The Ramayana

1. Childhood Events

1. Narada relates the story of Rama to Valmiki .. 3
2. Valmiki creates the metrical form for the story .. 9
3. The deeds of Rama that will be described .. 12
4. Rama's sons chant the poem .. 15
5. King Dasaratha's kingdom and capital .. 17
6. The city of Ayodhya .. 18
7. The administration of the kingdom .. 20
8. The king decides to perform a sacrifice for the birth of a son .. 22
9. Sumantra relates a tradition that a son will be born through the help of the sage Rishyashringa .. 24
10. He describes how Rishyashringa was brought to King Romapada's court .. 25
11. King Dasaratha goes to King Romapada, by whose permission Rishyashringa comes to Ayodhya .. 27
12. Rishyashringa agrees to assist in the sacrifice .. 29
13. Preparatons for the sacrifice .. 30
14. The Ashvamedha sacrifice is described .. 33
15. The Gods appeal to Vishnu to destroy Ravana .. 36
16. Vishnu decides to incarnate as the four sons of King Dasaratha .. 38
17. To assist Vishnu, celestial beings incarnate as warriors of the monkey tribe .. 40
18. King Dasaratha's sons are born and grow to manhood .. 42
19. Vishwamitra's request .. 46
20. The Iring's reluctance to allow Rama to contend with Maricha and Suvahu .. 47
21. On Vasishtha's advice the king acquiesces .. 49
22. Ramachandra and Lakshmana set forth with Vishwamitra .. 50
23. They reach the hermitage of Kama .. 52
24. The two princes with Vishwamitra behold the dark forest of Taraka .. 54
25. Vishwamitra seeks to convince Rama that it is his duty to slay Taraka .. 56
26. How the Yakshini Taraka was slain .. 57
27. Rama is given the celestial weapons .. 59
28. He is instructed in their use .. 61
29. Vishwamitra relates the story of his hermitage and commences the sacrifice .. 62
30. Maricha and Suvahu obstruct the sacrifice and are slain by Rama .. 64
31. Vishwamitra starts out with the two princes to attend King Janaka's sacrifice .. 66
32. Vishwamitra tells of his ancestors and the dynasty of King Kusha .. 68
33. King Kushanabha's hundred daughters .. 69
34. His son, Gadhi, is the father of Vishwamitra .. 71
35. Vishwamitra begins to narrate the origin of the holy river Ciunga .. 73
36. The story of the King of Himalayas' younger daughter Uma .. 74
37. The king's elder daughter, Ganga .. 76
38. The story of King Sagara, Rama's anccstor .. 78
39. The horse with which he performs a sacrifice is stolen .. 80
40. The king's sons search for the horse; they accuse Kafila of stealing it and are reduced to ashes .. 81
41. King Sagara's grandson, Anshuman, finds the horse and the ashes of his uncles.He is told the funeral rites must be performed with the waters of the holy river Ganges .. 83
42. Anshuman's son, Dilipa, fails and his son Bhagiratha performs austerities to induce the holy river to descend .. 84
43. Lord Shiva lets loose the sacred river which follows King Bhagiratha's celestial chariot .. 86
44. King Bhagiratha completes the funeral rites for his ancestors ..  .. 88
45. Vishwamitra begins to relate the story of the city of Vishala and the churning of the ocean, which leads to the combat between the Devas and the titans .. 90
46. Diti undergoes severe austerities for the birth of a son .. 93
47. The holy sage and the princes arrive at Vishala and are welcomed by King Pramati .. 94
48. They come to Gautama's hermitage and Vishwamitra relates its story .. 95
49. Rama liberates Ahalya from Gautama's curse and departs for Mithila .. 97
50. They are welcomed at the place of sacrifice by King Janaka .. 99
51. Gautama's son Shatananda relates more of the story of the sage Vishwamitra .. 101
52. How King Vishwamitra visits Vasishtha's hermitage and accepts hospitality provided by the wish-fulfilling cow, Shabata .. 103
53. The king desires to possess Shabala but Vasishtha will not give her up .. 104
54. King Vishwamitra attempts to carry her away by force .. 106
55. Shabala creates an army which annihilates Vishwamitra's forces … 107
56. Vasishtha by his spiritual strength conquers Vishwamitra who then engages in penances .. 109
57. Vasishtha refuses to help King Trishanku enter heaven in his physical state … 111
58. The king appeals to Vasishtha's sons to conduct the sacrifice.They curse him and he appeals to Vishwamitra … 112
59. Vishwamitra seeks the help of the sons of Vasishtha and Mahodeva; they refuse and are cursed .. 114
60. Through fear of Vishwamitra, the sages assist in the sacrifice and King Trishanku ascends to a specially created heaven .. 115
61. King Ambarisha's sacrificial horse is lost and he seeks a human victim .. 117
62. Shunashepha, the human victim, seeks and obtains help from Vishwamitra .. 118
63. After more austerities Vishwamitra is proclaimed a Maharishi .. 120
64. Indra is perturbed and sends Rambha to disturb the further austerities of the sage .. 122
65. Vishwamitra performs another thousand years' austerities and acquires brahmanhood .. 123
66. King Janaka relates the story of the great bow and the birth of Sita .. 126
67. The illustrious Rama breaks the bow and is given the princess Sita in marriage .. 127
68. King Janaka sends messengers to invite King Dasaratha to the capital .. 129
69. King Dasaratha sets out with his spiritual preceptor, relations and ministers .. 130
70. The king, Vishwamitra and the princes are invited to King Janaka's court where Vishwamitra relates the descent of the dynasty .. 131
71. King Janaka gives an account of the succession and his dynasty .. 134
72. The marriage of the four sons of King Dasaratha is arranged and preparations commence .. 135
73. The marriage ceremonies are completed .. 137
74. Parasurama appears amidst inauspicious signs .. 139
75. He challenges Rama to combat .. 141
76. Parasurama is vanquished and deprived of his glory and power .. 142
77. King Dasaratha with his army, the princes and their brides, return to Ayodhya .. 144