Tiny Tales: Traditional Stories in 100 Words: October 2020

~ 192. The Statues Speak to Rama ~

Laura Gibbs · 192. The Statues Speak to Rama

Some say that Rama had a new golden statue of Sita made for every sacred ritual. Then, after each ritual, the golden statue would be installed in a special temple.

One day Rama went to visit the temple, and the golden statues of Sita all called out to him. "Husband!" they cried. "Husband! Who will take care of us when you depart this earth?"

"I will see you again," Rama promised, "and we will be reunited in love during my next lifetime."

In his next lifetime, Rama would return as Krishna, and the golden statues would be Krishna's beloved gopis.

Inspired by: Golden Sitas become gopis.
Notes: I don't have any idea how old this story is; I found it at a website online, and I liked it.

Krishna with gopis

~ 198. Afterword: A Story about Tenalirama ~

Laura Gibbs · 198. A Story about Tenalirama

The royal painter decorated the palace walls with Ramayana murals. Tenalirama scoffed. "Where's the rest of Lakshmana?" he asked, pointing to one figure.

"That's a profile!" replied the painter. "You have to imagine the rest."

"I will decorate the summer palace with my own Ramayana paintings!" boasted Tenalirama.

A month later, he was done. The king came to see ... and there were only noses. Everywhere! Noses painted all over the walls!

"What is this?" he shouted angrily.

"Well, this is Rama, of course. And Sita, Lakshmana..." Tenalirama pointed out each nose one by one. "You have to imagine the rest."

Inspired by: The Wit of Tenali Raman by Devika Rangachari
Notes: This story is on p. 34 of the book. In the original story he painted noses and legs and arms and various body parts; I changed it to just noses in honor of his encounter with Kali: Tenalirama and Kali. This story appears in Tiny Tales of India.

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana

~ 199. Another Story about Tenalirama ~

Laura Gibbs · 199. Another Story about Tenalirama

A courtesan invited Tenalirama to recite the Ramayana, the epic story of Rama's adventures, just for her.

Tenalirama began with the story of King Dasharatha and Rama's birth, followed by the intrigue in King Dasharatha's court, then Rama's exile into the forest, accompanied by his devoted wife Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana.

"So," he said, "Rama, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana, went into the forest to begin their exile."

Then Tenalirama fell silent.

The courtesan waited, and finally she could wait no longer. "Then what happened?" she demanded.

"Be patient," said Tenalirama. "They are still walking through the forest."

Inspired by: Folktales from India, edited by A. K. Ramanujan
Notes: This is "Tenali Rama's Ramayana" (p. 57). This story also appears in Tiny Tales from India.

Tenali Rama TV show

~ 36. The Story of Indra ~

Laura Gibbs · 36. The Story of Indra

After Ahalya departed with Gautama, Rama asked about Indra. "Was Indra ever freed from Gautama's curse?"

"Indra begged the devas for help," said Vishvamitra, "but no one knew what to do. Then Agni had an idea: they could give Indra the testicles of a ram. They found a ram tied to a pole, ready to be sacrificed. They cut off the ram's testicles and took them to Indra, so that he could replace the testicles he had lost."

Lakshmana burst out laughing, but Rama knew this was a serious matter. The curse of a rishi can afflict even the gods.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.

Notes: This is from the Bala Kanda (Book 1), sarga 49. I added the part about Lakshmana laughing. In the many different versions of Ahalya's story, there are different versions of the curses. In some versions, Indra is cursed to be covered with female genitalia, for example. In this case, he is meṣavṛṣaṇa in Sanskrit, ram-testicled.

Gautama Curses Indra

~ 81. How Ravana Tricked Jatayu ~

Laura Gibbs · 81. How Ravana Tricked Jatayu

Jatayu could have rescued Sita, but Ravana had tricked him.

"Where exactly does your strength reside?" Ravana asked Jatayu.

Jatayu didn't reply; he just kept fighting.

"My strength is in my right big toe," Ravana said.

Honor then compelled Jatayu to share his secret, as Ravana had. "My strength is in my wings!" Jatayu said as he swooped down and began pecking at Ravana's toe.

But nothing happened. Ravana had lied: his strength wasn't in his toe but in his navel, where he concealed the pot of immortal nectar.

