Sage Valmiki is inquiring thus with the Divine sage Narada, who always takes pleasure in ascetic meditation, devout study of Vedas and who is acclaimed as an august sage of higher learning, "Who in this world, at present, is that great person with noble qualities, valiant, virtuous, grateful turn of mind, always true to his word and determined in his deed ? Who has good conduct of high order, benign to all beings, is a scholar with adorable ability and admirable personality, and who is pleasant to look at ? Who is that courageous one who has controlled ire, who is non emulative, non jealous and by whom even the gods are afraid when He is angered in a battlefield ? I will hear all about him from you, as my inquisitiveness is mounting verily. Oh! Great sage of eminence, you are competent to know about that Man. [with all the godly qualities] "

Sage Narada, the preceptor of all the three worlds, listened to the words of Valmiki. Then with an appeased heart, duly beckoning Valmiki to listen attentively, he said "Know thus. Oh! Sage Valmiki, those many virtues mentioned by you are difficult to find in a single individual. But, I will tell you about such a man who has all these attributes, listen. He sparkled in Ikshwaku dynasty and is known to his subjects by name Rama. He is conscientious, valorous, radiant,  brilliant and a controller of vice and vile. He is clever, moralist, learned, wealthy and a destroyer of enemies. He is broad shouldered with powerful arms. His throat is marked with three auspicious conch-shell lines. He has high cheekbones, his chest is broad, bow is great, scapulae strong and he is a conqueror of enemies. His arms are long and he has an emperor's continence; with a high crowning head and a great forehead, his gait is that of a lion. His body frame is well built with symmetrical body parts and with a beautiful glow of the skin. Gallant person he is, with strong chest, wide eyes and a radiant personality, with all the auspicious qualities. He is a great scholar of virtue, cognizes truth, always delights in the welfare of his subjects. He is renowned, erudite, clean, protector of dependents and also a great thinker. He equals the Omniscient, is splendid and is a sustainer of the worlds. He is an eliminator of enemies, guardian of all living beings and protects their virtue. He is the protector of his own personal virtue, thus protects the general. He is a scholar of Vedas and also their ancillaries. He is an expert in the science of archery as contained in the canon Dhanur Veda. He is a very learned person in the essence of all scriptures with excellent memory and brilliance. He is dearer to all the worlds, gentle, unperturbed at heart, and has clear thinking. Like a sea adored by many rivers reaching it, he too, is accessible and surrounded by learned men adoring him; he treats all equally, and is looked upon by every one admiringly. He is endowed with all great attributes and he is the delight of his mother Kousalya. He in his gravity, looks like an ocean and in fortitude solid like Himavaan, an icy mountain. He resembles Lord Vishnu in courage, and his looks are pleasant as those of a full moon. He looks like a blazing fire when angered; yet he, in perseverance looks like the mother Earth. He equals Lord Kubera in donation, and in administering virtue is like Lord Dharma on earth. He alone, the virtuous Rama, is truthful, courageous, possessor of high virtues."

"Dasaratha, the welfare minded king, thus wanted Rama who was the first born, and so the natural heir apparent, who has best of virtues required of a king, and who was also his dearest son, to be the crown prince. Observing the arrangements made for the crowning ceremony of Rama, Queen Kaikeyi, the wife of Dasaratha, demanded from him, the boons once promised to her and they are banishing Rama to forests and bestowing prince hood to her son, Bharata. King Dasaratha, abiding by his virtuous word, and tied bound by the thread of truthfulness, rendered his dear son Rama homeless and banished him from the kingdom."

"Rama went to forest voluntarily, faithful to his solemn vow of obeying his father's wish. Rama was accompanied by his dear younger brother Lakshmana, with all his friendship and humbleness towards his elder brother. Rama is also very fond of Lakshmana, the delightful son of Queen Sumitra. Thus, Lakshmana exemplified true brotherhood by following Rama to forests. Seeta, the wife of Rama, born by a divine act into the dynasty of King Janaka, is a full embodiment of woman-hood. She, the best Lady of lore, and daughter-in-law of an Emperor, walked along with her husband Rama to forests. Thus she being an ideal wife and Rama's alter ego followed her husband like Lady Rohini, who always is with her husband, Lord Chandra, the Moon."

