Narada was a supreme sage belonging to the celestial regions, always immersed in

penance and other holy austerities and was very great among the learned. He was ever
engaged in the study of scriptures, best among transmitters of knowledge and by nature
given to contemplation. His spiritual merit and wisdom was of divine order and
proportions. Narada is not only a divine sage but also one who travels freely and
unpolluted throughout all the worlds. The past, present and the future are all within his
full cognisance. He is a divine seer.

Once sage Valmiki asked the divine sage Narada, “O great sage! Is there anyone in this
world (among the mortals) who possesses all auspicious qualities, who is highly virtuous,
most powerful, very wise, extremely grateful towards his benefactor, most truthful, most
perfectly unwavering in the practice of duty, firm in his vows, exudes radiance, who is of
sterling behaviour, who loves dearly each and every being on earth, who is most learned,
a supremely capable being and the most beloved personality, who is of pleasing
disposition and uniquely good to look to, who is the best of princes whose kingdom is the
store of bliss where brightest joys and virtues shine, who is a high souled one, having
conquered passion and absolutely free from envy and malice and one with an air of
splendour about him and (lastly) one whose dreadful fury in battle strikes terror into the
hearts of even the immortals (Devas)”.

“I am desirous of hearing about this, as I am greatly curious. O great sage! You are most
competent to know whether such a person really existed in this world”, thus Valmiki
enquired with Narada.

On hearing these words from Valmiki, the revered Narada, clear before whose eyes lie

Narada narrates, "O sage Valmeeki! All the praiseworthy qualities described by you, are
of countless aspects and all of them are very rarely found among men. The merits which
you have extolled are many and unattainable even for great emperors, let alone ordinary
humans but after deep thought, I know one person who possessed all of them, for I have
known from Brahma of such a man. So please pay heed to what I say".

