Week 2: Reading Diary A

In this week's reading, Narayana begins with describing the great city of Ayodhya and the ruler, King Dashratha. King Dasharatha has one major problem; he has no heir to take over his throne ones he passes away. King Dasharatha talks about his problem to his trusted priest, Vashishtha. The priests advise the king to perform a Yagna. On the other hand, the gods are in a need of a human-being to defeat the demon Ravana due to the protection from gods given to him by Shiva and Brahma. This is an issue; Vishnu decided to reincarnate in the form of a human being called Rama, the son of Dasharatha. Once the Yagna was complete and the offerings were eaten by Dashratha's wives, they were pregnant with the future of a Dashratha's throne. Rama was born to Kausalya, Bharatha was born to Kaikeyi, and Lakshmana and Sathrunga was born to Sumithra.

One day Viswamithra visited the King Dasharatha and asked him for a favor. He was going to perform a Yagna at the Sidhasrama and needed his help due some demons creating problems for the sages. King Dasharatha hesitated at first, but finally accepted to offer their helps. On their way, Viswamithra tells stories about the location and Rama has to face a lot of the demons on their way. The first story comes up when they come in contact with a really arid desert. Rama questions why the desert is so arid and dry. Viswamithra tells him about the curse on Thataka and how she resides there causing it to be really dry and arid. Once he is done telling this story, Thataka appears and tries to destroy them, but Rama is able to defeat her. The next story was of Mahbali and his defeat to Vishnu. Vishnu disguised as a dwarf asks for a gift. This gift was the land size of three foot step. Mahabali not recognizing Vishnu grants the wish and gets sent to the underworld with the third step. Next was the story of Bhagiratha and how he brought Ganga to Earth to obtain salvation. The last story was about how Indra got the name of thousand eye god. He once fell in love with a beautiful lady named Ahalya. One day he disguised himself as her husband and made love to her. Upon returning the husband realized what had happened, and cursed god Indra to be covered in thousands of female private parts. When asking for forgiveness, the punishment was lessened to thousand eyes.

King Janaka had placed a challenge in return for her daughter's hand. No one had been able to complete this challenge and everyone thought the princess was going to alone forever. Viswasmithra asked that Rama gets a chance at this challenge. Since King Janaka had lost hope, he set it up immediately. It is said that Rama completed the challenge so fast that no one was even able to see it. Rama and Sita were happily married

One day King Dashratha was pondering his future. He was getting old and needed to retire soon. He finally set up everything for Rama to be crowned king, but when Kaikeyi heard this she couldn't stand it.Kaikeyi remembered that King Dashatha had given her two boons. She asked that his exile, Rama for fourteen years to the forest and that her son Bharatha be crowned king.