The Rāmāyana, Volume 1. Bālakāndam and Ayodhyākāndam

In Short

This volume presents the first two books of Valmiki’s Sanskrit epic, establishing the lineage, divine purpose, and early trials of Prince Rama. The narrative opens in Ayodhya with the rites surrounding Rama’s miraculous birth and his youthful exploits against disturbing forest demons alongside his brother Lakshmana. Upon returning home, Rama marries Sita, but as King Dasaratha prepares to hand over the throne, Queen Kaikeyi demands two previously promised boons: the banishment of Rama for fourteen years and the crowning of her own son, Bharata. Duty-bound by truth and filial honor, Rama accepts exile, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana. Dasaratha dies of grief, while Bharata rejects his mother’s scheme and pursues Rama to the woods. The section ends with Rama steadfastly refusing the crown, leaving Ayodhya leaderless as he vanishes deeper into the wilderness.

The Story

The tale opens in the prosperous city of Ayodhya, where King Dasaratha rules without an heir to carry on his royal line. To secure offspring, he performs a great horse-sacrifice under the guidance of holy sages. From this sacred rite, four sons are born to his wives, with Rama, the eldest and a figure of supreme virtue, born to Queen Kausalya. While still a youth with side-locks, Rama is called into service by the sage Viswamitra to protect an ascetic hermitage from marauding demons. Accompanied by his devoted brother Lakshmana, Rama repels the creatures Maricha and Subahu using divine weaponry, demonstrating his extraordinary prowess. Journeying onward to the kingdom of Mithila, Rama wins the hand of Princess Sita by stringing a formidable celestial bow that no other suitor can lift, after which the royal families celebrate a grand joint wedding.

As the years pass, the aging Dasaratha decides to install Rama as heir-apparent, a choice met with widespread joy among the citizens. However, on the eve of the coronation, Queen Kaikeyi is manipulated by her maid into claiming two boons granted to her long ago by the king during a mortal war. She demands that Rama be exiled to the dense Dandaka forest for fourteen years and that her son, Bharata, be crowned king instead. Bound by his sacred oath, Dasaratha is overcome with sorrow but cannot go back on his word.

When Rama is informed of his sudden banishment, he displays absolute composure. He refuses to allow Lakshmana to rebel or his father to break a vow, choosing instead to uphold the family honor through unwavering obedience. Though Rama intends to face the forest alone, Sita and Lakshmana refuse to be left behind. Decked in the bark garments of ascetics, the trio leaves a weeping Ayodhya behind in a chariot driven by the minister Sumantra. They cross the sacred waters of the Ganges and Yamuna, visiting the hermitage of Bharadwaja before settling into a simple thatched cottage near the picturesque mountain of Chitrakuta.

Back in Ayodhya, the grief-stricken King Dasaratha recalls a youthful sin—unwittingly killing a blind hermit's son with a misguided arrow—and realizes his current agony is the fulfillment of that cursed parent's prophecy. Broken by sorrow, the old king dies. Bharata, who was away in his maternal kingdom during these events, returns to find his mother rejoicing and the city in mourning. Horrified by Kaikeyi's treachery, Bharata roundly condemns her, refuses the crown, and leads a vast procession of citizens, ministers, and soldiers into the wilderness to locate Rama and restore him to the throne.

Locating the retreat at Chitrakuta, Bharata informs Rama of their father's death and begs him to return to Ayodhya as the rightful ruler. Sages like Javali attempt to persuade Rama with pragmatic arguments, but Rama remains firm in his resolve to honor his late father's command to the exact letter. Realizing he cannot alter Rama's devotion to truth, Bharata agrees to govern only as a regent. He takes Rama's wooden sandals back to the capital, placing them upon the throne as a symbol of the true king's authority, while Rama prepares to venture deeper into the southern woods.

How It Unfolds

A king seeks an heir Troubled by his lack of a successor to perpetuate his lineage, King Dasaratha conducts a elaborate horse-sacrifice on the banks of the Sarayu. Sages bless the ceremony, resulting in the birth of four heroic sons to the king's three wives.

Youthful trials in the forest The sage Viswamitra arrives at court requesting the young prince Rama to defend his sacrificial rites against blood-shattering demons. Rama and Lakshmana guard the hermitage for six nights, successfully routing the monsters with divine arrows.

Winning the bride at Mithila Journeying to King Janaka's court, Rama accomplishes the feat of bending and snapping a formidable bow, earning the hand of Princess Sita. The princes return to Ayodhya amidst grand wedding dower celebrations.

An auspicious night shattered King Dasaratha resolves to install the beloved Rama as heir-apparent, sparking delight throughout the city. Queen Kaikeyi intervenes at the last moment, calling in two old boons to demand Rama's fourteen-year banishment and Bharata's enthronement.

Departure into the wilderness Refusing to let his father break a promise, Rama yields the throne without anger and dons the bark garb of an ascetic. Sita and Lakshmana insist on sharing his exile, and the three depart Ayodhya while the grief-stricken citizens mourn.

The death of the monarch Overwhelmed by sorrow for his banished son, Dasaratha recalls a past curse he incurred for accidentally slaying a hermit's son. Distressed beyond endurance, the old king dies in his palace.

