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==परिचयः ॥ Introduction==

==परिचयः ॥ Introduction==

Maharaja Yudhisthira while spending his time in the forests along with his brothers and wife Draupadi, once laments with Maharshi Markandeya about his distressing state. During that time Draupadi was abducted by Jayadratha and subsequent to releasing her from his captivity, Yudhisthira is deeply disturbed by such calamities that have befallen on him and his family. Yudhisthira exclaims that no one cannot escape from events due to time or his own deeds else how can Draupadi, born from the yajna, the respected daughter-in-law of Maharaja Pandu face such a humiliation of being abducted by Jayadratha. She has always followed dharma, and behaved respectfully towards elders, brahmanas and rshis and we are distressed that abduction of Draupadi has befallen on us. <blockquote>अस्ति नूनं मया कश्चिदल्पभाग्यतरो नरः। भवता दृष्टपूर्वो वा श्रुतपूर्वोऽपि वा भवेत्॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 273.13)</blockquote>Yudhisthira asks Markandeya whether he has seen or heard about any person who is as ill-fated as us (Pandavas due to the abduction of wife) in this world?<ref>Pt. Ramnarayan Datt Shastri. ''Mahabharata, Part 2 (VanaParva, Adhyaya 273 to 292) Hindi Translation.'' Gorakhpur: Gita Press (Pages 1714 - 1770)</ref>

Maharaja Yudhisthira while spending his time in the forests along with his brothers and wife Draupadi, once laments with Maharshi Markandeya about his distressing state. During that time Draupadi was abducted by Jayadratha and subsequent to releasing her from his captivity, Yudhisthira is deeply disturbed by such calamities that have befallen on him and his family. Yudhisthira exclaims that no one cannot escape from events due to time or his own deeds else how can Draupadi, born from the yajna, the respected daughter-in-law of Maharaja Pandu face such a humiliation of being abducted by Jayadratha. She has always followed dharma, and behaved respectfully towards elders, brahmanas and rshis and we are distressed that abduction of Draupadi has befallen on us. <blockquote>अस्ति नूनं मया कश्चिदल्पभाग्यतरो नरः। भवता दृष्टपूर्वो वा श्रुतपूर्वोऽपि वा भवेत्॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 273.13)</blockquote>Yudhisthira asks Markandeya whether he has seen or heard about any person who is as ill-fated as us (Pandavas due to the abduction of wife) in this world?<ref>Pt. Ramnarayan Datt Shastri. ''Mahabharata, Part 2 (VanaParva, Adhyaya 273 to 292) Hindi Translation.'' Gorakhpur: Gita Press (Pages 1714 - 1770)</ref>

==रामरावणयोर्जन्मकथनम् ॥ Birth of Shri Rama and Ravana==

==Story of ShriRama ==

Markandeya Maharshi in answer to Yudhisthira's question recounts the story of ShriRamachandra who had to live in the forest and had to endure the abduction of his wife, in brief as follows.

Markandeya Maharshi in answer to Yudhisthira's question recounts the story of ShriRamachandra who had to live in the forest and had to endure the abduction of his wife, in brief as follows.

Curious Yudhisthira asks him to explain ShriRama's charitra and all the difficulties he endured. Markandeya starts to recite the anecdote with Maharaja Aja who belonged to the Ikshvaku lineage, who had a son Dasaratha. Dasaratha a pious and learned person, had four sons Rama by Kausalya, Bharata through Kaikeyi and by wife Sumitra he had Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Brahma himself created Sita, as the daughter of Janaka Maharaja of Videha, to be the dear wife of Shri Ramachandra.

Curious Yudhisthira asks him to explain ShriRama's charitra and all the difficulties he endured. Markandeya starts to recite the anecdote with Maharaja Aja who belonged to the Ikshvaku lineage, who had a son Dasaratha. Dasaratha a pious and learned person, had four sons Rama by Kausalya, Bharata through Kaikeyi and by wife Sumitra he had Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Brahma himself created Sita, as the daughter of Janaka Maharaja of Videha, to be the dear wife of Shri Ramachandra.

