Sri Rama Weds Sita

Viswamithra and the princes
then proceeded to Mithila.
This city was ruled by King Janaka.
He had a daughter named Sita.
King janaka had declared,
that whoever managed to
lift the divine Rudra's bow and string it
would get his daughter Sita's hand in marriage.
The bow was brought
on an eight wheeled chariot.
Many strong warriors had tried
lifting the bow but failed.
Viswamithra asked Rama to lift the bow.
Rama lifted the bow with ease.
Placing one end against his toe
he put forth his might
and bent the bow to string it.
Then the bow broke into two parts.
King Janaka was speechlessly joyed.
He blessed Rama
and announced in the court
that his beautiful daughter Sita
would wed the brave prince.
King Janaka sent messengers to Ayodhya
to convey the happy news
to king Dasaratha and to invite him
for the wedding of their children.
King Dasaratha was delighted
to hear this news
and reached Mithila
along with his wives, his ministers
sage Vasishta and others
to take part in the wedding.
Janaka arranged for a grand wedding.
Rama married Sita
and at the same time.
Lakshmana marired Sita's sister Urmila.
Bharatha and Shatrugana married.
Sita's cousins Mandavi and Shruthakrithi.
A grand feast had been arranged
for all the citizens.
The newly wed couples
were blessed by one and all.
Dasaratha returned to Ayodhya
with his sons and daughters-in-law.
King Dasaratha was growing older.
So, he wanted to crown Rama as the king.
Dasaratha therefore consulted his ministers about this.
They unanimously welcomed the suggestion.
But, there was one woman
who grieverd to hear about Rama's coronation.
It was Manthara.
She was Kaikeyi's maid servant.
She resolved to stop the coronation somehow or the other.
She was the first to give the news
of the coronation to Kaikeyi.
At first , Kaikeyi was overjoyed to hear
that Rama was to become the king.
She loved Rama very much
but Manthara poisoned her mind.
She told kaikeyi that
if Rama became the king,
then he would make bharatha his servant
and Kaikeyi would be nothing more
than a glorified maid of Queen Kausalya.
Queen Kaikeyi who loved
Rama very much
now stood in fear of her own Position.
Her mind was poisoned.
Kaikeyi and Manthara hatched an evil plan.
Dasaratha went to Kaikeyi's apartments
to convey personally the
glad news of Rama's coronation.
But what a strange sight met his eyes!
Kaikeyi had thrown away all her ornaments.
He asked her what the matter was
Kaikeyi recalled the day.
when she had saved the life of Dasaratha
from the demons in a fierce battle.
At that time,
Dasaratha had promised two boons to her
which she could ask of him anytime.
And she wanted them now.
The first boon was to
crown Bharatha as the crown prince
and the second one
to send Rama to the forest for 14 years.
Dasaratha could hardly believe his ears,
he turned pale and speechless.
He pleaded with Kaikeyi
to ask for anything else.
But she wouldn't change.
Slowly it sank into Dasaratha
that he would have to oblige Kaikeyi with her two boons.
Soon Rama was summoned
into Kaikey's chambers
and she told Rama
everything about her boons.
Rama listened to her patiently.
Rama believed that it was
more important to obey a mother's wish
and honour a father's committment
than anything else.
So he agreed to go to the forest.