Story of Maricha Golden Deer in Ramayana

Story of Maricha Golden Deer in Ramayana

Maricha, one of the characters in Ramayana, plays the most notable role in Ravana’s kidnapping of Sita. Once, demon Sunda (son of Jamba or Jharjha) attacked the hermitage of Agasthya Rishi. The angry sage burnt him by his meditative powers. On Sunda’s death, his wife Yaksha Thataka and his sons Mareecha and Subahu attacked Agastya. The sage cursed them to become demons.
Vishwamitra’s Yajna 

Rama killing Tataka

Viswamitra's Yajna

Sage Vishwamitra was performing a sacrifice. He was tormented by Tataka and her sons. Visvamitra approached Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya, and requested him to send his eldest son, Rama to protect his sacrifice. Though with reluctance, Dasaratha sent 13-year old Rama and his younger brother Lakshmana with Visvamitra. Near the forest of Tataka, the demoness attacked them. Rama, aided by Lakshamana, slew her with his arrow. Vishvamitra reached his ashram and began his sacrifice. On the sixth day, Maricha and his brother Subahu, appeared and tried to destroy the sacrificial fire. Rama fired his arrow and Maricha was thrown hundred leagues away. The sacrifice was completed successfully. Under the guidance of Visvamitra, Rama wed Sita, the adopted daughter of Janaka and the princess of Mithila.

Maricha fight with Rama in Dandakaranya

Later, Dasaratha directed Rama for an exile in forest for 14 years, at the behest of Rama's step mother Kaikeyi. Rama proceeded to forest. Lakshmana and Sita followed him. The trio travelled through the Dandaka forest to the banks of the river Godavari, where they built a hermitage at Panchavati. Once, Maricha saw them and attacked them to wreak vengeance. Rama killed Maricha's allies, but his arrow narrowly missed Maricha, who fled. Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, requested Rama to marry her. Rama refused and directed her to Lakshmana. Lakshmana joked at her. Surpanakha attacked Sita. Lakshmana cut out her ears and nose. Surpanakha reached Lanka and prompted Ravana to steal Sita.

Rama, Sita & Laxman and the golden deer

Rama going to catch the golden deer

Rama setting arrow on goden deer

Ravana went to meet his uncle, Maricha. He told Maricha to turn into a golden deer with silver spots and graze near Rama's ashram. On seeing the deer, Sita would surely tell Rama and Lakshamana to catch it. When they would leave Sita alone, Ravana would abduct her. Rama, aggrieved by Sita's separation, would be easily killed by Ravana. Maricha dissuaded Ravana. Ravana reiterated his plan and finally Maricha agreed.

Maricha’s disguise as Golden Deer

Maricha and Ravana flew to Panchavati. Maricha assumed the form of a beautiful golden deer, which had silver spots. It appeared in the vicinity of Rama's ashram. Sita was collecting flowers. The golden deer lured Sita, who called Rama and Lakshmana to see it. Lakshmana sensed foul play and suggested that the deer was Maricha. Sita persuaded Rama to get her the deer. Rama asked Lakshmana to take care of Sita and went after the deer. Maricha ran, followed by Rama. After a long chase, Rama shot him down. Maricha took his real form and cried out mimicking Rama's voice "Oh Sita! Oh Lakshmana!" Sita asked Lakshmana to go and search for Rama. Lakshmana insisted that no one could harm Rama. Worried Sita ordered Lakshmana to go. Lakshmana reluctantly left. Immediately, Ravana appeared as a mendicant. Sita stepped forward to give him alms and he kidnapped her.

source :http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2013/12/story-maricha-golden-deer-ramayana.html

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Story of Sugriva Vali and Rama

Story of Sugriva Vali and Rama

The story of Sugriva is found in the Kishkindha Kanda of Ramayana. Sugriva was the son born of Surya to Ahalya, the wife of Sage Gautama. Ahalya had another son, Vali or Bali, born of Indra. Gautama threw both the illegitimate sons into the sea after cursing them to be turned into monkeys. Vali came of age and became the king of Kishkindha, the kingdom of holy monkeys.

