Years have passed since Sita was exiled from the kingdom.
Rumor around the kingdom is that she could have cheated on Rama with another
person. Even if she claimed she did not have an affair, it is only logical that
our great king got rid of her because she could not prove her loyalty. However,
when she was exiled Rama had no idea that she was pregnant. Rama did not even
get to meet his two sons until years later in battle. This family reunion makes
for an interesting story. Before we jump into the story I would like to give
you a quick introduction of myself. I am a housekeeper for Rama and have worked
for this family for many years. My name is Bhavic. Now lets jump into the
story!
One day it was time for Rama to perform his yearly
Aswamedha. This is a religious ceremony performed by a king, which will help to
secure the good fortune of the kingdom. After performing the majority of the
ritual, Rama released the sacred horse into the wilderness to roam the land
freely. He sent his brothers Shatrugha and Lakshmana to keep an eye on the
horse from a distance and keep it safe.
As the horse was roaming the lands, it came across two
hunters named Luv and Kush. They skillfully trapped and captured the sacred
horse. Shatrugha and Lakshmana thought that they would be able to handle the
two hunters easily but to their surprise they were easily defeated. Lakshmana
and Shatrugha retreated back to the kingdom to describe the battle they just
waged with the two hunters. Lakshmana described them as fast as lightning,
strong as an ox, and having battle skills far beyond their young age. Lakshmana
even went as far as to compare their skills to Rama! When Lakshmana said this,
Rama’s face was in disbelief. He laughed at the idea that two random hunters
could rival his effectiveness in battle. Rama immediately instructed his army
to prepare his chariot. Rama would be paying these two hunters a visit.
Rama ventured deep into the forest and finally caught up
with the two hunters. He approached the two hunters and said “I believe that is
my horse you have,” as he charged the two hunters. To make the fight fair Luv
sat on the sideline and would only interfere if his brother needed him. Kush
and Rama waged an intense battle. The two men were extremely skilled with the
bow. Every arrow one man shot was intercepted by an arrow of the other man.
After this they waged close combat with swords. Although Ram was an extremely
polished warrior he struggled to keep up with Kush’s strikes. Kush eventually
took a couple steps back and told Rama that the battle was boring him. He then
told his brother that he could have his turn if he wanted.
Luv excitedly sprang into battle. Within 5 minutes of
intense battle Luv had Rama in place to deliver the final blow to end the
battle and Rama’s life. Before Rama was killed he had one question for the
boys. “You guys are very well-polished fighters. You remind me of myself in my
younger days. To who do I owe this defeat to,” Rama questioned. Luv and Kush
answered with their names and also told Rama of their family lineage.
Rama was surprised at these details. He told the boys that
he was actually their father. The two boys did not believe him so they tied him
up and presented him to their mother, Sita. Sita was shocked to see Rama in
this state after so many years. “I raised them well didn’t I,” she bragged as
she untied Rama. After the family reunion, Rama asked his two sons if they
wanted to come back to the kingdom with him. Rama was getting old and soon
would need to pass the throne to someone. The two boys refused unless their
mother was allowed back into the kingdom as well. After some debate, Rama
finally agreed to let them all stay in the kingdom. Today is the first day in
many years where I have seen the royal family united. The Aswamedha was completeted and the kingdom lived happily ever after.
Author’s Note: I decided to write an alternate version of
the story present in the comic book called the “Sons of Rama.” In the original
version the sons of Rama and Sita defeat several of Rama’s men. After their
defeat, Rama finally visits them in the forest to find out from Valmiki that
they are his sons. The boys end up moving in with Rama in the kingdom while
their mother takes refuge with the Earth Godess Bhumi. I thought it would be
more interesting if Rama got to fight with his sons before finding out that
they were related to him. Additionally, I gave Sita more respect in this
version. I made her the primary parent of the two boys, and made sure that she
was considered when everyone planned to move back into the kingdom. I also
wanted to tell the story from the point of view of someone close to the family.
That is why I picked Bhavic the housekeeper.
Here is an image of Luv, Kush, and the stolen horse.
Title: The Sons of Rama
Year: 1971
Author: Amar Chitra Katha
