RAMAYANA- THE EPIC

                          RAMAYANA-THE EPIC                                                                                                 THE RAMAYANA WRITTEN BY TULSIDAS KNOWN AS RAMCHARITMANAS , IS A SIXTEENTH CENTURY EPIC. THE STORY REVOLVES AROUND RAMA, WHO WAS THE SEVENTH AVATAR OF THE HINDU GOD VISHNU. HE IS THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THE HINDU EPIC RAMAYANA, WHICH IS THE PRINCIPAL NARRATION OF THE EVENTS CONNECTED TO HIS INCARNATION ON EARTH, HIS IDEALS AND HIS GREATNESS. HE WAS THE ELDEST SON OF KING DASHRATHA - THE RULER OF KOSALA KINGDOM . RAMA LIFE AND JOURNEY IS ONE OF ADHERENCE TO DHARMA DESPITE HARSH TESTS AND OBSTACLES AND MANY PAINS OF LIFE AND TIME. THIS ADHERENCE MADE HIM EARN THE NAME OF MARYADA PURUSHOTTAM WHICH LITERALLY MEANS THE PERFECT MAN OR LORD OF SELF- CONTROL OR LORD OF VIRTUE. FOR THE SAKE OF HIS FATHER HONOUR, RAMA ABANDONS HIS CLAIM TO AYODHYA THRONE TOP SERVE AN EXILE OF FOURTEEN YEARS IN THE FOREST. HIS WIFE SITA AND BROTHER LAKSHMANA DECIDE TO JOIN HIM, AND ALL THREE SPEND THE FOURTEEN YEARS IN EXILE TOGETHER. WHILE IN EXILE, SITA IS KIDNAPPED BY RAVANA, THE KING OF LANKA . AFTER A LONG AND ARDUOUS SEARCH, RAMA FIGHTS A COLOSSAL WAR AGAINST RAVANA ARMIES.IN A WAR OF POWERFUL AND MAGICAL BEINGS, GREATLY DESTRUCTIVE WEAPONRY AND BATTLES, RAMA SLAYS RAVANA IN BATTLE AND LIBERSTES HIS WIFE. HAVING COMPLETED HIS EXILE, RAMA RETURNS TO BE CROWNED KING IN AYODHYA AND EVENTUALLY BECOMES THE EMPEROR. THE WHOLE STORY IS DIVIDED INTO SEVEN PARTS KNOWN AS " KANDS". 

                                                      THE SEVEN KANDAS

1) BALA- KANDA

2)  AYODHYA-KANDA

3) ARANYA-KANDA

4) KISHKINDA-KANDA

5) SUNDARA-KANDA

6) YUDHA-KANDA

7) UTTARA-KANDA