Ravana then tore Jatayu's wings to shreds, laughing, while Sita wept.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This folktale is on p. 136 of the book.

Jatayu and Ravana

~ 161. Ravana Invokes Kali ~

Laura Gibbs · 161. Ravana Invokes Kali

Ravana decided to pray to the warrior-goddess Kali for protection. With Kali's help, he could become completely invincible, safe even from humans and monkeys.

"You must stop him!" Vibhishana said to Hanuman and Angada, so they flew to Lanka and found Ravana deep in meditation. The monkeys pelted Ravana with fruits and flowers he had offered to the goddess, but they could not break Ravana's meditation.

Then they began stripping off Mandodari's clothes. "Help me, husband!" she screamed.

This broke Ravana's meditation. He came to Mandodari's aid, and the monkeys flew away, mission accomplished: Ravana received no boon from Kali.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 240 of the book. Pattanaik notes that in other versions of this story, Ravana invokes Shiva. Angada's attack on Mandoari appears in the Adhatma Ramayana and in other regional versions.

Kali

~ 101. Vali Torments Sugriva ~

Laura Gibbs · 101. Vali Torments Sugriva

Because of Matanga's curse, Vali could not set foot on Rishyamukha Hill. If he did, his head would explode into a thousand pieces.

Thus Sugriva took refuge there, thinking he would be safe from Vali.

Vali, however, still found a way to torment his brother. Every day he would fly over Rishyamukha Hill and kick Sugriva in the head, which was painful and humiliating for Sugriva.

Finally, Hanuman grabbed Vali by the ankle. "Stop it!" Hanuman shouted. "If you come back again, I'll pull you down to the ground."

Knowing that Hanuman meant what he said, Vali stopped tormenting Sugriva.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This folktale is on p. 173 of the book.

Vali and Sugriva by Keshav

~ 193. Rama Confronts Shambuka ~

Laura Gibbs · 193. Rama Confronts Shambuka

An old brahmin came to Rama, carrying his dead child. "This is your fault!" he said to Rama. "Things are out of control. My son has died before me."

Not sure what to do, Rama sought advice from Narada. "There is a low-born man practicing austerities in the forest," Narada said. "He is a shudra, the lowest caste, and a shudra should not aspire to gain heaven by practicing austerities. His name is Shambuka, and you must stop him."

Rama found Shambuka in the forest and beheaded him.

At that very instant, the dead brahmin boy came back to life.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.

Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 64 and following. Narada explains that in the first age, the brahmins were ascetics, and in the second age, the kshatriyas aspired to become ascetics, and in the third age, vaishyas would do so; only in the Kali Yuga would shudras have such aspirations.

Rama slays Shambuka

Dasharatha's Grief

After Rama departed into exile, Dasharatha was grief-stricken, unable to leave his bed.

"There was a boy," he said in his delirium, remembering the boy he had shot, the son of the blind parents. "All my fault."

Staring at nothing Dasharatha repeated, "Rama. Rama. Rama."

Sitting by Dasharatha's bedside through the night, Sumitra and Kaushalya fell asleep. In the morning, they saw that the king was dead.

All Ayodhya was plunged into grief.

The priests put the king's body in a vat of oil, and they sent news to Bharata and Shatrughna who were at their grandfather's house in Kekaya.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana

Notes: This is from the Ayodhya Kanda (Book 2), sarga 65.

Dasharatha on his deathbed

~ 35. They Come to a Deserted Ashram ~

Laura Gibbs · 35. They Come to a Deserted Ashram

As they continued their journey over mountains and through forests, Vishvamitra led the princes into a deserted ashram. Rama wondered why Vishvamitra had brought them there. And then... something surprising happened. As Rama's foot brushed against a rock, a beautiful woman suddenly appeared before him.

"You have liberated me, Rama," she said. "I am Ahalya, and I welcome you to Gautama's ashram."

Next, Gautama emerged from the trees. He bowed to Vishvamitra and the princes, and then he extended his hand to Ahalya. Smiling, she took her husband's hand.

All was forgiven.

Rejoicing, the devas rained down flowers from heaven.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.

Notes: This is from the Bala Kanda (Book 1), sarga 49.

