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The invincible city of Ayodhya! Ayodhya city was surrounded with suburban towns on all sides. It was filled with beautiful, mesmerizing & soothing gardens & mangroves and girdled by sal trees. It was enclosed by strong fortifications & a deep moat. No enemy can ever enter and occupy Ayodhya. It had abundant elephants and horses, cattle, camels and mules. It was embellished with a host of tributary kings who used to pay tributes and with merchants from different countries Like Indra's Amaravati, it was adorned by mountains & mansions were inlaid with precious stones. Groups of men and women lived in seven storied palaces. It looked wonderful like a board where the game of Ashtapada is played. It was rich in all kinds of gems & its dwellings were constructed on levelled ground with no space left unutilised. It was abundantly stocked with fine-grained rice & water which tasted sweet like sugarcane juice The city echoed with the sounds of trumpets, mridang...
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The great Epic-It shines & soothes! Sri Rama, the tormentor of enemies, surrounded by his ministers & brothers occupied the splendid golden throne. He then admirably looked at the two very handsome brothers (Kusa & Lava), addressed Laxman, Shatrughna & Bharata, saying-Listen to the story sung by both of them, portraying excellent sense & words He then urged the singers with the lustre of demigods to commence. Both of them, with good & ample voice, chanted the kavya (poem) in a distinct meaningful way. Tuning their stringed instruments, they sang melodiously & engagingly. The chanting of the kavya in the assembly of men, comforted their sense of hearing & the listeners rejoiced in their mind, heart & the whole being Addressing the assembly Rama said-Both Kusa & Lava, even though ascetics, are endowed with the attributes of royalty. Even though they are singers, they are ascetics. Listen to the meaningful story with concentration. Encouraged ...
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Reciting Ramayana is so auspicious! Divine sage Valmiki composed events that happened in the lifetime of Sri Rama & also the events yet to happen in future on this earth (i.e. Uttarkanda). He composed the Ramayana in 24 000 verses in six kandas (cantos) After composing the verses, Valmiki pondered over about who can translate this epic into a poetic rendition & perform to the whole world. As he was thinking, Kusa & Lava came to him in the garb of ascetics & bowed at his feet. The sage saw the two illustrious princely brothers, well-versed in dharma & gifted with a sweet voice. He found them endowed with intellect & accomplished in the Vedas. Valmiki initiated them into Ramayana, for the purpose of nourishing the Vedas The twin brothers Kusa & Lava, with a melodious voice, possessed auspicious form & beauty. They were Gandharvas in human form. They looked like the two reflected images of Sri Rama. The contents of the epic Ramayana, apart from being ...
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Mahatma! (Great soul) Hearing the entire story of Rama from the intellectual sage Narada, the righteous Valmiki, sought to know clearly more about the history of Rama endowed with wisdom. He performed achamana and seated on kusha grass with folded palms, Valmiki searched for the course of past events in the history of Rama by his power of penance. The holy sage then clearly visualised Rama, Laxman and Sita, King Dasaratha, his wives & his kingdom and all that they had observed, experienced, endeavoured during the course of events. He also visualised clearly their laughter & conversations exactly as it happened in real life He clearly saw all that was acquired by truthful Rama, Laxman & wife Sita-as the third person when they were moving in the Dandakaranya forest. With the power of yoga, Valmiki clearly saw, like an amalaka fruit in the palm of the hand, the entire course of events that happened in the past relating to Rama Having visualised the story (of Rama), with ...
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Our most beautiful composition is but...! Sage Narada told the entire story of Sri Ram-from his would-be appointment as heir apparent to the Ayodhya throne by his father King Dashratha–to his exile for 14 years in the forest–losing his loving wife Sita to Ravana by abduction–killing the demon Ravana & bringing back Sita, returning to Ayodhya & ruling it for eleven thousand years thereafter Narada explained how Ram governed his kingdom (Rajya). After Sri Ram was anointed King, his subjects rejoiced with happiness & with their desire fulfilled they were content. All people followed the path of righteousness & there was no fear of sufferings or agonies, diseases or famine During the period of Rama's rule, nowhere would men witness the death of their sons or women were widowed. They would ever remain chaste & devoted to their husbands. In Rama’s kingdom, there was no fear of fire, water, wind, disease, hunger and also theft. All the cities & villages were ...
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The Perfect Role Model! Once sage Valmiki enquired from Sri Narada, who was ever engaged in the practice of religious austerities & study of the Vedas, and the best among the eloquent speakers He asked: Who in this world lives today endowed with excellent qualities, prowess, righteousness, gratitude, truthfulness and firmness in his vows? Who is the one gifted with good conduct, always thinks about the wellbeing of all living creatures, learned in all the knowledge that is known, capable of doing things which others cannot do and is most handsome? Who (among men) is self-restrained? Who has conquered anger? Who is endowed with brilliance and free from envy? Who is that when excited, even the demigods are afraid of (let alone foes)? O Maharshi Narada said Valmiki - I intend to hear about such a man whom you think is worth knowing and worshipping? Indeed, I have great curiosity for your answer After thus being invited by Valmiki to take his seat, Narada, the knower of the...
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How to Live & Die!   After answering to so many questions, Bhisma said to Maharaj Yudhisthira: You should cast aside the grief that you feel due to thinking that you are the cause of destruction of your friends & relatives. The truth is that everyone is killed by Eternal time, which represents the supreme will of Sri Krsna, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead & Supreme One above all others You had acted instrumentally in the hands of Sri Krsna & for this reason you should feel the greatest satisfaction. Indeed, if anyone wants to serve his ultimate self-interest & award himself the highest benediction, he should become an unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Lord After hearing this, the assembly turned toward Sri Krsna & with folded hands they mentally worshipped Him with great awe and reverence. After a long pause, Vyāsdev suggested: My dear son of Santanu, now that Maharaj Yudhisthira’s equilibrium has been restored by listening to your instructi...
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