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Epic7 Kandas648 sargas23,238 shlokas194 characters

Ramayana: Journey map

रामायण

The journey of Rama: a prince exiled for fourteen years, a wife carried across the sea, a monkey who leapt the ocean, and a war fought to bring her home.

Journey map

Rama's journey, stop by stop

From Ayodhya to Lanka and home again, in the order the Valmiki Ramayana tells it. Tap a stop to read what happened there, with the shloka and the sargas that tell it.

Locations follow traditional identifications; where scholars disagree, the place page says so. The line joins stops in story order, not the exact path.

  1. After Dasharatha's sacrifice and the gift of the divine payasam, Rama is born to Kausalya, Bharata to Kaikeyi, and Lakshmana and Shatrughna to Sumitra. The journey begins in the Ikshvaku capital on the Sarayu.

    निर्वृत्ते तु क्रतौ तस्मिन्हयमेधे महात्मनः । प्रतिगृह्य सुरा भागान्प्रतिजग्मुर्यथागतम् ॥

    When the horse sacrifice of that great soul was complete, the gods received their shares and returned as they had come.

    ShlokaBala Kanda 1.18.1
  2. Vishwamitra takes the young princes east. On the way Rama kills Tataka, and at Siddhashrama the brothers guard the sacrifice, driving Maricha into the sea and killing Subahu.

    अथ तौ देशकालज्ञौ राजापुत्रावरिन्दमौ । देशे काले च वाक्यज्ञावब्रूतां कौशिकं वचः ॥

    Then the two princes, tamers of foes who knew place and time and how to speak fittingly, said to Kaushika at the right place and time:

    ShlokaBala Kanda 1.30.1
  3. Near Mithila, Rama's arrival frees Ahalya from Gautama's curse. In Janaka's court he strings and breaks Shiva's bow, wins Sita, and all four brothers are married.

    जनकस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । धनुर्दर्शय रामाय इति होवाच पार्थिवम् ॥

    Hearing Janaka's words, the great sage Vishvamitra said to the king: Show the bow to Rama.

    ShlokaBala Kanda 1.67.1
  4. On the eve of his coronation, Kaikeyi claims her two boons and Rama accepts fourteen years of exile. Sita and Lakshmana insist on going with him, and the city follows the chariot to the border.

    तदप्रियममित्रघ्नो वचनं मरणोपमम् । श्रुत्वा न विव्यथे रामः कैकेयीं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥

    Hearing those unwelcome words, like death itself, Rama, slayer of enemies, was not pained, and said to Kaikeyi:

    ShlokaAyodhya Kanda 2.19.1
  5. At Shringaverapura, Guha welcomes his friend. Rama spends the night under an ingudi tree, sends Sumantra home and crosses the Ganga, leaving his kingdom behind.

    प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पृथुवक्षा महायशाः । उवाच रामः सौमित्रिं लक्ष्मणं शुभलक्षणम् ॥

    prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ pṛthuvakṣā mahāyaśāḥ | uvāca rāmaḥ saumitriṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ śubhalakṣaṇam ||

    ShlokaAyodhya Kanda 2.52.1
  6. At the meeting of the Ganga and Yamuna the exiles rest at Bharadwaja's ashram. The sage advises them to make their home on Chitrakoot.

    ते तु तस्मिन्महावृक्षे उषित्वा रजनीं शिवाम् । विमलेऽभ्युदिते सूर्ये तस्माद्देशात्प्रतस्थिरे ॥

    te tu tasminmahāvṛkṣe uṣitvā rajanīṃ śivām | vimale'bhyudite sūrye tasmāddeśātpratasthire ||

    ShlokaAyodhya Kanda 2.54.1
  7. The three build a hut on Chitrakoot by the Mandakini. Bharata arrives with the mothers and the army to bring Rama back, but Rama keeps his father's word and gives Bharata his sandals.

    तमप्रतिमतेजोभ्यां भ्रातृभ्यां रोमहर्षणम् । विस्मिताः स‌ङ्गमं प्रेक्ष्य समवेता महर्षयः ॥

    tamapratimatejobhyāṃ bhrātṛbhyāṃ romaharṣaṇam | vismitāḥ sa‌ṅgamaṃ prekṣya samavetā maharṣayaḥ ||

    ShlokaAyodhya Kanda 2.112.1
  8. Bharata will not enter the palace. He places Rama's sandals on the throne at Nandigram and rules as their servant, living as an ascetic for fourteen years.

    ततो निक्षिप्य मातृ़ स्स अयोध्यायां दृढ व्रतः । भरत श्शोकसन्तप्तो गुरूनिदमथाब्रवीत् ॥

    tato nikṣipya mātṛ़ ssa ayodhyāyāṃ dṛḍha vrataḥ | bharata śśokasantapto gurūnidamathābravīt ||

    ShlokaAyodhya Kanda 2.115.1
  9. Leaving Chitrakoot, the exiles enter the great Dandaka forest. Rama defeats Viradha, visits the hermitages and promises the sages protection from the rakshasas.