The brotherly refusal Returning to Ayodhya, Bharata furiously rejects his mother Kaikeyi's scheme and refuses the stolen crown. He leads the royal court and an army into the forest to track down Rama and restore him to power.

A pact on wooden sandals Bharata reaches Chitrakuta and begs Rama to return, but Rama insists on fulfilling his fourteen-year vow. Bharata agrees to rule only as a placeholder, carrying Rama's sandals back to place upon the throne.

The People

• Rama: The eldest prince of Ayodhya, renowned for his martial prowess, self-control, and absolute dedication to virtue. What he wants above all is to honor his father's word and maintain righteousness, even when it costs him his kingdom. Facing unexpected banishment, he transforms from a heralded royal heir into a steadfast, serene ascetic who refuses to compromise his moral duties.
• Sita: The devoted wife of Rama and daughter of King Janaka, known for her grace and unyielding loyalty. She wants only to remain at her husband's side, rejecting royal luxury to share his hardships. By choosing exile in the dangerous forest over comfort in the palace, she reveals an indomitable will wrapped in quiet devotion.
• Lakshmana: Rama’s fierce and fiercely loyal brother who acts as his guardian. He wants to protect Rama from all harm and injustice, becoming enraged by Kaikeyi's trickery and his father's submission. Though hot-tempered and quick to advocate force, he channels his devotion into humble service, keeping watch over Rama and Sita in the woods.
• Dasaratha: The aging monarch of Ayodhya, torn between his deep love for his eldest son and his strict obligation to uphold his word. He wants to secure Rama's succession before his life ends, but his past promises to Kaikeyi entrap him. Paralyzed by grief and guilt, he dies heartbroken over the suffering his word has caused.
• Bharata: Kaikeyi’s son, who unexpectedly finds himself gifted a kingdom through his mother's machinations. He wants neither the throne nor the stain of unrighteousness, seeking only Rama’s return and forgiveness. He ends up acting as a ascetic regent, ruling from outside the capital with his brother's sandals on the throne.
• Kaikeyi: The favored queen of Dasaratha whose jealousy and ambition are stoked by her maid on the eve of the coronation. She wants her own son Bharata to secure ultimate power, standing firm against the pleas of her husband and the kingdom. Her victory leaves her alienated, widowed, and despised by the very son she sought to elevate.

In Its Own Voice

"The burthen of the bard's song is the perpetual contest between good and evil,that is everywhere going on in this mysteriously-ordered world of ours,and which seemingly sometimes ending in the victory of the former,and at others in that of the latter,vitally and spiritually results in the utter overthrow and confusion of evil and in the triumph and final conquest of good."

The editor introduces the overarching moral scope of Valmiki's epic, setting up the cosmic battle between righteousness and impiety.

"This speech that I have uttered is of equal feet and accents; and is capable of being chaunted according to measure to stringed accompaniment. Let it therefore go forth as a sloka as it has come out of my sorrow!"

Valmiki reflects on his spontaneous creation of poetic meter after witnessing a fowler strike down a helpless bird in the forest.

"I have been emancipated from my obligations unto the celestials and saints, and the Pitris, and the Vipras, and myself. And naught now remaineth to be done by me save thy installation."

King Dasaratha expresses his deep sense of fulfillment to Rama just before the unexpected turn of events disrupts the planned coronation.

What It's Really About

Beneath its narrative of courtly intrigue and wilderness journeys, this volume explores the absolute supremacy of dharma—duty, truth, and moral order—over personal desire and worldly power. The text continually poses a central question: what must a righteous person do when duty to one's family and solemn oaths conflict with personal happiness and public justice?

Rama's character serves as an idealized standard of moral firmness. His willingness to sacrifice a kingdom without resentment highlights the belief that maintaining truth is far more valuable than temporal sovereignty. The narrative contrasts this ideal with the destructive nature of unrestrained desire, illustrated by Kaikeyi’s ambition and Dasaratha’s lingering guilt over past errors. Furthermore, the bond between Rama, Lakshmana, and Bharata offers a portrait of unselfish brotherly devotion that resists the temptations of power, arguing that true honor lies in service and selflessness rather than personal gain.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers direct access to one of world literature's foundational epics in a classical nineteenth-century prose translation. Readers drawn to comparative mythology, ancient literature, or epic storytelling will find a narrative rich in dramatic tension, cosmic scope, and deeply human dilemmas. The text moves from the grandeur of royal courts to serene forest hermitages, providing a vivid window into ancient Indian ideals of duty, honor, and sacrifice.

Reading this version presents distinct stylistic challenges. As an older translation from Sanskrit, the prose employs archaic phrasing, complex transliterations, and lengthy sentences burdened with descriptive epithets. Readers must navigate structural features common to ancient texts, including extended lists of ancestral lineages, detailed ritual descriptions, and occasional editorial footnotes explaining cultural terms.

Despite these hurdles, the work retains a compelling emotional core. The tragedy of an aging king trapped by his own promises, the quiet dignity of a prince accepting exile, and the fierce loyalty of brothers refusing to profit from injustice remain universally relatable. What stays with the reader is not merely the grand scale of the narrative, but its profound reflection on how character is tested when duty demands the total surrender of one's expected future.