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Vyasa and Valmiki's time. Even the poets
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who wrote these epics in the original did
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not create but built out of the inherited
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bricks of national memory prior to their
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own time. Reading the Ramayana and
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Mahabharata even in the form I have
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given them, we go back to live with our
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ancient forbears and listen to their grand
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voice.
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Mythology
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is
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an
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integral
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part
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of
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religion. It is as necessary for religion and
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national culture as the skin and the
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skeleton that preserve a fruit with its juice
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and its taste. Form is no less essential than
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substance. Mythology and holy figures are
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necessary for any great culture to rest on
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its stable spiritual foundation and function
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as a life-giving inspiration and guide.
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Let us keep ever in our minds the fact
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that
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it
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is
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the
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Ramayana
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and
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the
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Mahabharata that bind our vast numbers
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together as one people, despite caste,
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space and language that seemingly divide
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them.
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1. THE CONCEPTION
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To the north of the Ganga was the great
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kingdom Kosala, made fertile by the river
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Sarayu. Its capital was Ayodhya, built by
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Manu, the famous ruler of the Solar
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dynasty. From Valmiki's description of
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the capital Kosala, it is clear that ancient
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Ayodhya was not inferior to our modern
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cities.
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Even
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in
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ancient
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India
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city
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civilisation had reached a high level.
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King Dasaratha ruled the kingdom
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from the capital city of Ayodhya. He had
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fought on the side of the Devas, and his
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fame spread in the three worlds. He was
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the equal of Indra and Kubera. The people
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of Kosala were happy, contented and
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virtuous. The land was protected by a
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mighty army, and no enemy could come
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anywhere near
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It contained forts with moats around
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them
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as
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well
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as
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many
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defensive
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intallations, and true to its name, Ayodhya
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defied all enemies. (Ayodhya means that
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which
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cannot
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be
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subdued
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by
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war).
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Dasaratha had eight wise ministers, ever
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ready to advise him and execute his
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orders. Great sages like Vasishtha and
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Vamadeva and other Brahmanas taught
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the dharma and performed rituals and
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sacrifices.
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Taxes were light and punishment of
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crime was just and inflicted according to
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the
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capacity
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of
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the
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wrong-doer.
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Surrounded by the best counsellors and
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statesmen, the king's splendor shone as the
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rising sun. Many years rolled smoothly
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by. In the midst of all this prosperity
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Dasaratha had one regret; he had no son.
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One day in early summer he thought of
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performing a horse sacrifice for progeny.
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He consulted his religious masters and on
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their advice, got sage Rishyasringa to
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perform the Yaga. The Yaga was a grand
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affair and the invitees included many of
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the kings of the day. It was no easy thing
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to
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