    प्रविश्य तु महारण्यं दण्डकारण्यमात्मवान् । ददर्श रामो दुर्धर्षस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम् ॥

    praviśya tu mahāraṇyaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyamātmavān | dadarśa rāmo durdharṣastāpasāśramamaṇḍalam ||

    ShlokaAranya Kanda 3.1.1
  10. After ten years among the hermitages Rama reaches Agastya, who gives him the bow of Vishnu and an endless quiver and sends him to Panchavati.

    सप्रविश्याऽश्रमपदं लक्ष्मणो राघवानुजः । अगस्त्यशिष्यमासाद्य वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥

    sapraviśyā'śramapadaṃ lakṣmaṇo rāghavānujaḥ | agastyaśiṣyamāsādya vākyametaduvāca ha ||

    ShlokaAranya Kanda 3.12.1
  11. On the Godavari the exiles meet Jatayu and build their hut. Shurpanakha's advances end in her disfigurement, and Rama alone destroys the army of Khara and Dushana.

    ततश्शूर्पणखां रामः कामपाशावपाशिताम् । स्वच्छया श्लक्ष्णया वाचा स्मितपूर्वमथाब्रवीत् ॥

    tataśśūrpaṇakhāṃ rāmaḥ kāmapāśāvapāśitām | svacchayā ślakṣṇayā vācā smitapūrvamathābravīt ||

    ShlokaAranya Kanda 3.18.1
  12. Maricha appears as a golden deer, and Rama follows it into the forest. Ravana comes disguised as an ascetic and carries Sita away through the sky.

    सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा दशग्रीवः प्रतापवाम् । हस्ते हस्तं समाहत्य चकार सुमहद्वपुः ॥

    sītāyā vacanaṃ śrutvā daśagrīvaḥ pratāpavām | haste hastaṃ samāhatya cakāra sumahadvapuḥ ||

    ShlokaAranya Kanda 3.49.1
  13. The old vulture Jatayu attacks Ravana to save Sita and is struck down. Rama finds him dying, learns that Ravana went south, and cremates him as he would his father.

    रामस्सम्प्रेक्ष्य तं गृध्रं भुवि रौद्रेण पातितम् । सौमित्रिं मित्रसम्पन्नमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

    rāmassamprekṣya taṃ gṛdhraṃ bhuvi raudreṇa pātitam | saumitriṃ mitrasampannamidaṃ vacanamabravīt ||

    ShlokaAranya Kanda 3.68.1
  14. Kabandha sends the brothers to Pampa. Shabari, who has waited years for Rama, welcomes him and then departs for heaven, and Rama grieves for Sita in the spring by the lake.

    तौ कबन्धेन तं मार्गं पम्पाया दर्शितं वने । प्रतस्थतुर्दिशं गृह्य प्रतीचीं नृवरात्मजौ ॥

    tau kabandhena taṃ mārgaṃ pampāyā darśitaṃ vane | pratasthaturdiśaṃ gṛhya pratīcīṃ nṛvarātmajau ||

    ShlokaAranya Kanda 3.74.1
  15. Hanuman meets the brothers and brings them to Sugriva. Rama and Sugriva swear friendship before a fire, and Sugriva shows Rama the ornaments Sita dropped.

    ऋश्यमूकात्तु हनुमान्गत्वा तु मलयं गिरिम् । आचचक्षे तदा वीरौ कपिराजाय राघवौ ॥

    ṛśyamūkāttu hanumāngatvā tu malayaṃ girim | ācacakṣe tadā vīrau kapirājāya rāghavau ||

    ShlokaKishkindha Kanda 4.5.1
  16. Sugriva challenges Vali, and Rama shoots Vali from hiding. Vali questions Rama's dharma before he dies, Tara mourns, and Sugriva is crowned with Angada as heir.

    तामेवं ब्रुवतीं तारां ताराधिपनिभाननाम् । वाली निर्भर्त्सयामास वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥

    tāmevaṃ bruvatīṃ tārāṃ tārādhipanibhānanām | vālī nirbhartsayāmāsa vacanaṃ cedamabravīt ||

    ShlokaKishkindha Kanda 4.16.1
  17. The southern search party learns from Sampati that Sita is in Lanka. Jambavan stirs Hanuman, who climbs Mahendra and leaps across the ocean.

    ततो रावणनीतायाः सीतायाः शत्रुकर्शनः । इयेष पदमन्वेष्टुं चारणाचरिते पथि ॥

    tato rāvaṇanītāyāḥ sītāyāḥ śatrukarśanaḥ | iyeṣa padamanveṣṭuṃ cāraṇācarite pathi ||

    ShlokaSundara Kanda 5.1.1
  18. Hanuman overcomes Lankini at the gate and searches the golden city palace by palace, even mistaking Mandodari for Sita, before turning to the groves.

    स सागरमनादृष्यमतिक्रम्य महाबलः । त्रिकूटशिखरे लङ्कां स्थितां स्वस्थो ददर्श ह ॥

    sa sāgaramanādṛṣyamatikramya mahābalaḥ | trikūṭaśikhare laṅkāṃ sthitāṃ svastho dadarśa ha ||

    ShlokaSundara Kanda 5.2.1
  19. Hanuman finds Sita under a shimshapa tree, sees Ravana threaten her, and gives her Rama's ring. She sends back her crest jewel and a message for Rama.