That person is called Rama, famed among all people. He was born in the line of the great
Ikshwaku kings. He is a man of great prowess and whose self is under his full control. He
is a lofty soul with great fortitude and with capacity to do the right thing at the right time.
There is splendor about his personality. He is very wise, virtuous, an excellent speaker
and highly auspicious and has prowess to destroy his enemies. His limbs are well-
proportioned, like his broad, strong shoulders, mighty and long arms, beautiful (graceful)
conch-like neck, and chubby cheeks. He possesses strong and broad chest, thick-
shouldered, long arms, fine head and forehead, large beautiful eyes and with the fairest
complexion, all indicating an auspicious and splendorous personality. He holds a mighty
bow and is terrible to his foes, for his supreme valor. He is always prosperous and
possessed of all auspicious features. But his power is very benign, he having subdued his
internal foes, like Kama, Krodha, etc. He knows all Dharmas, is fully dedicated to truth,
greatly delights in the welfare of humanity, of   great   reputation, very wise, very pure,
highly introspective and accessible to one and all. He is on par with Prajapati Brahma,
very charming, a supreme dispenser of justice, slayer of enemies, a great savior of the
people and protector of Dharma. He very zealously guards his own dharma and that of his
own subjects. He is thoroughly conversant with the Vedas and the Vedangas (the
branches of the Vedas) and also every Sastra and is even more an expert in Dhanurveda,
the Art of Archery. He has remarkable memory and is highly talented. He knows the
meaning and essence of all the scriptures. Everyone loves him and respects him. He is
gentle, magnanimous and a man of great discretion. Good people gather round him, like
rivers flowing into the sea. He treats all equally. He has a very attractive aspect. He
possesses each and every fine trait and is a repository of all auspicious attributes. He is
the son of the queen Kausalya and is the apple of her eye. He is as profound as the ocean
and in bravery and determination as unshakable as the Himalaya Mountain. He compares
with the Lord Vishnu in might, with the Moon-god in pleasing appearance. Whenever he
is furious, he is fury itself and resembles the great elemental fire of the universe. In
patience and perseverance he is like the mother-earth. He is equal to Kubera, the Lord of
Wealth in charities and as regards truth and in his candor he is like Dharma itself. His is
ideal strength, having force and might of truth itself. He is not only virtuous, but also
virtuous par-excellence. Keeping the welfare of his people in view, Rama's father, King
Dasaratha wanted to install Rama as crown-prince and was happy to do so, since he was
his eldest son, very dear to him and also since he possessed all the desirable qualities of
undiminished valor, was repository of all high attributes and intent on doing good to the
people. Seeing the preparation for the crowning ceremony, queen Kaikeyee, the third
consort of Dasaratha, with a desire to frustrate the design of her husband, claimed the two
boons that were promised to her by Dasharatha long ago. Kaikeyee demanded the exile of
Rama and installation of Bharata, her son, as the crown-prince instead of Rama. King  
Dasaratha,   bound   by   the   rope   of   righteousness   arising   from   his truthful   life,
sent away to forests his most beloved son, Rama. To the great delight of his step-mother
Kaikeyee, courageous Rama started for the forests, readily complying with his father's
grief-stricken, hence unspoken, order of exile, to honour his father's pledge to Kaikeyee.
His beloved brother, Lakshmana, the highly virtuous son of Sumitra, another queen of
Dasaratha, also followed his most beloved brother to the forests. Though he was very
dear to his mother, the all-humble Lakshmana doted upon his elder brother Rama. He is a
perfect example of fraternal love and affection and so even at the cost of his mother's
distress went to forests. Rama’s most beloved wife and even his very soul, Sita by name,
born in the family of Janaka, possessing every virtue and of celestial beauty, a jewel
among woman accompanied Rama, like the constellation, Rohini, following the Moon.
Disappointed and grief-stricken, all the citizens and his father, Dasaratha, accompanied
Rama for a long distance. At Sringibherapura, Rama met a tribal settlement on the banks
of the Ganga. Rama sent back his charioteer Sumantra and his chariot. There he met the
Tribal-chief, Guha, and an excellent person, who became his favourite. In the company of
Guha, he acting as the guide, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, traversed forest after forest and
crossed great rivers, some in floods and reached the hermitage of the great sage,
Bharadwaja, and by the directions of the sage reached Chitrakoota. With the consent of
the sage, they built for themselves a pleasant cottage at Chitrakoota. The royal trio, who
can be compared with Devas and Gandharvas, lived in that forest comfortably. There
they who have enjoyed every comfort in no less a degree then in Ayodhya. About the
time Rama had reached Chitrakoota, King Dasaratha aggrieved by the grief for his son,
Rama died in great agony for him and entered the heavenly abode. On the death of
Dasaratha though, chosen as king by Vasishta and other elders, the mighty Bharata
declined the kingship for he is aloft the greed, grouse, and gripe. He went to the forest,
seeking the grace and mercy at the feet Rama. He wanted to bring Rama back to