Ahalya Emerges

~ 10. Ravana Occupies Lanka ~

Laura Gibbs · 10. The Golden City of Lanka

Ravana's maternal grandfather, Sumali, always hoped Ravana would reclaim the golden city of Lanka. "Take the city from Kubera!" Sumali urged. "Let it be a rakshasa city again as it was long ago."

Ravana's general, Prahasta, agreed. "The devas were wrong to drive the rakshasas from Lanka, and we are right to take it back."

Ravana sent Prahasta to Lanka as his emissary. "Give us back the city," Prahasta said to Kubera, "or we will fight you."

To Prahasta's surprise, Kubera yielded the city. "I will go to the Himalayas," he said. "Tell my brother that golden Lanka is his."

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana

Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 11.

Golden Lanka

~ 14. Ravana Attacks Kubera ~

Laura Gibbs · 14. Ravana Attacks Kubera

Kubera rallied his yaksha soldiers to defend their mountain home from Ravana's attack. Kubera and the yakshas fought bravely, but they were no match for the rakshasas. Soon the battlefield was littered with yaksha corpses lying in rivers of blood that streamed bright red in the snow.

The surviving yakshas all fled, and Kubera alone confronted Ravana on the battlefield.

"Someone will finally send you to hell," Kubera said, "and then you will understand the consequences of your actions."

The half-brothers fought until Kubera fell, wounded but not dead.

Ravana then stole Kubera's flying chariot and returned, triumphant, to Lanka.

Inspired by: Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana

Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 14.

Himalayas

~ 13. Kubera Rebukes Ravana ~

Laura Gibbs · 13. Kubera Rebukes Ravana

Kubera was appalled by Ravana's repeated attacks on the priests, on the devas, and on his own yakshas, so he sent a message to him, brother to brother. "Your deeds dishonor our father," Kubera's messenger told Ravana. "You need to stop your bad behavior."

Enraged, Ravana shouted, "I will kill Kubera for this! And I will kill all the other guardians of the world as well. Nobody speaks to Ravana this way!"

Then Ravana seized Kubera's messenger and sliced off his head.

"Come, rakshasas!" Ravana shouted, and he led his army in an attack on Kubera's home in the Himalayas.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana
Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 13.

Ravana

~ 158. Indrajit's Wife Comes to Rama ~

Laura Gibbs · 158. Indrajit's Wife Comes to Rama

Lakshmana's arrow severed Indrajit's head with such force that it flew through the air and landed at Ravana's feet.

"Forgive me, Father," said the head. "I failed you." Then the head spoke no more.

Sulochana, Indrajit's wife, was determined to cremate Indrajit's head and body together.

She walked fearlessly across the battlefield until she found Indrajit's body.

"Indrajit was an obedient son, like you," she said to Rama, "and I am a faithful wife, like Sita. I beg you: let me take my husband's body away from here."

Rama agreed, and Sulochana carried Indrajit's body away, grieving for her husband.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 232 of the book. Sulochana is also called Pramila. Some say she was a Naga, and Lakshmana's famed naga-pasha was her gift to him. In some versions of the story, she commits sati, burning herself on Indrajit's pyre.

Indrajit's wife

~ 160. Rama Duels with Ravana's Son ~

Laura Gibbs · 160. Rama Duels with Ravana's Son

Ravana's son Virabahu was devoted to Vishnu. Seeing Rama in battle, he recognized Rama as Vishnu on earth.

"O God!" shouted Virabahu, bowing down before Rama. "I am yours! Let your sword send me to heaven." Then he offered his neck to Rama's sword.

"I cannot kill someone who shows such devotion," Rama said.

"Then I will make you kill me," shouted Virabahu, and he launched an attack. They fought violently, until finally Rama's sword cut off Virabahu's head.

The head's mouth kept chanting the name of Rama.

Rama bent down and touched the head, and Virabahu ascended to heaven.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 235 of the book. This story comes from the Dandi Ramayana and the Bengali Ramayana. Pattanaik explains the ending as follows: "This is an example of viparit-bhakti, reverse devotion, displaying devotion by mocking and taunting God." In the full version, Virabahu rides an elephant, and he cannot die while the elephant is still alive, so much of the battle consists of efforts to kill the elephant.

