Page 21 - Ramayana - Eng
P. 21

ā a  āṇ a


           memory and propagated all over the world. While
           Vālmīki was thus contemplating, his disciples, Lava
           and Kuśa, who were dressed as ṛṣis, came before him
           and touched his feet, as was their daily custom. Sītā
           had given birth to the twin brothers while in exile, and
           they had remained under Vālmīki’s care ever since.

               Sītā’s  forced  exile  had  come  about  when  a  citizen  of
           Ayodhyā  doubted  her  chastity  after  being  touched  by  the
           ten-headed monster, Rāvaṇa. Thus, Lord Rāmacandra was
           forced to banish her. Their two sons, Lava and Kuśa, were
           gifted with fine memories and musical abilities. Moreover,
           they  were  well  versed  in  the  Vedas.  Physically,  the  twins
           were exact replicas of their father, and musically they were
           as  talented  as  the  heavenly  Gandharvas.  Thus,  as Vālmīki
           gazed fondly upon the twins, he realized that they were fully
           qualified to receive the Rāmāyaṇa.

               Thereafter, Vālmīki  proceeded  to  teach  Lava  and  Kuśa
           the entire Rāmāyaṇa with great care. The twins committed
           the entire text to memory. Following Vālmīki’s instructions,
           they  chanted  Lord  Rāmacandra’s  wonderful  pastimes
           before great sages, learned brāhmaṇas, and other pious men
           pure  in  heart.  The  learned  brāhmaṇas  experienced  great
           transcendental  pleasure  in  reciting  the  pastimes  of  Lord
           Rāmacandra. Thus,  the  brāhmaṇas  praised  Lava  and  Kuśa,
           rewarding them with many valuable gifts.

               From  that  day  Lava  and  Kuśa  began  traveling  all  over
           the world, reciting the epic Rāmāyaṇa. In the course of their
           wanderings, they eventually came to Ayodhyā. There Lord
           Rāmacandra saw the two boys wandering through the city
           streets  dressed  in  the  garb  of  ṛṣis.  Upon  hearing  the wide
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