heart simply gave out. Ayodhya mourned the loss of their king.

In a few days, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita crossed the river Ganges searching for a land undisturbed and isolated from everyone.

Soon they reached Chitrakoot, a beautiful place with many trees and streams. It was a paradise. They built a small hut near a stream.

Several days had passed. Lakshmana, while hunting in the forest, heard the pounding of a thousand hooves. He climbed a tree to see whose army was approaching. To his amazement,he saw the lead horseman carrying the flag of Ayodhya. Bharata had found his brothers. Lakshmana was sure that his brother had come to kill them.

Lakshmana called to Rama: “A great army is approaching led by our brother, Bharata. I will kill him with my own hands.”

“Don’t be a fool,” Rama said. “He is our brother and he is the king. We must welcome him.”

Bharata embraced his brothers. He cried, “My heart is filled with grief and shame.Grief for the loss of our noble father. Shame for being offered the throne that you rightfully deserve. Come back to Ayodhya and be our king.”

“That cannot be done,” Rama said. “I gave my word and I shall stay here for fourteen years and no less. Then and only then will I return.”

Nothing could sway Rama.

“Rama, my brother,” Bharata declared, “as long as you are in exile, no one shall be king. To ensure this give me your sandals. I will place them on the throne. For the next fourteen years I will serve our land in your name. And, if after those fourteen years, you do not return, I shall walk into a fire and die.”

Bharata took the sandals, mounted his horse and left the forest. In Kosala, Bharata put Rama’s sandals on the red and gold Ayodhya throne.