Rama with a sword

~ 159. Rama Battles Taranisen ~

Laura Gibbs · 159. Rama Battles Taranisen

Across the battlefield, Rama saw a rakshasa ferociously attacking the monkeys and bears. As he watched, Rama realized the rakshasa was tattooed all over with his name.

"How strange!" Rama said to Vibhishana. "Who is that?"

"He is Taranisen," Vibhishana explained, "and he worships you. He bears your name everywhere, but not on his teeth. Strike him in the teeth, and he will fall."

Rama plunged into battle and struck the strange warrior in the teeth, thus killing him.

After the battle, Rama asked Vibhishana, "How did you know about his teeth?"

"Because," Vibhishana said sadly, "he was my son."

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 235 of the book. The story of Taranisen comes from the Bengali Ramayana of Krittivasa.

Rama confronts Taranisen

~ 143. The Army Meets the Enemy ~

Laura Gibbs · 143. The Army Meets the Enemy

Rama and his army were about to march onto the shore of Lanka when Vibhishana shouted a warning.

"Stop, Rama! Stop!" he yelled. "Do you see that rakshasa coming towards us?"

"Yes!" said Rama. "He's wearing a blindfold. Who is he?"

"That's Bhasmalochana," Vibhishana explained. "His eyes incinerate everything that he gazes at. I brought this just in case!" Vibhishana handed Rama a mirror.

Rama grasped the mirror and pointed it in the direction of Bhasmalochana.

Then, as soon as the rakshasa removed his blindfold, he found himself gazing into the mirror and incinerated himself.

Rama had thwarted Ravana again.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 217 of the book. The legend of Bhasmalochana comes from the Bengali Ramayana.

Vibhishana

~ 142. Rama Marches to Lanka ~

Laura Gibbs · 142. Rama Marches to Lanka

When they finally finished building the bridge, Rama led his army of monkeys and bears on their way to Lanka.

But Ravana was watching! Before Rama and his army could enter Lanka, he shot two massive arrows that destroyed each end of the bridge.

Rama's army could not go forward or backward, and hungry sea-monsters were swarming in the waters around them.

"Help us, Hanuman!" shouted Rama.

The mighty Hanuman leaped to Lanka and then enlarged himself, expanding his tail to span the gap.

Rama's army then marched over Hanuman's tail into Lanka.

Rama had thwarted Ravana's plans once again.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 216 of the book, and it comes from the Thai Ramakien and other southeast Asian Ramayana legends. Pattanaik suggests an influence of the Jataka story of the noble monkey-king who makes his body into a bridge of safety between two trees for his monkeys.

marching over Hanuman

~ 141. Who Destroyed the Bridge? ~

Laura Gibbs · 141. Who Destroyed the Bridge?

The bridge soon reached halfway to Lanka.

But then, during the night, sea-monsters destroyed the bridge. In the morning, they saw the sea-monsters splashing in the ruins, dragging away the rocks.

"I'll find out who did this!" Hanuman shouted. He dove down into the water. There he found a palace, and inside the palace he found the mermaid Suvannamaccha.

"Ravana asked me to destroy your bridge," she said. "But you are a very handsome monkey. I like you! My creatures will help repair the bridge. Forgive me, please!"

Hanuman smiled at the mermaid.

Later, she would bear his son: Macchanu.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 214 of the book. The story of Suvannamaccha is found in the Thai Ramakien and other south Asian vesrions of the Ramayana. Sometimes she is Ravana's daughter. Hanuman and Suvannamaccha become lovers, and Hanuman later meets his son Macchanu when he goes to rescue Rama and Lakshmana from Mahiravana. In the Adbhuta Ramayana, Hanuman's sweat impregnates a sea creature and he gives birth to a son that way.

the bridge wrecked

~ 140. A Woman's Body Washes Ashore ~

Laura Gibbs · 140. A Woman's Body Washes Ashore

One morning, they saw something floating in the water... a woman's body, tangled in the seaweed.

Lakshmana ran up. "It's Sita!" he wailed in horror.

Rama came running, and the princes wept, stricken with grief.

But Hanuman was suspicious. He built a pyre, put the body on top, and set it on fire.