प्राप्तमप्रतिमं दुःखं रामेण भरतर्षभ। रक्षसा जानकी तस्य हृता भार्या बलीयसा॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 274.1)

प्राप्तमप्रतिमं दुःखं रामेण भरतर्षभ। रक्षसा जानकी तस्य हृता भार्या बलीयसा॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 274.1)<br />

<br /><blockquote>आश्रमाद्राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना। मायामास्थाय तरसा हत्वा गृध्रं जटायुषम्॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 274.2)</blockquote><blockquote>प्रत्याजहार तां रामः सुग्रीवबलमाश्रितः। बद्ध्वा सेतुं समुद्रस्य दग्ध्वा लङ्कां शितैः शरैः॥ (Maha. Vana. Parv. 274.3)</blockquote>

===Ravana's Family===

===Ravana's Family===

In Mahabharata we find the details of the lineage of Ravana, described by Markandeya as follows:

In Mahabharata we find the details of the lineage of Ravana, described by Markandeya as follows:

Vishravas begets Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Visbhishana, Khara and Surpanakha through rakshasis named Pushpotkata, Malini and Raakha.  

Vishravas begets Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Visbhishana, Khara and Surpanakha through rakshasis named Pushpotkata, Malini and Raakha.  

==Ravana as Lankadhipati==

===लङ्काधिपत्यम् ॥ Ravana as Lankadhipati===

Vishravas and his family were living on the Gandhamadana mountain. Once Kubera came on his vehicle driven by men, to meet Vishravas. On that ocassion, seeing the wealth and pomp of [[Kubera (कुबेरः)|Kubera]], Ravana and his brothers, overcame with jealousy. They decide to perform penance to gain powers from Brahma. After a thousand years or rigorous austerities, Brahma pleased with their tapas, grants Ravana invincibility from all beings excluding humans  in his wish as he considered them very low beings.  

Vishravas and his family were living on the Gandhamadana mountain. Once Kubera came on his vehicle driven by men, to meet Vishravas. On that ocassion, seeing the wealth and pomp of [[Kubera (कुबेरः)|Kubera]], Ravana and his brothers, overcame with jealousy. They decide to perform penance to gain powers from Brahma. After a thousand years or rigorous austerities, Brahma pleased with their tapas, grants Ravana invincibility from all beings excluding humans  in his wish as he considered them very low beings.  

Ravana with his immense force, ability to take any form and travel aerially to any place as per his wish, started harassing the devatas and took away their extraordinary precious gems and treasures  thus creating fear among them.  

Ravana with his immense force, ability to take any form and travel aerially to any place as per his wish, started harassing the devatas and took away their extraordinary precious gems and treasures  thus creating fear among them.  

==Avatars of Devatas ==

===Avatars of Devatas===

All the rshis and devatas then approached Brahma to seek help as Ravana's deeds where unbearable in any world. Brahma pacifies them saying that since Ravana is invincible by devatas and even asuras, he sought the help of Mahavishnu to take the form of a human being on earth, to control Ravana.

All the rshis and devatas then approached Brahma to seek help as Ravana's deeds where unbearable in any world. Brahma pacifies them saying that since Ravana is invincible by devatas and even asuras, he sought the help of Mahavishnu to take the form of a human being on earth, to control Ravana.

Dundubhi takes the form of Manthara, the unpleasant maid. Thus was laid the background to build an army of extremely strong army of monkeys and bears, many of which did not even have a house to live in but lived in forests and trees.

Dundubhi takes the form of Manthara, the unpleasant maid. Thus was laid the background to build an army of extremely strong army of monkeys and bears, many of which did not even have a house to live in but lived in forests and trees.

==Rama's Story ==

===ShriRama and Sita's Story===

In this section the story of Ramachandra and Sita and events in their life are covered very briefly, as the elaborate story is dealt with in Ramayana. Adhyaya 277-292 of Vanaparva touches upon the story of Ramachandra after his birth as the son of Dasaratha.   

In this section the story of Ramachandra and Sita and events in their life are covered very briefly, as the elaborate story is dealt with in Ramayana. Adhyaya 277-292 of Vanaparva touches upon the story of Ramachandra after his birth as the son of Dasaratha.