"The citizens and subjects, even father Dasaratha, followed them for long. Rama left suuta [the charioteer, named Sumantra, Prime Minister of Dasaratha] on the banks of river Ganga, at the town Sringaberipura [a domain in the borders of their kingdom]. They met Guha, the kind hearted tribal chief. Later Guha sails Rama, Lakshmana and Seeta on the waters of Ganga. They traveled on, from wood to wood, crossing many a water full river. They arrived at Chitrkuta as ordained by Sage Bharadwaja. Three of them built a handsome dwelling hut in those beautiful woods. They dwelt there happily like divine and celestial beings. After Rama's arrival at Chitrakuta King Dasaratha, lamented Rama's absence and was buried in sorrow on his son's exile. Thus sorrowing and grieving, he departed to heavens by breathing last."

"After the demise of King Dasaratha in agony about Rama's exile, Bharata [the crown prince, as per his mother's boons], although capable of taking reins of kingdom, refused to rule the country even after being persuaded by courtiers and other well-wishers like Vasistha. Bharata was very sturdy at his will. Bharata went to Chitrakuta in the forest to pacify Rama of his terrible vow. On approaching that very pleasant hearted Rama, Bharata with humble thoughts prevailing in his mind, begged of his brother [to come back], 'Oh! Righteous one, you shall be the king ' to Rama he said.  Rama, though a very benevolent man always willing to keep others happy, a person willing to donate anything, fulfiller of any request made to him, did not agree with Bharata or his requests. He rejected the kingdom, as avowed by his father's word, and was very determined at it. Sandal shoes of Rama are given to Bharata to replicate Rama's rule for their kingdom, till the arrival of Rama. Bharata with his desire unfulfilled touched the feet of Rama in reverence and departed. Bharata ruled the kingdom as a proxy from Nandigrama village, instead of ruling from the capital Ayodhya, expecting an early homecoming of Rama."

"After the departure of Bharata, Rama, who is word bound and well composed, realised that other citizens may also rush in there [like Bharata] and disturb him, and hence went away from there to Dandakaranya, another forest. Thus entering Dandakaranya, Rama the lotus eyed, killed a demon named Viradha, and visited sages Sarabhanga, Suteekshna, Agastya and Agastya's brother Sudarsana. On the advise of Sage Agastya, Rama received pleasingly a bow, a sword and a quiver that always replenishes the arrows. Indra [Lord of Heavens] once gave these to Sage Agastya."

"Rama lived there, moving from forest to forest. Sages came to him with requests to kill all the demons in that forest. He conceded to their requests. Rama avowed that the demons would be killed by him in battle before the sages who are the habitants of Dandakaranya and whose glow is radiant like that of ritual fire."

"By Lakshmana, Soorpanakha, a demoness who could transform herself into any form she wished, and who was a resident of Janasthana moving thereabout with malign motives, is defaced. Then listening to Soorpanakha, thronged up all the demons: Khara, Trisiraska, Dooshana with all their followers in that forest but they were all killed by Rama. In his sojourn in that forest, Rama killed fourteen thousand demons who were residents of Janasthana, and other demons who were living there about. Then, hearing his cousins' slaughter, Ravana, [the chief of demon race and the main villain of this epic] went into a fit of rage, and sought the help of another demon named Mareecha, to avenge the slaughter of his kinsmen. Ravana was dissuaded and warned number of times, by Mareecha, saying thus, 'Oh! Ravana, do not antagonize that mighty Rama, have patience.' Heedless of the advise from Mareecha, Ravana, ushered by the time of his own doom, went to that hermitage of Rama along with Mareecha. Then that trickster, Mareecha distracted Rama and Lakshmana to a considerable distance, enabling Ravana to abduct the wife of Rama, Seetha. While abducting and taking her to his capital Lanka, Ravana killed an eagle named Jatayu which came to the rescue of Seetha. The eagle thus slain is seen by Rama, and he hears from that eagle about the abduction of Maithili [the bride from Mithila kingdom i.e. Seetha]. Then Rama, descendent of Raghu dynasty, was overcome with grief and wailed over with agitated senses. Then with great grief for the death of a friendly eagle Jatayu, Rama cremated it to give it an honorable funeral."

"On his way in the woods Rama, while searching for Seetha, saw a demon named Kabandha who was wicked in look and cruel in act. That great-armed Rama killed Kabandha and cremated him. That demon rose from the flame of funeral pyre in the beautiful form of a Gandharva, and while going to heaven advised Rama thus ‘Oh! Raghava, visit Sabari, a virtuous learned lady who is living ascetically waiting for your arrival.' Rama, the radiant, enemy destroyer, and the son of Dasaratha, arrived at Sabari's hermitage. Rama was worshipped very well by her."