"Stop, Hanuman!" Rama shouted. "What do you think you are doing?"

Before Hanuman could answer, the supposed corpse rose up and shrieked.

"It's not Sita!" said Hanuman. "This is Benjakai; I saw this evil sorceress in Ravana's palace."

Howling in defeat, Benjakai fled back into the ocean.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 210 of the book. The episode comes from the Thai Ramakien where Benjakai is the daughter of Vibhishana, and Ravana has forced her to engage in this plot. Vibhishana is prepared to execute her, but Rama spares her and sends her back to Lanka. She becomes Hanuman's lover.

Benjakai

~ 139. A Squirrel Wants to Help ~

Laura Gibbs · 139. The Squirrel Helps

While monkeys and bears hurried to build the bridge, dragging huge trees and enormous rocks to the seashore, a squirrel wanted to help too. The squirrel rolled in the sand, ran to the bridge, and shook the sand out of his fur. Again and again.

Then an angry monkey kicked the squirrel out of the way. "We need real workers!" he shouted.

But Rama rebuked the monkey. "The squirrel's work matters," explained Rama. "That sand is filling gaps between the stones."

In gratitude, Rama ran his fingers over the squirrel's back.

That is why the squirrels of India have stripes.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 209 of the book. Pattanaik explains that this legend appears in the Telugu Ranganatha Ramayana and the Odia Dandi Ramayana.

striped Indian palm squirrel

~ 168. The Story of Maya-Sita ~

Laura Gibbs · 168. The Story of Maya-Sita

Some say that it was not Sita who entered the fire, but Maya-Sita, a double of Sita. Ravana never actually brought Sita to Lanka. Instead, the devas snatched Sita from Ravana's chariot when he wasn't looking, replacing the real Sita with Maya, an illusion.

Ravana took Sita's double to Lanka, and it was Sita's double who came to Rama on the battlefield at the end of the war.

When she stepped into the fire, the Maya-Sita was destroyed, and Agni restored the real Sita to Rama.

So it was Maya-Sita who entered the fire, but the real Sita who emerged.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Notes: This story is on p. 252 of the book. For more about the Maya-Sita, see Wikipedia. Pattanaik notes that this legend is found in the Adbhut Ramayana and in the Malayalam Ramayana. Compare the Greek legend about a double of Helen taken by Paris to Troy, as in Euripides' play, Helen.

Agni and Sita

~ 150. Rama Worships Durga ~

Laura Gibbs · 150. Rama Worships Durga

To prepare for war, Rama honored Durga, the warrior-goddess. "I will offer her 108 perfect blue lotuses," Rama said, "one for each of her sacred names."

So Rama gathered the lotuses and began chanting the names, offering one lotus for each name.

But when Rama reached the last name, he realized he had miscounted: he was short one lotus. Without hesitating, Rama took an arrow, ready to extract one of his eyes to offer instead.

At just that moment, the goddess appeared. "Stop!" she said. "Your offering is complete, Lotus-Eyed Rama."

Then the goddess blessed Rama, bestowing victory upon him.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Notes: This story is on p. 241 of the book, and it is related to the ritual called Akal Bodhon. This episode is found in the Bengali Ramayana. In Bengal for the Dussehra holiday, 108 lamps are lit to commemorate the 108 lotuses.

Rama and Durga

~ 195. Rama Grieves for Lakshmana ~

Laura Gibbs · 195. Rama Grieves for Lakshmana

After Lakshmana's death, Rama went to the river every day and wept for his brother.

There was also a monk who came to the river. Rama saw him fill his watering can and then pour the water over a large rock. The monk did this every day.

"That rock is not a plant," Rama told him. "It can't grow or produce fruit. So why do you water the rock?"

"Why do you shed tears for your brother?" replied the monk.

Rama then understood that his weeping served no more purpose than watering a rock, and he set his grief aside.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Notes: This story is on p. 308 of the book. Pattanaik identifies this as a Jain legend.

Sarayu River

~ 171. Rama Becomes King ~

Laura Gibbs · 171. Rama Becomes King

After embracing Lakshmana, Sumitra said, "Go wake Urmila!"

Lakshmana's wife Urmila had been sleeping all those years so Lakshmana could stay awake.

