Epic Power

Moving on to part 12, we are an audience to Sage Vishvamita’s narration of the tale of Emperor Sagara and the follies committed by his sixty thousand sons

In part eleven, we join Sage Vishvamita as he recounts the story behind the birth of god Kartikeya and its connection to Ganga and her three-way path

In part ten, Sage Vishvamitra recounts the storied history of his family – a tale of virtue, valour, spite, misfortune, divine intervention and redemption

In part nine, Ram and Lakshman carry out their defence of Vishvamitra’s ritual against the demonic onslaught and emerge victorious, restoring the prestige of Siddha hermitage

In part eight, we witness the epic struggle between heroic Ram and demonic Tataka and the granting of divine weaponary and hymns by a grateful Vishvamitra upon Ram’s triumph

In part seven, we follow the journey of Ram and Lakshman along the River Sarayu as they are led by Sage Vishvamitra into the foreboding demon forest to fulfill their pledged duty

In part six, we see Sage Vishvamitra come to Dasharatha with an urgent request for Ram’s help, how Dasharatha hesitates due to a father’s love and how how he is finally convinced

In part five, we witness the birth and childhood of Ram and his brothers, blessed and virtuous, even as the gods prepare for the eventual battle between the Saviour and the Demon King

In the fourth part of this epic retelling, we witness a gathering of gods, united in order to bless the birth of the virtuous Rama who would rid them of the tyranny of the demon king Ravana

In part three of this retelling, the story takes us to the beautiful and virtuous city of Ayodhya, seat of power of the great king Dasharatha and explores the story behind the birth of Lord Rama

Continuing on from last time, this part finds Sage Valmiki through the grace of Lord Brahma being made witness to the entire story of Rama so that he may render it truthfully and in full detail

Auspicious Beginnings In the first of a series explaining The Ramayana, this is the story of how Valmiki was picked to write it, how Narada described Lord Rama to him and how the epic came into existence