"Rama met Hanuma, the vanara hero, [the monkey god of Hindu mythology] on the banks of Pampa lake. Upon the advice of Hanuma, Rama befriended Sugreeva, a vanara chieftain betrayed by his own brother, Vali. Rama, the mighty, narrated all that happened from the beginning to Sugreeva and other vanara heroes.  He narrated about Seetha's abduction in particular. Sugreeva, the great vanara hero, having listened to Rama's agony, befriended Rama before an altar of fire with pleasure - for Sugreeva was also in a similar disposition in having lost his wife Tara to Vali. Then having been asked by Rama, Sugreeva narrated the sad story of his banishment from their kingdom and also losing his wife Tara.  He narrated all this with anguish and in love for his abducted wife, Tara. Rama avowed then to kill Vali in return for his foul deeds. Sugreeva, the Vanara, related the unimaginable strength of Vali  incident by incident and doubted the valiance of Rama. Sugeeva, desiring to know the capabilities of Rama, showed Dundubhi's corpse, which was very massive like a great mountain. Rama, the great armed and very energetic one, saw the heap of bones of the dead demon Dundubhi and smiled at it. Then with his toe he flicked that corpse to ten yojanas in its entirety. Rama also pierced through seven sala trees [which look like palm trees] with his single great arrow, which not only pierced the trees but also perforated through a mountain and reached the depths of netherworlds.   Such was the greatness of a single arrow of Rama.  All these acts have been performed by Rama only to inculcate confidence in Sugreeva's mind about his own strength to win Vali in a war. Then Sugreeva, the great ape, satisfied at heart became confident of Rama's strength.   Along with Rama, Sugreeva arrived in Kishkindha, the capital of that kingdom.   He neared the cave wherein the present king and elder brother of Sugreeva, namely Vali, resided. Then at the door of the cave, Sugreeva the great ape, glittering with golden hue roared gigantically, called Vali to a war.   Listening to that great roar Vali, the king of apes started out to meet the challenge. While doing so, he was stopped by Tara, who doubted that the arrival of Sugreeva was perhaps with a strong support.  Vali pacified her and came out to meet Sugreeva. There in that duel of Vali and Sugreeva, Rama killed that mighty ape Vali with one and only one arrow. Thus Rama fulfilled his promises to Sugreeva."

"Sugreeva, eminent among Vanaras, summoned all his subjects and chiefs and sent them to all sides in search of Seetha, the daughter of Janaka.   This was the gratitude of Sugreeva toward Rama in his true friendship for mutual help. Then an eagle named Sampati, [brother of Jatayu, the slain eagle by Ravana while abducting Seetha] narrates to Hanuman, the direction in which Ravana took Seetha. The mighty and efficacious Hanuma crosses over a salty ocean, which is a hundred yojanas in its breadth. On crossing the sea Hanuma arrived in Lanka, the capital from which Ravana governed the Rakshasas.   On his entrance into Ashoka gardens during his search in that city, Hanuma saw Seetha seated there meditatively. Hanuma presented a ring given by Rama as a mark of identification.  It was a solace to Seetha, the daughter of Videha kingdom, to receive an emissary from her husband. Then Hanuma smashed the welcome arch of those beautiful Ashoka gardens inciting the demons for a quarrel. Hanuma during his monkey quarrel killed, among others, five army chiefs, and seven sons of ministers. Aksha Kumara, a gallant demon was kneaded like dough and killed.  However, a magical weapon by Indrajit, the son of Ravana, captured Hanuma at last. Hanuma knew the release from the magical captivity of that weapon by a boon given to him by Lord Brahma.  Despite this he allowed himself to be dragged by the demons only to see the other heroes in the court, and especially as he wanted to see Ravana. Hence, he willfully let the magical weapon subjugate him.  Then Hanuma burnt the pompous and affluent city Lanka. Except the place where Seetha, the daughter of Mithila was stationed, Hanuma burned everything."

