What are some shocking secrets of Ramayana?

Rama

• Rama killed 14 thousand Rakshas, destroyed their chariots and neutralized their counter attack and killed them in 72 minutes during the Aranya Kanda.
  
• Rama can shoot 13 arrows at once. At once he can kill the opponent, his horses, chariot driver and destroy the chariot.
  
• Rama once fired a Brahmastra on a Crow (Actually a Rakshasa who was sent by Gods to provoke Rama) which was biting Sita and eating her flesh
  
• When Rama and Ravana was fighting everyone stopped war and just watched both of them in amazement
  
• Rama and Vanaras built the bridge of 100 yojanas in 5 days. One Yojana is approximately 8 miles. So 100 yojanas is 800 miles. So because of this I often wonder that the current Sri Lanka may not be the Golden Lanka of Ancient times. It is said that the Olden and Golden Lanka is submerged in the Sea and Vibheeshan (who is one of the immortals) is still ruling it.
  
• Rama killed Vali from front not from back. But he shot the arrow from hiding. But Rama clearly justified his act to Vali who asked all sorts of questions to Rama before dying.
  
• Rama cried for Sita like a mad person when she was abducted and ran here and there and asked trees, plants, flowers, rivers, deers etc for her whereabouts. He loved her very dearly. Sita in fact mentions many times that Vanavas was the best boon for her so that she got to spend all the time with her husband in intimate settings. Even when Rama ordered Sita to prove her purity, he tells her that it is not because of her mistake but because of his clouded vision he is ordering it. Indirectly he was mentioning that people will ask all sorts of questions and to shut them up, he is ordering her to enter fire. But even after that one idiot did ask question about her purity, which forced Rama to abandon her. He considered people’s welfare more important compared to his love for his wife. He even gives his word during coronation to all the sages who present there that he will not hesitate to leave his wife or brothers for the sake of people
  
• Ravana took Sita on the Pushpaka vimana by manhandling her directly.
  
• Rama is older than Sita by 6 years. Rama was 24 and Sita was 18 at the time of her marriage. As mentioned by Sita herself to Ravana just before he abducted. (Ravana was in the guise of a Sanyasi at that time)
  
• At then end of the war Rama did not lose a single soldier where as Ravana lost all of them. Because at the end of war all the Gods appear to Rama and praise him and ask him to choose his boon. Rama requests that all his dead soldiers should become alive.
  
• Whom ever Rama looked at once, or who ever looked at Rama at once, got irresistibly attracted to Rama
  
• Rama was so handsome that even men, even ascetic men wanted at least embrace him at once. But he denied all of them and told that they will be born as cowherd women and he will born as Krishna to fulfill their wishes. Even then he did not even look at any other women. After leaving Sita in forest, he wanted to perform a Yagna and he needed wife, people suggested him to marry again, but he denied. He said Sita is only wife for this life and he made a golden Sita and performed with the statue along side of him.
  
• The other boon Rama postponed to the Krishana avatar was the one given to Jambavanta (the Grand Old Bear). At the end of the war, Rama was pleased by Jambavan’s help during the whole episode of searching for Sita and War, asked him to choose any boon. But Jambavan was too fascinated by Rama’s warring skills so chose a boon to fight Rama once. But Rama gently denied that he does not want to fight with friends even for the sake of fun. He however said that in my next Avatar, I will give you that chance. In the Krishna avatar, he goes in search of the missing Samanthaka jewel and find it in the cave Jambavan, in the process of retrieving it he fights with Jambavan thus fulfilling his wish. Jambavan finally realizes Krishna was none other than Rama and with overflowing Joy he gives his daughter Jambavati in wedding to Krishna.
  
• Just before the war, on the banks of ocean, Vibheeshana (Ravana’s brother) comes to join Rama on the fight. Rama accepts him despite the warnings from Sugreeva and others to deny the person from enemy camp. Rama takes him in saying that he will never forsake anyone who took refuge in him.
  
• He coronated Vibheeshana as King of Lanka even before the war started. Then Lakshmana asked him, what if Ravana comes with a truce and gives Sita back? How can there will be two kings to Lanka? Then Rama replies that if that happens, then he will give his kingdom Ayodhya to Ravana and he will remain in forests. Such is the greatness of Rama’s word.
  
• He truly lived the life of One word, One Arrow and One Wife despite all the odds one can face.
  
• Rama is the full true representation of Dharma
  
• At the end of the war, when his Generals and Brother wished to stay in Lanka for few months to enjoy the beauty of the grand city, Rama tells him “Mother and Mother land are greater than even the Heavens” and hence we should quickly return to Ayodhya
  
• During the war when Lakshmana fell to ground with an arrow to the chest by Indrajeet, Rama thought that Lakshmana was killed, at that time Rama weeps uncontrollably by saying “Wherever I go I can get a Wife and Friends, but I can’t get a brother in this life”. This is to indicate the preciousness of brothers. Not to be taken that Rama wanted another wife.
  
• Everyone wants a Son like Rama, brother like Rama, friend like Rama, husband like Rama, King like Rama…But it is so appalling to see that there are people who hate him still..
  

Sita

• Sita devi saved the honor of Rama. When Hanuman found abducted Sita under the Asoka tree in Ravana’s garden, he suggested that Sita devi should sit on shoulders and he would quickly fly back to Rama. But Sita devi denies that offer for two reasons. One is that she does not want to knowingly touch any other male other than her husband. Second is that she wishes her husband to come and kill Ravana in the war and take her back like a true warrior. She does not want Rama to be known as a coward who stole her back, just like Ravana stole her in the absence of her husband.
  
