कथामाला — प्रश्नोत्तररूपेण श्रीरामकथा

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः रामः । saḥ rāmaḥ. He is Rāma.

रामः धर्मात्मा । rāmaḥ dharmātmā Rama is the one whose very nature is dharma.

रामः कः? rāmaḥ kaḥ? Who is Rama?

रामः भगवान् विष्णोः अवतारः। rāmaḥ bhagavān viṣṇoḥ avatāraḥ. Rama is an incarnation of Viṣṇu.

सर्वं रमयति इति रामः। sarvaṃ ramayati iti rāmaḥ. He who delights all is Rāma.

सा का? sā kā? Who is she?

सा सीता। sā sītā. She is Sītā.

सीता रामस्य पावनी, धीरा भार्या। sītā rāmasya pāvanī, dhīrā bhāryā. Sītā is the pure, courageous wife of Rāma.

सीता का? sītā kā? Who is Sītā?

सीता देवी लक्ष्म्याः अवतारः। sītā devī lakṣmyāḥ avatāraḥ. Sītā is the incarnation of Goddess Lakṣmī.

सीता का? sītā kā? Who is Sītā?

सीता जनकराजस्य कन्या, मिथिलायाः सुन्दरी राजकुमारी । sītā janaka-rājasya kanyā, mithilāyāḥ sundarī rājakumārī. Sītā is King Janaka's daughter, the beautiful princess of Mithilā.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः लक्ष्मणः । saḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ. He is Lakṣmaṇa.

लक्ष्मणः रामस्य प्रियः अनुजः, वीरः, अचलः भक्तः । lakṣmaṇaḥ rāmasya priyaḥ anujaḥ, vīraḥ, acalaḥ bhaktaḥ. Lakṣmaṇa is Rāma's beloved younger brother, heroic and steadfast.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः भरतः । saḥ bharataḥ. He is Bharata.

भरतः रामस्य भक्तिमान् प्रियः भ्राता। bharataḥ rāmasya bhaktimān priyaḥ bhrātā. Bharata is Rāma's devoted, beloved brother.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः शत्रुघ्नः । saḥ śatrughnaḥ. He is Shatrughna.

शत्रुघ्नः लक्ष्मणस्य सहोदरः, रामस्य प्रियः भ्राता। śatrughnaḥ lakṣmaṇasya sahodaraḥ, rāmasya priyaḥ bhrātā. Shatrughna is Lakṣmaṇa's (twin) brother and Rāma's beloved brother.

सीतायाः मातापितरौ सुनयना जनकः च । sītāyāḥ mātā-pitarau sunayanā janakaḥ ca. Sītā's mother and father are Sunayanā and Janaka.

देव्याः भूम्याः कृपया सीता ताभ्यां दत्ता। devyāḥ bhūmyāḥ kṛpayā sītā tābhyāṃ dattā. By the grace of Bhū Devī, Sītā was given to them.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः हनुमान् । saḥ hanumān. He is Hanumān.

हनुमान् रामस्य पराक्रमी भक्तः, वानरसेनायाः मुख्यः। hanumān rāmasya parākramī bhaktaḥ, vānara senāyāḥ mukhyaḥ. Hanumān is Rāma's courageous devotee and the chief of the Vānara army.

हनुमान् सीतां अन्वैषीत्। hanumān sītāṃ anvaiṣīt. Hanumān searched for Sītā.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः सुग्रीवः । saḥ sugrīvaḥ. He is Sugrīva.

सुग्रीवः वानराणां राजा, रामस्य साहाय्यकृत् सखा च। sugrīvaḥ vānarāṇāṃ rājā, rāmasya sāhāyya-kṛt sakhā ca. Sugrīva is the king of the Vānaras and Rāma's friend who offers help.

एते के? ete ke? Who are these?

एते वानराः—रामस्य वीराः सहायकराः। ete vānarāḥ—rāmasya vīrāḥ sahāyakarāḥ. These are the Vānaras—the brave helpers of Rāma.

एते सेतुं बध्नन्ति, दूतकार्यं कुर्वन्ति, युद्धे तिष्ठन्ति। ete setuṃ badhnanti, dūta-kāryaṃ kurvanti, yuddhe tiṣṭhanti. They build the bridge, carry messages, and stand firm in battle.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः रावणः । saḥ rāvaṇaḥ. He is Rāvaṇa.

रावणः लङ्कायाः राजा, बलवान् परन्तु दुष्टः। rāvaṇaḥ laṅkāyāḥ rājā, balavān parantu duṣṭaḥ. Rāvaṇa is the king of Lanka, brave but evil.