Ayodhya. Bharata met his brother, the magnanimous and mighty as truth, Rama and
begged the great humility of a noble soul, and the avowed words of Bharata are this, "Oh!
Knower of Right Conduct! You alone shall be the King". But Rama declined the throne.
He was mighty, magnanimous and famous in the highest degree. But Rama did not desire
the kingdom, to keep up his own pledge and also owing to his father's directives. He did
not view the conduct of Kaikeyee in any bad light. He looked upon the pledge, given by
his late father to Kaikeyee as holy and as an irrevocable order to him. All the persuasion
of Bharata failed. So he begged Rama for his sandals. Rama gave him his sandals,
symbolic of his being on the throne and of his rule in person and goading his dear
Bharata again and again, at last, with great difficulty, succeeded in sending him back. On
touching Rama's feet and taking sandals, Bharata returned from Chitrakoota. Being
frustrated in his desire, the noble Bharata set up his abode at Nandigrama, a petty village
not far from the capital and from there ruled the kingdom, thirsting for the return of Rama
from exile. After the departure of Bharata, Rama, fearing for the interruption of exile, by
the possible visits of the citizens of Ayodhya left Chitrakoota and entered the terrible
Dandaka forest. Being one, greatly devoted to truth, he would strictly finish the period of
his exile. He could not be tempted by any entreaties of his subjects to return to his
kingdom. Glorious Rama, fearlessly and with single-minded devotion to duty, entered the
great Dandakaranya. Entering the dense forest of Dandaka, Rama the lotus-eyed, killed
the great giant Viradha. He met great sages like Sarabhanga, Suteeskhna, Agastya and
Agastya’s brother, also a great sage. On the advice of sage Agastya, Rama received with
great joy celestial weapons from sage Agastya, like a mighty bow, a sword and an
inexhaustible sheath of arrows, which Indra had given to Agastya. While Rama was
living in the forest of sage Sharabhanga among the hermits, all the sages of the
neighbourhood came to implore his protection from the menace of giants and demons.
They were great sages and equalled fire in splendour and sanctity. Their abodes were in
Dandakaranya, the hot-bed for Rakshasas and evil-doers. Rama agreed to protect them
and also vowed to destroy the Rakshasas in battle. While Rama was living there in
Dandaka forest at Panchavati a Rakshasa woman, by name Soorpanakha, who could
assume at will any form and was from the neighbouring Janasthana came against him and
hence was disfigured. Upon the words of Soorpanakha, in revenge, the great Rakshasa-
chief Khara, Dooshana and Trishira, with all their armies, attacked Rama, who, single-
handed, effortlessly, slew them all in the great battle that ensued. In his stay in
Dandakaranya thus, Rama destroyed fourteen thousand mighty giants, infesting
Janasthana. Madly furious at the loss of his relatives, Ravana, the Rakshasa-king, sought
the help of a demon named Mareecha. Mareecha repeatedly requested Ravana to stop,
saying that it would be disastrous for him and his kingdom, to make an enemy of such a
powerful personage as Rama. Impelled by fate, Ravana did not heed that advice. Ravana
proceeded to Rama’s hermitage along with Mareecha. Employing deceit Mareecha drew
the princes far away from the hermitage and Ranava abducted Rama’s wife Sita after
killing the vulture Jatayu, who flew to her rescue. On seeing the vulture Jatayu almost
dead and on hearing from the same vulture about the abduction of Sita, Rama was
seethed with anguish. In the state of agony Rama cremated the great Jatayu and
performed funeral rites for him. While searching for Sita Rama saw a great Rakshasa,
Kabandha by name. He was hideous and terrible to look at. Rama, with mighty arms,
killed him and cremated him and Kabandha thereby ascended to heaven. Kabandha while
going heavenwards told Rama to proceed to Shabari, an ascetic woman who knows
righteousness fully, and vanished. Rama, of great splendor, son of Dasharatha went to
Shabri. She recognized him and with intense devotion worshipped him. On the banks of
Lake Pampa, a lake of eternal beauty, Rama met Hanuman, a vanara and upon the word
of Hanuman, became friendly with Sugreeva. The mighty Rama narrated very truthfully
to Sugreeva, all his history from the beginning till that moment, with emphasis on the
abduction of Sita. Hearing that truthful account of Rama, Sugreeva vowed friendship
with him, with sacred fire as witness, rejoicing at this meeting. Then the monkey-chief,
woefully told Rama about everything that lead to enmity with his brother Vali. On
hearing which, Rama vowed to kill Vali. Then Sugreeva told him about the supreme
might of Vali. Ever since he set his eyes on Rama, Sugreeva was troubled by a doubt as
to Rama’s power to subdue Vali. Therefore, to test Rama's strength, he pointed to the
mountain-like skeleton of demon Dundubhi. The most powerful Rama, seeing the
skeleton, smiled, and using only the big toe, tossed the huge skeleton to the full length of
ten yojanas. To convince him further about his invincibility, Rama, with a single arrow,
split seven Sala trees. Further, Rama pierced through huge mountains upto nether world,
in order to inculcate certainty in Sugreeva. Happy and convinced, Sugreeva took Rama to
the cave like Kishkindha. At the entrance of Kishkindha, the monkey-god Sugreeva let
out bellows and due to that great sound, Vali the king of the monkeys, came out. At this
