22. Birth of Rama (Devotional)

      Ramavatar is 7th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The purpose of this incarnation is to upheld the supremacy of Dharma by setting an example to mankind how to live following dharma. As explained in Parashuramavatar, Parashurama spared king of Ayodhya, Dasaratha with out killing. Dasaratha belongs to solar dynasty (refer Birth of Gods And Demons) who had three wives Kousalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi but no children. So he performed Putrakamisti Yagna (Yagna for having kids) along with his wives.

      After completion of Yagna, Yagna purush came out of the fire pit and gave him nectar which Dasaratha passed to his wives. They drank the nectar and soon Kousalya got Rama as her son. Kaikeyi got Bharata and Sumitra got twins Lakshmana and Satrugna. Rama was the incarnation of Vishnu, Lakshmana was the incarnation of Sankarsana, Bharata is the incarnation of Pradyumna and Satrughna is the incarnation of Aniruddha. As explained in Story of Ravana, Ravana got a boon from Brahma that he shouldn't meet his death from certain list of elements from which he forgot to add mortal men. So Vishnu took a human life to kill him. The four brothers enjoyed an undiscriminating love from Dasaratha and his three queens, but Dasaratha's main affections were affixed upon Rama. Rama and his brothers are trained by Rishi Vasishta.

      When Rama was about 16 years old, sage Vishwamitra came to Dasaratha and told him that he was performing some yagna and he need protection from some demons which were disturbing his yagna. When Dasaratha accepted to go with him to help, he asked Dasaratha to send his son Rama with him. Dasaratha was shocked and pleaded him saying that Rama is still a kid and he cant send him to forest to face dangerous demons. Vishwamitra got angry and forced him again to send Rama with him. Dasaratha had to send Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra by sage Vasishta's advise. Vishwamitra is a powerful sage who could create Trisanku swargam (artificial heaven) for his student. He can confront any kind of demon at will but his intention was to teach some things to Rama and provide him powerful weapons so that he will be victorious while fighting with Ravana in future. Sage Vasishta also knew this and advised Dasaratha to send Rama with Vishwamitra.

      Vishwamitra taught Rama and Lakshmana so many things and taught him how to use some powerful weapons saying that they will be helpful for them to protect his yagna from demons. When Vishwamitra and other sages were performing Yagna, a demoness called Thataki came to disturb them. Rama couldnt aim arrow at her as she was female. Vishwamitra told him that she is demoness and must be killed. So Rama shot her with his arrow and killed her. Vishwamitra completed his yagna successfully and was very happy. Rama asked him many questions and gained knowledge. Vishwamitra thought that Rama is suitable person to marry Sita. So he started travelling to Mithila where Sita's Swayamvaram (where bride selects her bridegroom from the bunch of people interested). Some people say that Sita was elder than Rama when she born at Ravana's place (Refer Birth of Sita) but if we consider her age from when she was found to Janaka, she was younger than Rama.