Collection of Ramayana Manuscripts | Paintings

Following are few mid 17th century manuscripts from the Ramayana, composed for the Ranas of Mewar, Rajasthan.

The first one in this post depicts the Agni Pariksha of Sita ji, and the event where the vaanars come back to life.


Approximate translation of the manuscript:

With Ravana finally dead, Sita ji has prepared herself for seeing her husband once again. But Sri Rama is in dilemma : she has lived in someone else's place and hence it would not be fitting for him to take her back, as he is the king.

To prove her chastity and vindicate her honour, she has a great fire prepared and casts herself into it. Agni the golden god of fire himself rises from the flames attesting to her purity and presents her to her husband.

The gods headed by Lord Brahma on his goose, Lord Indra on his elephant and God Shiva and Parvati ji on the bull Nandi come down from heaven and Sri Rama's father, King Dasaratha, comes back from the dead all with the same message.

Sri Rama announces that he has not doubted her for an instant. The trial was necessary so that the people should not doubt her either.

He requests that the God Indra restores to life those monkeys who have died in the struggle. As God Indra departs, he bathes the dead vaanars in nectar, so that they return, rejoicing, to life.

Approximate Translation :

Making use of Ravana's flying chariot, the exiles have left Lanka and flown swiftly northwards, the directional imperative now being from right to left.

Reunited with Bharata and Satrughana, who have kept Sri Rama's kingdom for him during the fourteen years of exile, they enter Ayodhya in triumph.

They drive through the bazaars with their festive hangings to the palace where they are received by their mothers. Even Kaikeyi is forgiven.

The vaanara king Sugriva, his minister Hanuman and the other chief vaanars have assumed human form. {Human Form ? This is something new to me. }

Sri Rama's coronation begins his auspicious reign, a truly golden age for mankind - Ram-raj , Sri Rama's rule.

Sri Rama and Sita ji have been enthroned in Ayodhya, where Sri Rama questions the various assembled sages about the history of Ravana and his ancestors. The resulting answers take up half of the book. When the story begins again, Sri Rama and Sita ji are seen together relaxing and enjoying and music played by the attendants in the grove filled with wonderful trees, flowers and fruits in the gardens of the palace at Ayodhya. These are their last untroubled moments together.