thunderous challenge, Vali, the king of the monkeys got enraged, but his wife, Tara,
became nervous at this unusual daring of Sugreeva and suspected that some mighty
person was backing Sugreeva. But Vali, allayed her fears and came out and met Sugreeva
in a mortal combat and was struck down by Rama with a single arrow. Having killed Vali
in the battle, upon the word of Sugreeva, Rama established Sugreeva on the throne. The
newly-made king, Sugreeva, summoned all of the monkeys and sent them in all
directions in search of Sita, the daughter of the Janaka. Then the mighty Hanuman, upon
the words of the vulture Sampati, flew across the ocean, the entire length of one hundred
yojanas. On reaching the city of Lanka, ruled by Ravana he found Sita in Asoka vana,
meditating upon her Lord Rama. Hanuman presented Sita the ring given by Rama. He
told her all that happened to Rama after her separation. Before returning he destroyed the
splendid arched gate-way of that Asoka vana. Then he slew the five mighty army chiefs,
seven sons of ministers and crushed to pieces the mighty demon Aksha, but submitted to
the weapon darted by Indrajit, the eldest son of Ravana. On account of the boon from
Brahma, even that fierce missile, could not destroy Hanuman, but could only stun and
fetter him for a short duration. After that ordained period, this Brahmastra from Indrajit,
also left Hanuman free and he was aware of it. Yet he kept quite and submitted to all the
rough treatment of the Rakshasas in dragging him to the court of Ravana, whom he
wanted to see and rebuke. Hanuman using his burning tail as a convenient torch reduced
to ashes the whole city of Lanka, leaving only the place of Sita, the princess of Mithila.
Then the great monkey, Hanuman flew back to inform Rama. Of massive intellect
Hanuman, on approaching the great souled Rama, and making a Pradakshina in reverence
told him truly that he had actually seen and spoken to Sita. Then Rama, along with
Sugreeva and all his mighty hordes of monkey-warriors, set forth and reached the great
ocean. Seeing that the ocean-god is unyielding to give way, Rama discharged upon the
vast ocean terrific arrows, each arrow being equal in radiance to the Sun. The ocean-god,
the Lord of Rivers, revealed himself, before Rama. According to his instructions, Rama
got a mighty and marvelous bridge to be built across the ocean, by Nala. Crossing over
the bridge and on eliminating Ravana in battle, felt great compunction of conscience.
Rama spoke harsh words to Sita in the presence of the public. The innocent Sita unable to
put up with this treatment entered the fire. The Fire-God declared her holiness. Knowing
that Sita got freed from all her blemishes Rama became overjoyed. All gods assembled
there and worshiped Rama. All the three worlds, the celestials and their great sages
became happy and joyful, because of the task accomplished by the great souled Rama.
Then Rama installed Vibheeshana as the king of the demons, on the throne of Lanka.
Being freed from all worry that tormented him previously very much and having fulfilled
every promise he had made, Rama's joy knew no bounds. By the virtue of the boons
Rama obtained from the gods, he brought back to life all the monkeys slain in the battle.
Along with his great friends, Rama started for Ayodhya in the aerial vehicle Pushpaka.
Rama of immense valor reached at the hermitage of sage, Bharadwaja and sent before
him Hanuman to Bharata. Then getting into the Pushpaka, with Sugreeva and others and
narrating to them all that befell him prior to meeting them, Rama reached Nandigrama.
There he and his brothers, Bharata and Lakshmana discarded their matted locks and other
ascetic attire. Sita also gave up her forest dress. Thus Rama got back his Sita and his
throne. The whole world rejoiced at this. All the people were contended. They prospered
and were righteous. The country was free from diseases, famines and any worry or fear.
There were no unnatural deaths, like a father surviving his son, there were no widows.
All women were chaste. In the kingdom of Rama there were no fear from due to fire and
no living being met with a watery grave. There was no apprehension from damage
through winds or diseases. While Rama is on the throne there was neither starvation nor
fear from criminals. There was plenty and prosperity everywhere, in the towns and in the
country as in the Kruta yuga. Rama was poised to attain the world of Brahma through
performance hundreds of Aswamedha sacrifices involving donation of huge amounts of
gold. Likewise, donating millions of cows and gifting uncountable wealth to Brahmins
and scholars. In this world Rama will establish in manifold kingly dynasties and will
maintain the four castes and see to it that each one performs his own Dharma. Having
ruled the kingdom for eleven thousand years Rama will leave for the adobe of Brahma.
Whoever will devote him and read this Legand of Rama, which is holy, purifying,
auspicious, destroyer of sins and on par with the teachings of all Vedas, will be cleansed
of all his sins. He, who devotes himself to this Ramayana, will enjoy worldly pleasures
with his children and grandchildren and with people around him and on demise will be
adored in heaven. The devotee, if he is a Brahmin, will attain power of speech; if a
Kshatriya, will obtain land-lordship; if a Vaisya, he will acquire monetary gains and if a
Shudra, will attain personal excellence. Thus sage Narada gave a gist of Ramayana to
sage Valmiki.

Thus Ends Sarga 1 of the Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana