The Question

Vālmīki became a sage of great austerity, and his hermitage stood near the Gaṅgā. One day Nārada came to him, Nārada the divine sage, devoted to austerity and to the study of the Veda, the best of those who know how to speak, and Vālmīki, who wished to know whether any man alive had every virtue and knew dharma, the right way of living, put a question to him.

Who is there in the world today, he asked, who is good, and strong, who knows dharma, who is grateful and truthful and firm in his vows? Who is a man of right conduct, and kind to every creature? Who is learned and able, and a joy to look upon? Who has mastered himself and conquered his anger, who is radiant and free of envy, so that even the gods fear him when his anger is roused in battle? I want to hear this, great sage, for I long to know it, and you are the one who would know such a man.

Nārada, who knew the three worlds, was glad, and said, Listen. The qualities you have named are many and rare, but I have thought it over and I will tell you of a man who has them. He comes of the line of Ikṣvāku, and people know him as Rāma. And Nārada told Vālmīki the whole story of Rāma, from the day his father meant to make him heir to his return and his reign in Ayodhyā. Then Vālmīki and his disciple honoured Nārada, and Nārada took his leave and rose into the sky.

It was the story of Rāma, the prince of Ayodhyā: how at his father's command he went into the forest with his wife Sītā and his brother Lakṣmaṇa; how Rāvaṇa, king of the rākṣasas, the demons of Laṅkā, carried Sītā off; how Rāma, with the monkeys as his allies, crossed the sea, killed Rāvaṇa and won her back; how, when Rāma spoke harshly to her before the people, Sītā walked into fire, and the god of fire declared her without stain before the gods; and how Rāma came home to Ayodhyā. When Nārada told it, Rāma was reigning there as king.