AYODHYĀ KĀṆḌA

The "Book of Ayodhya," the second book of the Rāmāyana epic, focusing on the events in the capital city.

...learning; and he knows the Vedas The oldest and most sacred scriptures of India, consisting of hymns, philosophy, and ritual instructions. along with their various branches of knowledge. Bharata's Rāma's younger half-brother. elder brother is also a master of music. He is the sanctuary of the virtuous and is himself saintly; he has mastered his grief and possesses a great soul. He is humble toward those twice-born ones A term for the three upper social classes—priests, warriors, and merchants—who have undergone a spiritual initiation seen as a "second birth." who are worthy, and who are experts in both morality and worldly affairs.

When he goes into battle in the company of Sumitra’s son Lakshmana, Rāma's loyal younger brother. to protect a city or a province, he never returns without defeating the enemy. Like a father asking after his own sons, whenever he returns from the field on his horse or elephant, he asks after the welfare of the citizens in great detail and one by one. He asks about their children, their sacrificial fires The holy fires kept by householders for daily religious rituals., their wives, their servants, and their students.

That tiger among men, Rāma, always asks the Brāhmanas The priestly and scholarly class., "Do your students serve you well?" and he asks the Kshatriyas The warrior and ruling class., "Do your soldiers always remain ready in their armor?" When the people suffer any misfortune, he feels a deep and excessive sorrow; but during their festivals, he rejoices like their own father.

He speaks only the truth and is a powerful archer. He serves the elderly and has gained full control over his senses. He always begins his speech with a gentle smile and is devoted to righteousness with his entire soul. He works solely for the benefit of others and takes no pleasure in arguing after a disagreement. In his ability to build a logical argument, he is like the Lord of Speech A reference to Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods, famous for his wisdom and eloquence. himself.

His eyebrows are elegant, his eyes are wide and have a coppery tint In ancient Indian literature, slightly red or coppery eyes were considered a sign of noble birth and heroic vitality., and he resembles Vishnu The supreme deity who preserves and protects the universe; Rāma is considered an earthly incarnation of Vishnu. himself. Like Kāma The god of love and desire., he is charming to everyone because of his heroism, his courage, and his strength. He is constantly dedicated to protecting the people, and no worldly desire can distract his mind. He is capable of carrying the weight of the three worlds The traditional Hindu division of the universe: Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld.—so what is this single Earth to him?

Neither his favor nor his anger is ever expressed in vain. He executes those who deserve death, but he is never angry with the innocent—with whom...