Lakshmana found his wife fast asleep in their bed. "We have returned," he whispered. Urmila opened her eyes and wept with joy when she saw him.

Rama was then crowned king, and Sita was his queen. The royal priests conducted the ceremony, and the devas showered them with flowers from heaven.

The reign of King Rama had begun. Rama's brothers and their wives rejoiced, as did Hanuman, Sugriva, Jambavan, and Vibhishana, along with all the people of Ayodhya.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.

Notes: This story is on p. 261 of the book. Pattanaik references Telugu folk songs where Urmila is at first terrified when Lakshmana wakes her, but then he soothes her by combing her hair.

Rama's coronation

~ 173. Hanuman Honors Rama ~

Laura Gibbs · 173. Hanuman Honors Rama

The rishi Narada came to Ayodhya one day, shortly after Rama's coronation. He saluted Rama and Sita in the throne room, and then he noticed that Hanuman was there.

"O Hanuman!" said Narada, "Sita wears a vermilion dot on her forehead to honor Rama. How do you honor him?"

Hanuman rushed to the marketplace and bought all the sacks of vermilion that were for sale. He returned to the palace, emptied the sacks in a heap on the floor, and rolled in the powder until he was covered all over.

"I honor him this way," Hanuman said, beaming with pleasure.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.

Notes: This story is on p. 269 of the book. In Lutgendorf's Hanuman book (story 26; p. 157), Sita tells Hanuman that she wears the vermilion dot to extend Rama's life, so Hanuman rushes to the marketplace and rolls in the vermilion.

Hanuman

~ 172. Sita Rewards Hanuman ~

Laura Gibbs · 172. Sita Rewards Hanuman

After Rama's coronation, Sita honored Hanuman with a pearl necklace.

Hanuman started biting the pearls, cracking them open and looking inside.

"What are you looking for?" Sita asked, laughing, and all the people in attendance laughed too.

"I am looking for you," said Hanuman, "and for Rama. Without you inside, these pearls are useless."

"Rama and Sita are on their thrones!" the people shouted. "How could they be in the pearls?"

"In the same way they are in my heart," Hanuman replied, tearing open his chest; everyone could see Rama and Sita there. "Are they not in your hearts also?"

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.

Notes: This story is on p. 267 of the book. Pattanaik also mentions the Kannada version of the story where Rama's name is written on Hanuman's bones.

Hanuman opens his chest

~ 44. Sita Meets Two Strangers ~

Laura Gibbs · 44. Sita Meets Two Strangers

"Go visit the royal gardens," Vishvamitra said to the princes, and so they did.

Meanwhile, Sita had gone to a temple in the garden. "Goddess, send a worthy man to be my husband," she prayed.

Sita and her companions then saw two handsome strangers in the garden, and the strangers saw them.

Rama fell in love with Sita at first sight, and she with him.

When Sita's companions saw that she was lovestruck, they hurried her away. "It's late, my lady," they said. "We must go."

Sita then returned to the temple to thank the goddess for answering her prayers.

Inspired by: Ramachartimanas of Tulsidas (online).
Notes: Tulsidas uses the name Girija for the goddess of the first temple that Sita visits, and Bhavani is the goddess of the second temple.

Forest of Enchantments

by Chitra Divakaruni

~ 185. Another Story of the Twins ~

Laura Gibbs · 185. Another Story of the Twins

Others, however, say that Sita gave birth to only one son, Lava, and she raised him in Valmiki's ashram.

One day, Sita went to the river to do the laundry, leaving the toddler in Valmiki's care. When Valmiki wasn't looking, Lava wandered off. Valmiki couldn't find him anywhere!

In desperation, Valmiki took a handful of kusha grass and used a mantra to turn the grass into a boy, a duplicate of Lava.

At that moment, Sita returned, holding Lava in her arms. Surprised to see the second child, she asked, "Who is that?"

"That is Kusha," said Valmiki, "Lava's twin."

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Notes: This story is on p. 290 of the book. Pattanaik reports that this story is found in the Kathsaritsagara and also in Telugu folksongs.

Lava and Kusha

~ 191. Rama Makes a Statue ~

Laura Gibbs · 191. Rama Makes a Statue

After Sita vanished forever, everyone expected Rama to remarry.

