English translation of Ayodhya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana

Courtesy: Sri.PP.Ramachander

   The odyssey of my effort of translation of Valmiki Ramayana continues.  I had informed you  exactly two months back  that I had uploaded the translation of Balakandam. Ayodhya Kandam starts with the intention of Dasaratha  to crown Rama as Yuvaraja and ends   with Rama leaving Chithrakuta mountain   towards  the Dandakaranya(Punishing forest) the most important aspects of Ramayana reported  in this book  are the decision of Dasaratha   to crown Rama as Yuvaraja, Poisoning of the mind of Kaikeyi by Mandhara , a hunchback, Kaikeyi 's   demanding Dasaratha to crown Bharatha  instead of Rama and banishing  Rama to forest for fourteen years , Rama 's going to forest along   with Sita and Lakshmana,  their meeting with Guha and sage Bharadwaja  and settling down in Chithrakuta , Dasaratha 's death,  Bharatha 's coming back from his maternal grandfather's place , the funeral of  Dasaratha, Bharatha 's refusal for the coronation, Bharatha' s visit  to Chithrakuta, Refusal of Rama to return, Bharatha 's coming back with Sandals of Rama and crowning them  and Ram's departure from Chithrakuta.

   To those who have not Ramayana , I have a request. Please    read  it sloka by sloka. The treatment of Valmiki of Rama 's story will move you to tears. Several times during this translation  I was spiritually  with  those great  characters of Ramayana and was moved to tears . There is no word to describe this great book. It is simply remarkable.

    You would find my translation  of Ayodhya Kanda in

 

Ayodhya Kanda Chapters  1-18 

http://englishvalmikiramayanam.blogspot.in/2013/08/ayodhya-kanda-1-18.html

Ayodhya Kanda  Chapters 19-44

http://englishvalmikiramayanam.blogspot.in/2013/08/ayodhya-kanda-19-44.html

Ayodhya Kanda  45-59

 http://englishvalmikiramayanam.blogspot.in/2013/08/ayodhya-kanda-45-59.html

Ayodhya Kanda 60- 82

 http://englishvalmikiramayanam.blogspot.in/2013/08/ayodhya-kanda-60-82.html

Ayodhya Kanda 83-119

http://englishvalmikiramayanam.blogspot.in/2013/08/ayodhya-kanda-83-119.html

 

Some of the aspects which I learnt   from translating Ayodhya Kanda are

1.Dasaratha  has some doubt regarding likely problem  for the coronation either by Kaikeyi/ Bharatha

2.Dasaratha had altogether 350 wives

3. Most probably  Kaikeyi  was very young compared   to his other wives.

4.Kakeyi had  a large number of hunchbacks with her  for purpose of entertainment.

5. Charioteers were important people in the kingdom. At least two of them are mentioned as ministers of Dasaratha.

6. The saint killed in the forest by using Sabdha Bhedi arrow  by Dasaratha  was the son of Vaisya father (saint) and a Shudra mother  .

7.Lakshmana used  to get very angry quickly.

8.Some of the answers of Sita were   very curt.

9.Lakshmana  did not take  leave from his wife.

10.In fact  there is no mention in this part of Ramayana    about  the wives of Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrugna.

11.Rama does a Vasthu Bali before occupying his hermitage in Chithrakuta.

12.He offers Pinda with a fruit pulp and a fruit juice to his departed father.

13.The cloth which lady saints wear  woven with grass is called "Cheera", which is same word used in Malayalam for Sari.

14.Jabali , who was a minister  of Dasaratha was a great Brahmin as well great atheist.,