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XXI.
20
Ą BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE NARRATIVE IN SANDHIS XXI-LVI
AYODHYA KĀŅĻA
Sandhi. The birth and marriage of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.
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Prediction that Ravana would die in the battle for Janaka's daughter at the hands of two sons that were to be borne to king Dasaratha of the Raghu dynasty ruling at Ayodhya. Learning this, Vibhişana decided to assassinate Dasaratha and Janaka, who forewarned by Narada, substituted plaster statues in their places and secretly left. The unsuspecting Vidyadhara's removed the heads of the statues. Dasaratha and Janaka in their ramblings attended the Svayamvara of Princess Kaikayi of the city of Kautukamangala. Kaikayi chose Dasaratha, who, after the marriage ceremony was over, offered her two boons for exceptional services rendered by her at the time of fighting away the alliance of disgruntled suitors. She reserved them for some future use.
To Dasaratha were borne four sons-Ramacandra of Aparajitā, Lakṣmaṇa of Sumitra, Bharata of Kaikayi and Satrughna of Suprabhā. To Janaka and Videhā ruling at Mithila were borne Bhāmaṇḍala and Sītā. New-born Bhāmaṇḍala was abducted by some revengeful god and abandoned was found by the Vidyhadhara king Candragati, who reared him up as his son. In the meanwhile, young Rama and Lakṣmaṇa came to Janaka's rescue and fought back the attack of the barbarian hordes on Mithila. Janaka appreciated their services by betrothing Sitä to Rāma.
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Once Narada unwittingly frightened Sita and was therefore thrown out of harem by her attendants. Smarting under the insult, he showed her portrait to Bhamandala, who at once fell in love with her so madly that to save his life, Candragati had to lay a trap for bringing Janaka before him. The latter expressed his inability to marry Sitā to Bhāmaṇḍala, as she was already betrothed to Rāma, but at last agreed to make the stringing of the divine bows Vajravarta and Samudravarta as a stipulation to be fulfilled by Sita's suitors. The bows were removed to Mithila and a Svayamvara was immediately held. Only Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa could string the bows. Sitā was therefore married to Rāma, who, it was forecast, would destroy many Rākṣasas on account of her. Saktivardhana married eight of his daughters to Lakṣmaṇa and the remaining ten to the other two brothers. Drona's daughter Viśalyā too was given to Lakṣmaṇa. Rāma and Sita lived happily at Ayodhyā,
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