रावणः सीतां अपहारितवान्। rāvaṇaḥ sītāṃ apahāritavān. Rāvaṇa kidnapped Sītā Devi.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः कुम्भकर्णः । saḥ kumbhakarṇaḥ. He is Kumbhakarṇa.

कुम्भकर्णः रावणस्य भ्राता, सः वरं लब्धवान्—बहुदिनं स्वपितुम्। kumbhakarṇaḥ rāvaṇasya bhrātā. saḥ varaṃ labdhavān—bahu-dinaṃ svapitum. Kumbhakarṇa is Rāvaṇa's brother. Kumbhakarṇa received a boon to sleep for many days.

सः निद्रालुः आसीत्, परन्तु युद्धे अतीव वीरः। saḥ nidrāluḥ āsīt, parantu yuddhe atīva vīraḥ. He slept deeply, but in battle he was extremely brave.

सः कः? saḥ kaḥ? Who is he?

सः विभीषणः । saḥ vibhīṣaṇaḥ. He is Vibhīṣaṇa.

विभीषणः रावणस्य अनुजः, परन्तु धर्मनिष्ठः। vibhīṣaṇaḥ rāvaṇasya anujaḥ, parantu dharmaniṣṭhaḥ. Vibhīṣaṇa is Rāvaṇa's younger brother, but steadfast in dharma.

विभीषणः रामं शरणं गतः। अन्ते रामः तं लङ्कायाः राजने नियुक्तवान्। vibhīṣaṇaḥ rāmaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ. ante rāmaḥ taṃ laṅkāyāḥ rājane niyuktavān. Vibhīṣaṇa sought refuge in Rāma. In the end, Rāma appointed him king of Laṅkā.

क्व रामः गतः? kva rāmaḥ gataḥ? Where did Rāma go?

रामः सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च सह वनं गतः। rāmaḥ sītayā lakṣmaṇena ca saha vanaṃ gataḥ. Rāma went with Sīta and Lakṣmaṇa to the forest.

कियद्वर्षाणि? — वर्षाणि चत्वारि दश। kiyad-varṣāṇi? — varṣāṇi catvāri daśa. For how many years? For fourteen years.

कं नाम वनप्रदेशः? kaṃ nāma vana-pradeśaḥ? What is the name of the forest area?

तत् वनम् पञ्चवटी। tat vanam pañcavaṭī. That forest is Pañcavaṭī.

तत्र एव रावणः सीताम् अपहारितवान्। tatra eva rāvaṇaḥ sītām apahāritavān. That is where Rāvaṇa kidnapped Sītā

हनुमान् किम् अकरोत्? hanumān kim akarot? What did Hanumān do?

हनुमान् समुद्रं लङ्घित्वा लङ्कां गतः। hanumān samudraṃ laṅghitvā laṅkāṃ gataḥ. Hanumān crossed the ocean and went to Laṅkā.

सः तत्र सीताम् अदर्शयत्, तस्यै आश्वासनं दत्तवान्। saḥ tatra sītām adarśayat, tasyai āśvāsanaṃ dattavān. There he found Sītā and gave her comfort.

दग्धपुच्छः हनुमान् लङ्कां दग्धवान्। dagdha-pucchaḥ hanumān laṅkāṃ dagdhavān. Hanumān, with his burning tail, burned Laṅkā.

हनुमान् लङ्काम् आलोक्य पुनः रामाय वार्तां अनयत्। hanumān laṅkām ālokya punaḥ rāmāya vārtāṃ anayat. Hanumān surveyed Laṅkā and brought news back to Rāma.

किं कुर्वन्ति वानराः? kiṃ kurvanti vānarāḥ? What are the Vānarās doing?

ते समुद्रे सेतुं बध्नन्ति। te samudre setuṃ badhnanti. They build a bridge on the sea.

रामः स्वसेनया सह लङ्कां प्रति याति। rāmaḥ sva-senayā saha laṅkāṃ prati yāti. Rāma, together with his army, goes toward Laṅkā.

कस्य सह युद्धम्? kasya saha yuddham? War with whom?

रामस्य रावणेन सह युद्धम्। rāmasya rāvaṇena saha yuddham. Rāma's war with Rāvaṇa

रामः रावणं पराजितवान्। rāmaḥ rāvaṇaṃ parājitavān. Rāma defeated Rāvaṇa.

रामः कुत्र आगतः? rāmaḥ kutra āgataḥ? Where did Rāma return?

रामः अयोध्यां पुनः आगतः। rāmaḥ ayodhyāṃ punaḥ āgataḥ. Rama returned to Ayodhya

अयोध्यायां रामः राज्याभिषिक्तः। ayodhyāyāṃ rāmaḥ rājyābhiṣiktaḥ. At Ayodhya, Rāma was crowned king.