"Who will be his bride?" the people wondered. "Perhaps someone from Ayodhya!" said some. "Perhaps a princess from the south!" said others. "Or the north!" "Or the west!" "Or the east!" "A princess from a nearby kingdom!" "A princess from far away!"

But Rama refused to remarry.

His priests protested. "You must have a queen! You should have a queen by your side when you conduct the holy rituals."

"Sita is still my queen," said Rama, and he had a golden statue made of Sita, keeping that statue by his side.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Notes: This story is on p. 300 of the book. In Valmiki's Ramayana, there is a reference to the golden Sita statue in the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 82. In another legend, Rama makes a new golden statue for every ritual, and all those statues then become the gopi lovers of Krishna in Vishnu's next incarnation; legend found online here.

the golden statue

~ 197. Rama Departs ~

Laura Gibbs · 197. Rama Departs

After Lakshmana departed, Rama was overcome by grief. "Bharata will now be king," he declared.

Bharata, however, refused. "I have no wish for the kingdom without you in it," he said. "You should crown Kusha and Lava instead."

So the boys became the kings of Ayodhya, and Rama left the city. His bow and his arrow took on human form and walked with him. His brothers Bharata and Shatrughna followed, along with all the people of Ayodhya.

Rama stepped into the Sarayu river, and the devas applauded. "Welcome, Rama!" they shouted. "Come, Vishnu!"

So Vishnu returned at last to heaven.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 97.

Rama departs

~ 189. Sita Arrives ~

Laura Gibbs · 189. Sita Arrives

Valmiki brought Sita to Ayodhya and presented her to Rama. "Here is the blameless woman you exiled because of gossip," said Valmiki. "And these boys are your sons. Now Sita will again prove her innocence."

Sita kept her eyes fixed on the ground. "If I was loyal to Rama, thinking of no one else," she said, "let the earth-goddess Bhumi receive me."

The goddess arose from under the ground, seated on a shining throne. Bhumi took Sita in her arms, and then they sank back down, and the ground closed over them.

The gods rained down flowers in Sita's honor.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 87. The goddess that Sita invokes is Vasundhara. In his book Sita, Pattanaik refers to an Assamese Ramayana in which Hanuman goes into the underworld to convince Sita to return to Rama. He also mentions the Sitamai temple at Karnal in Haryana which, supposedly marks the spot where Sita entered the earth.

Sita goes into the earth

~ 188. Rama Summons Sita ~

Laura Gibbs · 188. Rama Summons Sita

Because the Ramayana was so long, and because Rama wanted to hear the whole song from beginning to end, he kept inviting the boys to return to the palace.

Meanwhile, the people of Ayodhya were very curious. "Those boys resemble our king," they whispered to one another. "Who are they really?"

As the boys reached the end of their story, describing how Sita gave birth in exile, Rama stared at them in wonder, realizing who the twins must be.

"Bring your mother to the palace," Rama told the boys. "Let her prove her innocence again in front of all Ayodhya."

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 85.

Sita

~ 186. Shatrughna Hears the Twins Singing ~

Laura Gibbs · 186. Shatrughna Hears the Twins Singing

One day a stranger arrived at Valmiki's ashram: Shatrughna, Rama's brother. He had gotten lost in the forest and was seeking shelter.

Recognizing her brother-in-law, Sita was overcome with emotion and hid in a hut where Shatrughna would not see her.

Valmiki offered the noble prince food and water. Then after the meal, the twins, Lava and Kusha, sang Valmiki's Ramayana, the song of Rama.

Shatrughna listened in amazement. The song included everything; even Shatrughna was part of the boys' song.

"What a beautiful song," Shatrughna exclaimed, "and what beautiful boys!"

But he did not guess they were Rama's sons.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Notes: This story is on p. 296 of the book. In Valmiki's Ramayana, Shatrughna is present in Valmiki's hermitage the night that the twins are born; that is Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 57; later, Valmiki decides on his own to take the boys to Ayodhya. Pattanaik mentions folk versions of the story in which Lakshmana visits Sita secretly. One time he even brings Rama with him to see his sons, and Sita throws garbage at him in a rage.

the twins sing