Promo - Page 3

As for Kaikeyi, there are many different stories regarding her.

Valmiki Ramayan writes that Kaikeyi was always a slightly insecure, arrogant woman who was proud of her position as the favorite queen of Dasharatha. Although she was respectful to Kaushalya and Sumitra, there were instances where they had clashes too (unlike what TV serials generally show, with them being all lovey dovey). Kaikeyi did love Rama a lot, like her own son, but when Manthara poisoned her mind, she believed her easily because of her insecurity. She could not conceive the idea that Kaushalya might have more power than her in the palace if she became Rajamata, so she exiled Rama to protect her own position.

In Adhyatma Ramayana (and I think also Tulsidas), there is a far more ideal portrayal of Kaikeyi. TV serials generally base their depiction of Kaikeyi from this version, with her being very sweet, kind and caring towards everyone in the family, including her co-wives. In this version, Devi Saraswati sits on Manthara's tongue while she poisons Kaikeyi, or else Kaikeyi would never have believed her since she loved Ram so much.

In other versions, it is written that Kaikeyi exiled Rama not because she suddenly disliked him or had desire for the throne, but because she wanted Ravan to be killed. There is one story (which NDTV Ramayan showed in 2009) that Kaikeyi's maternal kingdom was once ravaged and plundered by Ravan, and that he'd raped many women too. To avenge the insult, Kaikeyi cursed him that her son would kill him. Since she considered Ram her son just as much as Bharat, she sent him on exile in order to kill Ravan.

One thing is true though. Kaikeyi cannot be compared to Ravan. She was not evil. She may have made some mistakes in her life, but she was never evil. Ravan committed many atrocities against women and sages, so it's foolish to excuse his actions by saying he was a "great" character and such a devout bhakt of Shiva. It doesn't matter. He still did many many sins.

Originally posted by: JanakiRaghunath

As for Kaikeyi, there are many different stories regarding her.

Valmiki Ramayan writes that Kaikeyi was always a slightly insecure, arrogant woman who was proud of her position as the favorite queen of Dasharatha. Although she was respectful to Kaushalya and Sumitra, there were instances where they had clashes too (unlike what TV serials generally show, with them being all lovey dovey). Kaikeyi did love Rama a lot, like her own son, but when Manthara poisoned her mind, she believed her easily because of her insecurity. She could not conceive the idea that Kaushalya might have more power than her in the palace if she became Rajamata, so she exiled Rama to protect her own position.

In Adhyatma Ramayana (and I think also Tulsidas), there is a far more ideal portrayal of Kaikeyi. TV serials generally base their depiction of Kaikeyi from this version, with her being very sweet, kind and caring towards everyone in the family, including her co-wives. In this version, Devi Saraswati sits on Manthara's tongue while she poisons Kaikeyi, or else Kaikeyi would never have believed her since she loved Ram so much.

In other versions, it is written that Kaikeyi exiled Rama not because she suddenly disliked him or had desire for the throne, but because she wanted Ravan to be killed. There is one story (which NDTV Ramayan showed in 2009) that Kaikeyi's maternal kingdom was once ravaged and plundered by Ravan, and that he'd raped many women too. To avenge the insult, Kaikeyi cursed him that her son would kill him. Since she considered Ram her son just as much as Bharat, she sent him on exile in order to kill Ravan.

One thing is true though. Kaikeyi cannot be compared to Ravan. She was not evil. She may have made some mistakes in her life, but she was never evil. Ravan committed many atrocities against women and sages, so it's foolish to excuse his actions by saying he was a "great" character and such a devout bhakt of Shiva. It doesn't matter. He still did many many sins.

