Ananda Ramayana

Ananda Ramayana is a Sanskrit text traditionally ascribed to the sage Valmiki, who is also credited with the Adbhuta Ramayana, Valmiki Ramayana, and the Yoga Vasishta (Vasishta Ramayana). The text has received little attention from scholars to date, though in some traditions it is considered one of the principles sources of Rama stories.

Many of the original stories from the Valmiki Ramayana are included in the Ananda Ramayana, though often with minor variations. Its primary significance, however, is its inclusion of original stories that are intended to support, or provide background information for, the Valmiki Ramayana narrative. Below are a few of its unique stories:

Ravana once approached Brahma, inquiring as to how his own death would come about. Brahma responded that the son of Kausalya and Dasharatha would be the cause of his death. Enraged, Ravana abducted Kausalya immediately prior to her wedding, and placed her in a box on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.

The sage Narada described her whereabouts to Dasharatha, who then brought his army to the shore to rescue her. The army began to cross the ocean in boats, approaching the island of Kausalya’s captivity. Hearing of Dasharatha’s rescue attempt, Ravana sent his rakshasa (demon) army. In the ensuing battle, Dasharatha’s army was annihilated, but Dasharatha escaped on a wooden plank, floating on the ocean for many days.

Eventually he landed upon the island of Kausalya’s captivity, and happened upon the box in which she was enclosed. Narada and other sages quickly arrived and performed a wedding ceremony, after which Dasharatha and Kausalya were enclosed in the box.

Unaware of these events, Ravana went to Brahma and told him that his prediction had been rendered false, as he had killed Dasharatha and was holding Kausalya captive in the box. But knowing that his words must always be true, Brahma had the box brought to his and Ravana’s presence and opened. Seeing Dasharatha and Kausalya in the box, Ravana was humiliated, and planned to kill them both, but his wife Mandodari persuaded him otherwise. Eventually Dasharatha and Kausalya went to Ayodhya, where they lived happily, eventually giving birth to Rama and his three brothers.

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