    भूय एव महातेजा हनूमान्पवनात्मजः । अब्रवीत्प्रश्रितं वाक्यं सीताप्रत्ययकारणात् ॥

    bhūya eva mahātejā hanūmānpavanātmajaḥ | abravītpraśritaṃ vākyaṃ sītāpratyayakāraṇāt ||

    ShlokaSundara Kanda 5.36.1
  20. Hanuman wrecks the grove, kills Aksha and lets Indrajit bind him. In Ravana's court his tail is set alight, and he leaps across the roofs, setting Lanka on fire.

    वीक्षमाणस्ततो लङ्कां कपिः कृतमनोरथः । वर्धमानसमुत्साहः कार्यशेषमचिन्तयत् ॥

    vīkṣamāṇastato laṅkāṃ kapiḥ kṛtamanorathaḥ | vardhamānasamutsāhaḥ kāryaśeṣamacintayat ||

    ShlokaSundara Kanda 5.54.1
  21. The vanara army marches to the sea. Vibhishana, driven out of Lanka, comes to Rama for refuge, and Rama accepts him and anoints him the future king.

    राघवेणाभयेदत्तेसन्नतोरावणानुजः । विभीषणोमहाप्राज्ञोभूमिंसमवलोकयन् ॥

    rāghaveṇābhayedattesannatorāvaṇānujaḥ | vibhīṣaṇomahāprājñobhūmiṃsamavalokayan ||

    ShlokaYuddha Kanda 6.19.1
  22. Rama threatens the ocean, and the sea god advises that Nala can build a bridge. In five days the vanaras raise the causeway and cross to Lanka.

    अथोवाचरघुश्रेष्टस्सागरंदारुणंवचः । अद्यत्वांशोषयिष्यामिसपाताळंमहार्णवः ॥

    athovācaraghuśreṣṭassāgaraṃdāruṇaṃvacaḥ | adyatvāṃśoṣayiṣyāmisapātāḷaṃmahārṇavaḥ ||

    ShlokaYuddha Kanda 6.22.1
  23. Angada carries Rama's last offer of peace. The siege brings the serpent arrows, the waking of Kumbhakarna, the healing mountain and the death of Indrajit, until Rama kills Ravana with the Brahmastra.

    अथसंस्मारयामासमातलिराघवंतदा । अजानन्निवकिंवीरत्वमेनमनुवर्तसे ॥

    athasaṃsmārayāmāsamātalirāghavaṃtadā | ajānannivakiṃvīratvamenamanuvartase ||

    ShlokaYuddha Kanda 6.111.1
  24. Vibhishana is crowned and Sita is brought before Rama. Hurt by his words, she enters the fire, and Agni himself returns her to Rama, declaring her pure.

    एवमुक्तातुवैदेहिपरुषंरोमहर्षणम् । राघवेणसरोषेणश्रुत्वाप्रव्यथिताऽभवत् ॥

    evamuktātuvaidehiparuṣaṃromaharṣaṇam | rāghaveṇasaroṣeṇaśrutvāpravyathitā'bhavat ||

    ShlokaYuddha Kanda 6.119.1
  25. The Pushpaka carries them north as Rama shows Sita the places of their journey. Hanuman goes ahead to Bharata at Nandigram, and Rama is crowned in Ayodhya.

    शिरस्यञ्जलिमाधायकैकेय्यानन्दवर्धनः । बभाषेभरतोज्येष्ठंरामंसत्यपराक्रमम् ॥

    śirasyañjalimādhāyakaikeyyānandavardhanaḥ | babhāṣebharatojyeṣṭhaṃrāmaṃsatyaparākramam ||

    ShlokaYuddha Kanda 6.131.1
  26. Because of the people's talk, Rama sends Sita away. Lakshmana leaves her near the Ganga, Valmiki shelters her, and Lava and Kusha are born in the ashram.

    सीतां तु रुदतीं दृष्ट्वा ते तत्र मुनिदारकाः । प्राद्रवन्यत्र भगवानास्ते वाल्मीकिरुग्रधीः ॥

    sītāṃ tu rudatīṃ dṛṣṭvā te tatra munidārakāḥ | prādravanyatra bhagavānāste vālmīkirugradhīḥ ||

    ShlokaUttara Kanda 7.49.1
  27. At Rama's horse sacrifice in the Naimisha forest, Lava and Kusha sing the Ramayana. Valmiki brings Sita, and she asks the earth to receive her, ending her journey where it began.

    वाल्मीकिनैवमुक्तस्तु राघवः प्रत्यभाषत । प्राञ्जलिर्जगतो मध्ये दृष्ट्वा तां वरवर्णिनीम् ॥

    vālmīkinaivamuktastu rāghavaḥ pratyabhāṣata | prāñjalirjagato madhye dṛṣṭvā tāṃ varavarṇinīm ||

    ShlokaUttara Kanda 7.97.1