Ananda Ramayana

2021-01-31T14:05:57Z

223.186.178.42:

The '''Ananda Ramayana''' is an anonymously-authored [[Sanskrit]] text from the 15th century.. The text has received little attention from scholars, though in some traditions, it is considered a principal source of Rama stories.<ref>{{cite book|last=Chhawchharia|first=Sri Ajai Kumar|title=Adbhuta Ramayana|year=2010|publisher=Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan|location=Varanasi, India|isbn=978-93-8032-604-7|pages=520}}</ref>

Many of the original stories from the [[Ramayana|Valmiki Ramayana]] are included in the Ananda Ramayana (though often with minor variations). Its primary significance, however, is its inclusion of original stories that are intended to provide background information for the Valmiki Ramayana narrative.<ref>{{cite book|last=Nagar|first=Shantilal (translator)|title=Ananda Ramayana|year=2006|publisher=Parimal Publications|location=Delhi, India|isbn=81-7110-282-4|pages=946|url=http://www.parimalpublication.com}}</ref>

== Ravana's abduction of Kausalya, Rama's mother ==
[[Ravana]] once approached [[Brahma]], inquiring him as to how his own death would come about. Brahma responded that the son of [[Kausalya]] and [[Dasharatha]] would be the cause of his death. Enraged, Ravana abducted Kausalya immediately prior to her wedding, and placed her in a box on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.

The sage [[Narada]] described her whereabouts to Dasharatha, who then brought his army to the shore to rescue her. The army began to cross the ocean in boats, approaching the island of Kausalya's captivity. Hearing of Dasharatha's rescue attempt, Ravana sent his "rakshasa" (demon) army. In the ensuing battle, Dasharatha's army was annihilated, but Dasharatha escaped on a wooden plank, floating on the ocean for many days.

Eventually, he landed on the island of Kausalya's captivity and chanced upon the box in which she was enclosed. Narada and other sages quickly arrived and performed a wedding ceremony, after which Dasharatha and Kausalya were enclosed in the box.

Unaware of these events, Ravana went to Brahma and told him that his prediction had been rendered false, as he had killed Dasharatha and was holding Kausalya captive in the box. Knowing that his words must always be true, Brahma had the box brought to his and Ravana's presence and opened. Seeing Dasharatha and Kausalya in the box, Ravana was humiliated and planned to kill them both, but his wife [[Mandodari]] persuaded him otherwise. Eventually, Dasharatha and Kausalya went to [[Ayodhya]], where they lived happily. Eventually she gave birth to [[Rama]], and his three brothers.

== Ravana’s Abduction of [[sita]] ==
When [[Hanuman]] first arrived in Lanka, he searched everywhere for [[Sita]]. At one point, he mistook the sleeping Mandodari for Sita. Realizing his mistake, he wondered why she looked like Sita., who was listening to the story from [[Shiva]], asked why there was a similarity in their appearance. [[Shiva]] responded that Ravana's mother Kaikasi had once sent Ravana to Shiva to obtain a beautiful Shivalinga for her. Ravana had pleased Shiva and given him two boons, one of which he used to obtain the ''Atmalinga''. With the other, he asked for [[Parvati]] as his wife. Shiva gave both to Ravana but told him that if he dropped the ''Atmalinga'', it would remain installed where it fell and would move no further. And so Ravana departed with Parvati and the ''linga''.

Parvati called [[vishnu ]]for help, and he appeared to Ravana disguised as a Brahmana. The Brahmana told Ravana that he had been misled and that the Parvati, she gave him was really a fake version. The real Parvati, he said, was in the netherworlds hiding from him. Ravana then entrusted the ''linga'' to the Brahmana, and set off in search of the ‘real’ Parvati. After Ravana had left, the Brahmana (Vishnu) consecrated the linga and departed. According to the Ananda Ramayana, this is the origin of the ''linga'' at [[Gokarna, Uttara Kannada|Gokarna]].

Ravana eventually returned to Gokarna to perform the intense ''tapas'', which later earned him the boons from Brahma that made him invincible to everyone but humans. Thus Vishnu was later able to incarnate as [[Rama]] in order to defeat Ravana. But that story doesn't mention in Valmiki Ramayan or other Ramayana except for Ananda Ramayan and many scholars rejected that story.

== The Consecration of the Shivalinga at Rameshwara ==
Rama sent Hanuman to bring a ''linga'' from [[Varanasi|Kashi]] (modern-day [[Varanasi]]), the city of Shiva. Hanuman was delayed, however, but because the ''muhurta'' (auspicious time for an event) was about to pass, Rama formed a ''linga'' made of sand and consecrated it instead. Hanuman returned and was disappointed to see that Rama had gone ahead with the consecration. Rama informed him, however, that if he removed the sand ''linga'', he would consecrate the one Hanuman brought from Kashi. But Hanuman's efforts were to no avail, and recognizing his own pride he worshiped Rama and his pride dissipated. Rama then consecrated Hanuman's ''linga'' so that both would remain.

==Hymns to Rama and Others==
The Ananda Ramayana is a rich source of hymns for Rama and others, which include the following:

The ''Yaga Kanda'' includes the ''Ramashatanamastotra'' (the 108 names of Rama);

The ''Vilasa Kanda'' contains the ''Ramastotram'', attributed to Shiva;

The ''Janma Kanda'' contains the ''Ramaraksha Mahamantra'' (the “Great Mantra for Gaining Protection from Rama”);

The ''Rajya Kanda'' contains the ''Ramasahasranamastotra'' (“Thousand Names of Rama”);

The ''Hanuman Kavacha'', ''Rama Kavacha'', and ''Sita Kavacha'' are found in the ''Manohar Kanda'';

The ''Manohar Kanda'' also contains the Lakshman Kavacha, Bharata Kavacha, and Shatrughna Kavacha;

Also included is the ''Ramashtakastotram''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ramayana}}
[[Category: Sanskrit texts]]
[[Category: Works based on the Ramayana]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Ananda Ramayana