"To narrate this pleasant news of locating Seetha to Rama, Hanuma returned quickly. Hanuma on approaching Rama, the great determined man, saluted circling around him. The immensely intellectual Hanuma, reported " [I have] seen...Seetha" and other situations that happened factually. Then Rama along with Sugreeva and other vanara heroes went to the shores of that great salty ocean which was crossed by Hanuma earlier.  Rama became angry at the ocean for not yielding way to vanaras.  To make way through the ocean, Rama started depleting its waters with arrows, like Lord Sun who depletes oceans with his rays.  Samudra, the Lord of Ocean, was thus put to turmoil. Perceiving Rama's fury, Samudra, the Lord of Rivers appeared before Rama and advised to build a bridge.  On Samudra's advice, Rama ordered Nala, a vanara hero to build a bridge of boulders across that ocean. By that bridge they went into the city called Lanka, and killed Ravana in a battle.   Rama regained Seetha but doubted her chastity and was humiliated to accept her as his wife since she resided in another man's house. Rama questioned her chastity harshly before all the people there.  Intolerant of the accusation made by her husband, Seetha entered into flaming fires to immolate herself. Then Agni, the Lord of Fire, brought Seetha from the middle of pyre and handed over her to Rama saying that she is rid of all sins and was chaste.  On Rama's accepting Seetha and for his killing of Ravana, everyone including gods revered him.  Thus, Rama was resplendent with glory. By Rama's great deeds of eradicating the demonic rule of Ravana and regaining Seetha, the trilogy of worlds [this world, netherworld and heavens] and all those that are mobile or sessile and along with deities, sages and other celestial beings were happy and jubilant. Rama enthroned Vibheeshana, the brother of Ravana as the king of Rakshasas in Lanka.  Rama, the gallant, thus rid of his anguish, and his oaths becoming deeds, and with his aims fulfilled, was happy at heart. Rama obtained a boon from the gods to bring back to life all the dead Vanara heroes in the battle and got them up on their feet as though waking them up from sleep."

"Rama traveled towards Ayodhya, his capital, in an airplane called Pushpaka, with all his kind hearted friends around him. Rama, the true gallant man, arrived at Sage Bharadwaja's hermitage and stayed there that night.   Rama was aware that Bharata's last day for self immolation was the very next day if Rama were not to come back.  To prevent that Rama hastens Hanuma to Nandigrama to stop Bharatha from self-immolation. Next day, Rama again boarded the plane, Pushpaka, along with Sugreeva and others.  While looking down at the places where he traveled and adventured, he narrated those past events and deeds done by him to the gathering on that plane.  Thus he reached Nandigrama to meet Bharata. In Nandigrama, Rama, the blameless, removed his tufts of matted hair locks.  Thus he gave up the dress and manners of hermitage and attired in princely garbs met his brothers.  He regained Seetha as well as his kingdom after fulfilling his vows. Glad and gratified are all the worlds."

"Rama's kingdom will be abundant, exuberant and also virtuous.   There will be no miseries or diseases, famines or fears.  All the people will be rid of these calamities and will live great lives. Fathers will not see son's deaths anywhere nor the ladies will be widowed.  All ladies will live amiable and devout to their husbands. People in that kingdom will have no fear from wildfires, nor from floodwaters that drown their cattle and animals.   They also will have no fear of gale-storms or of diseases. There will be neither fear of hunger in that kingdom nor fear from thieves. All the townships and the entire kingdom will be plentiful in coin and grain.  Rama will perform hundred Aswamedha rituals, donate innumerable wealth consisting of gold coins and millions of cows.  Rama will establish kingly dynasties in hundred folds and will establish the four-caste system by positing each caste in its own caste-bound duties and functions, thus enabling perfect social harmony. Rama will rule his kingdom devoutly for ten thousand years plus another one thousand years, for a total of eleven thousand years and then will journey to the abode of Brahma, the highest abode in heavens."

"This Ramayana is Holy, sin removing, virtue enhancing, and in accordance with the teachings of all Vedas.   He who reads this will get rid of all his sins. The study of  holy Rama's path enhances longevity.   Anyone reading Ramayana, thrives with sons, grandsons and with all his clansmen here in this world and on mortality will attain heaven. Anyone reading this, will gain privileges according to his caste.  If it were to be the Brahmin, the scholarly class of the four-caste system, he gains authority of his speech.   Likewise the Kshatriya, the warrior class, gains lordship on lands, the Vaisya, the tradesman, gains wealthy results, Sudra, the working class, gains greatness among all other people."

Thus concludes the first Sarga contained in the first Kanda, Bala Kanda, of Ramayana.