True whatever Kekai did it was through influence of Goddess Saraswati Kekai truly loved Ram
whatever you said about Kekai I had no idea never heard about it that she wanted Ravan killed and he destroyed her fathers kingdom and raped women. But Ravan was a cruel evil man even though he was a great shiv bhakt and a very educated person in fact the most intelligent person but then who said education and intelligence makes a person learned 😉 sometimes the opposite happens when that person's eyes are blinded by snobbishness and attitude

there are different versions of same stories I think because they are written by different persons and over different time period and through out 1000s of years

@JanakiRaghunath

Originally posted by: rasyafan

True whatever Kekai did it was through influence of Goddess Saraswati Kekai truly loved Ram
whatever you said about Kekai I had no idea never heard about it that she wanted Ravan killed and he destroyed her fathers kingdom and raped women. But Ravan was a cruel evil man even though he was a great shiv bhakt and a very educated person in fact the most intelligent person but then who said education and intelligence makes a person learned 😉 sometimes the opposite happens when that person's eyes are blinded by snobbishness and attitude

there are different versions of same stories I think because they are written by different persons and over different time period and through out 1000s of years

Originally posted by: ekta-avinafan

Like now we have different views and thoughts ,Rishi muni or people of before would have different ...now we are reading their thoughts also as facts ,thats it .Isn't it??😉😉

@Rasyafan : Me too liking to read different stories here .

exactly 👍🏼👍🏼

Originally posted by: ekta-avinafan

@JanakiRaghunath

I have not read ramayana books of Valmiki and Tulsidas .

But I have read ramayan in text books which is a part of studies in 6th class in India .Also We are seeing Ramleela since childhood .Or hearing the stories from parents and my mom always reads Ramayana and Mahabharat books .She has two versions one of Tulsidas and other of Shakuntlam .

And acc to all ,Ravan had come to swayambar . Of course we don't have proofs but only thoughts and believes in which we want to.

Regarding Ravan ,There is a story where He did got curse by misunderstanding of Rishi . You can compare it like Rukmini in the form of lizard got ,we hear in 'Tara rani ki katha' in jagrans.

I would have shared but I only remember the story not names .I will ask my mom and share it tomorrow .

I don't think we can claim anything as truth or fact. 😊 Who knows what happened in the treta yuga? Some people tend to take only Valmiki as the ultimate source, since he was a contemporary of Rama, while others believe other versions. It just depends on personal beliefs and what God means to us. Some prefer to view Rama as all human, while others like to think he had divine knowledge during his incarnation. We cannot say one is false and the other is fact. We don't have that right.

As far as Valmiki and Tulsidas go, Ravan did not come to Sita's swayamvar. Tulsidas does mention that Ravan tried to lift the dhanush once (possibly before Sita's birth since he was so old) and failed, but he never came for the swayamvar itself. It is other sources that have Ravan coming to Sita's swayamvar. I think Kamban Ramayana might have that story, but I'm not sure. Valmiki, Ramcharitmanas, and Adhyatma Ramayana have Ravan seeing Sita for the first time in Panchavati only.

^^ Yes, that is true. I mentioned before that in Ramcharitmanas, there is a mention of Ravan trying to lift Shiv Dhanush but failing. However, this did not happen during Sita's swayamvar. It happened much before. Ramcharitmanas mentions that even before Sita's swayamvar, various Gods and demons came in the guise of humans to try and lift the Shiv dhanush. Ravan too came, but not for the swayamvar.

I will say frankly that its being very difficult for me to believe even after reading it (Bcoz I have been reading that since childhood ,you see)but

Originally posted by: JanakiRaghunath

^^ Yes, that is true. I mentioned before that in Ramcharitmanas, there is a mention of Ravan trying to lift Shiv Dhanush but failing. However, this did not happen during Sita's swayamvar. It happened much before. Ramcharitmanas mentions that even before Sita's swayamvar, various Gods and demons came in the guise of humans to try and lift the Shiv dhanush. Ravan too came, but not for the swayamvar.

In Valmiki Ramayan, there was no swayamvar like you said. Ravan did not know about Sita until he was informed by one of his spies from the Dandakaranya. When he saw her in Panchavati, it was his first time seeing her.