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Chapter 2 - Ramayana : Birth Of Rama

The ministers and the servants got the Shyamkarna horse released along with the Chaturangini army as per the orders of the Maharaj. Maharaj Dasaratha sent a call to all the wise, ascetic, learned sages and scholars of the Vedas to conduct the Yagya. At the appointed time, Maharaj Dasaratha, along with all the devotees, came to the Yagya Mandap with his guru Vashisht ji and his best friend Anga, the son-in-law of Lobhpad, the ruler of the country, Ringa Rishi. Thus the great yagya was duly started. The whole atmosphere reverberated with the recitation of the hymns of the Vedas and smelled of the fragrance of Samidha.

The yagya came to an end with giving a respectful farewell to all the pundits, brahmins, rishis etc. King Dasharatha took the prasad of Yagya to his palace and distributed it among his three queens. As a result of accepting the prasad, by the grace of the Supreme Father, the three queens conceived.

When Sun, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus were sitting in their respective high places in Punarvasu Nakshatra on the ninth day of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month, a child was born from the womb of King Dasaratha's elder queen Kaushalya as soon as Cancer ascendant. Who was black in color, very brilliant, extremely radiant and wonderfully beautiful. Those who saw that child were left deceived. After this, in auspicious constellations and auspicious times, two stunning sons were born, one of Queen Kaikeyi and the third of Queen Sumitra.

Joy was celebrated all over the state. The Gandharvas started singing and the Apsaras danced in the gaiety of the birth of the four sons of the Maharaja. The deities started showering flowers while sitting in their planes. The Maharaj, who came to the royal gate with a free hand, donated dakshina to the brahmins and petitioners who had come to the palace and blessed them.

In the award, people were given money and grains and courtiers were given gems, ornaments and titles. The naming ceremony of the four sons was done by Maharishi Vashistha and their names were named as Ramchandra, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

With the increasing age, Ramchandra also started moving ahead of his brothers in qualities and becoming very popular among the subjects. He had a very unique talent, as a result of which he became proficient in all subjects in a short span of time. He acquired extraordinary proficiency in wielding all kinds of weapons and riding elephants, horses and all kinds of vehicles. He was constantly engaged in the service of parents and teachers.

The remaining three brothers also followed him. As much reverence and devotion towards the gurus was there in these four brothers, there was also mutual love and harmony among them. King Dasharatha's heart filled with pride and joy on seeing his four sons.