Once, the demon named Mayavi challenged Vali for a fight. Vali accepted the challenge, but the demon fled into a cave. Vali ran after him and a long fight took place inside the cave. Sugriva waited outside. He heard demonic shouts in the cave and later saw blood oozing from the mouth of the cave. Sugriva thought that Vali was dead. He returned to Kishkindha and assumed kingship. Vali was not dead. He won the combat and returned home. He concluded that his brother had betrayed him. He ousted Sugriva and ascended the throne. He took Sugriva’s wife Tara also for himself. Sugriva fled to the mountain Rishyamuka, where Vali could not tread. Vali was previously cursed by Sage Matanga that he would die, once he stepped into Rishyamuka.

Sugriva made acquaintance with Srirama, who was on his quest to rescue Sita, who was abducted by Ravan. Sugriva sought the help of Rama. Lord Ram promised that he would kill Bali and reinstate Sugriva as the king. Sugriva, in turn, promised to help Rama in his quest for Sita. Sugriva and Sree Rama went together to Vali. Fight ensued between Vali and Sugriva. Rama drove an arrow and Vali died. Sugriva regained kingdom. He took back his wife Tara and also Vali’s wife Ruma. Tara became empress. Her son by Vali, Angada became crown prince.

Rama proceeded to Lanka in search of Sita. Sugriva sent his trusted advisor Hanuman to search for Sita. Hanuman found out Sita who was kept captive in Lanka. Sugriva placed his army of monkeys at Rama's disposal. The army crossed into Lanka by means of the specially erected bridge and laid siege to Ravana's citadel. Sugriva also personally took part in the battle. He attacked Kumbhakarna with the trunk of a Sala tree. Kumbhakarna then seized Sugriva and dragged him off. He would have been killed. But Lakshmana intervened and saved him. At last the monkeys defeated the demons, Rama slew Ravana, and Sita was liberated. All of them came back to India on board of Ravana’s aircraft Pushpaka. 

source : http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2014/06/story-of-sugriva-vali-and-rama.html

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Ganga Origin Story Bhagiratha bringing Ganga to Earth

Ganga Origin Story Bhagiratha bringing Ganga to Earth

The origin of Ganga relates to the story of Bhagiratha bringing Gangato Earth. The story of Gangavatara is mainly found in the Balakanda of Ramayana. Once, Sagara the king of Kosala decided to perform the Asvamedha sacrifice. The sacrificial horse was sent out and his royal agents followed it. During the journey the royal agents lost track of the horse. Sagara had sixty thousand sons by his wife Sumati. He ordered his sons to track down the horse. The proud princes raged across the land of Bharat. It was a fierce march burning down forests and damaging life and property, everything in the name of finding out the horse. At last they arrived at the abode of Sage Kapila where they found the white horse. Mistaking Kapila as a thief, they attacked him. The sage opened his eyes and cursed them. All the princes were turned into ashes.

Later, Kapila was consoled and he said that the only way for the souls of the dead princes to ascend to heaven would be through an offering at the sacred Ganga river (Ganges), which was flowing only in heaven then. Bringing Ganga to Earth was an impossible task and the successive generations of the kings of Kosala could not do that. The ill-effect resulted in natural disasters in the kingdom. The kingdom lost its peace and prosperity. By the time Bhagiratha ascended the throne, it was impossible to govern the kingdom though he was a very efficient ruler. 

At last, King Bhagiratha entrusted the kingdom to his ministers and set out to the Himalayas to perform an arduous Tapas in the extreme climate. He performed Tapas (penance) for one thousand years to please Lord Brahma. At the end, Brahma was pleased and asked him for his wish. Bhagiratha asked Brahma Dev to bring the river Ganges down to earth so that he may perform the ceremony for his ancestors. Brahma advised Bhagiratha to propitiate Lord Shiva because he was the only person capable to hold Ganga when she comes down. Bhagiratha propitiated Mahadev. After one year's penance, Bholenath appeared and told Bhagiratha that he would make Ganga fall on his matted locks (jata).

Ganga started to flow down to earth. Lord Shiva captured all of Ganga in his jata. Then Ganga fell on earth without hurting it. Bhagiratha’s efforts caused Ganga to come to the earth and so she is also called Bhagirathi. Ganga wanted to set herself free. She flowed and destroyed sage Jahnu’s ashram. Annoyed by the same, Jahnu swallowed Ganga. Bhagiratha again prayed to Jahnu to let out Ganga and Jahnu released her. Hence, Ganga is also known as Jahnavi. Ganga then flowed over the remains of the 60,000 ancestors of Bhagiratha and brought them release. The term Bhagirathaprayatna (effort of Bhagiratha) has come into use in the sense of taking pains to do something which is generally impossible. 

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