• Sita devi is not physically born to her Father. He found her while he was ploughing the land for some Yagna. Hence she got the name of Sita (The one who came up by herself)
  
• Sita and Rama loved each other as if they are one Soul in two bodies. They started even resembling each other, so much so that when Hanuman first looked at Sita devi in Ravana’s camp, he thought that he was looking at Rama only.
  
• Sita and Rama are considered the most ideal couple. Even to this date in India when some one sees a loving couple, they are referred to be like “Rama and Sita”
  

Lakshmana:

• Lakshmana could not bear separation of Rama even for a moment, and hence accompanies Rama by himself to the Forest for 14 years. Once Rama tells him to go back to Ayodhya, Lakshmana replies saying that “I will go by , but as soon as I lose the sight of you, I will drop dead”. Rama never spoke like this ever after this.
  
• Lakshmana fights with Indrajeet (The most dangerous warrior in the entire Ramayana) for several days. The fight was most fierce and both the warriors covered each other with countless arrows and the blood was flowing out from both of them like streams. But none was getting tired or losing enthusiasm. Lakshmana tries all celestial weapons he had and Indrajeet had answer for all of them. Finally Lakshmana comes up with never before used Mantra which had no counter, hence is able to kill Indrajeet. This mantra is considered as cornerstone of Ramayana. It goes “Oh Arrow, if Rama is really the son of Dasaratha, who never deviated from Dharma and Truth and is really a matchless warrior, then you may kill my enemy”
  

Hanuman:

 

I am getting goose bumps just to think of writing about Hanuman.

• Hanuman is the most powerful warrior. Wherever Hanuman is present, there will always be victory.
  
• During the war when Indrajeet overpowers the entire Rama’s army with celestial Cobra weapon, every one is succumbed including Rama & Lakshmana except Vibheesha and Hanuman. At that time they approached Jambavan to inquire how he was doing. Then Jambavan asks “Where is and How is Hanuma”. Hanuma humbly replies “I am here and fine”. At that time Vibheeshana asks Jambavan “Why did you not inquire about Rama or Lakshmana first?”. Jambavan replies “If Hanuman is fine, then every thing will be fine. If Hanuman is not fine, then everything is lost”
  
• As soon as he was born, he mistakes rising sun for a juicy Mango and flies towards the Sun to eat it. Lord Indra had to intervene and strike him unconscious. But later all the Gods feel sorry for the little one and blesses him with immortality and all their powers. They also bless him that he may not be defeated by any celestial weapon.
  
• Hanuman is the embodiment of humility, nice speech, great intelligence and great power.
  
• When Rama and Hanuman first come face to face, Rama can’t stop himself from praising Hanuman, just after listening to few words. Rama says, which ever king has him (Hanuman) as his minister, that King will never face any defeat.
  
• When once Rama asked Hanuman of what does he think of himself. Hanuman replies “When I think of myself as body, I am your servant. When I think myself as a individual soul/mind, I am part of you. When I consider myself as Brahman, I am You”
  
• At the end of Rama’s avatar, Rama invited every one to come along with him to the Vaikunta. But Hanuman denies the invitation, saying that he prefers to hang around the earth listening to the divine stories of Rama. To this day, it is said that wherever Rama’s story is told, Hunuman comes there in some form to listen to the story. It is said that he listens to the story with folded hands with flowing tears of Joy and gratitude.
  
• When Hanuman came back to after talking to Sita Devi and burning the entire Lanka, he narrates the story in great detail to his awaiting friends like Angada, Jambavan and the entire Monkey army. But when he comes to Rama, he narrates the entire episode in one sentence. That is shows humility in front his master.
  
• Hanuman is the only one who got the blessing of a Hug from Rama:(except Sita of course) When Rama hears about Hanuman’s victory of finding, talking and comforting Sita with nectarous words, Rama says that he can’t repay Hanuman’s help with anything except with a Hug.
  
• Hanuman’s search in Lanka & Sita Devi’s darshan, compare to a sadhak
  

 

General

• Ramayana has 24000 slokas and each of the 1000 slokas is considered as an expansion of 1 letter of Gayathri mantra, which as 24 letters.
  
• Ramayana on Leadership: One can get a lot of details on leadership by comparing the qualities and conversations of Rama and Ravana. How Rama asks opinions from others before deciding, How Ravana decides first and tries to support his arguments etc. How Rama deals with others with Love, Logic and Honesty and How Ravana deals with others with Threat, Authority and Deception etc. You can see this more in the last 3 Kandas
  
• Like this Ramayana is a great resource for Omens and Psychology. It has a great deal of description about nature, birds and trees. Some of the descriptions about different seasons like rainy season and spring season is too good.
  
• Ramayana has the mention of decimal system. Ramayana has specific names numbers ranging from for 1 to 10 ^64.
  
• Ramayana clearly mentions about earth being a sphere, not flat. (It is mentioned at the end of Ayodhya Kanda, During the debate between Rama and the ministers of Ayodhya, when they were trying to persuade Rama to come back to the Kingdom). They also debate about materialism, offering to the diseased ancestors (tarpan) etc, during the same debate.
  
• During Ramayana the tax rate was flat 16% (Ayodhya Kand, Bharta indirectly speaks about it with Kausalya Mata)
  
• The Pushpaka vimanam is a flying 7 storied building, which has infinite capacity. Flying around is common during Ramayana. Apart from Pushpaka the chariots of Indrajeet and several other Rakshasas can fly.
  
• Robots are common during Ramayana :-) :-). When Kumbkarna is woken up for the war, he starts walking in the streets to reach his brother’s palace. The Vanaras see this from the battle field and get scared and start to run away. Vibheeshana calms them down by saying that “It is not a Giant Rakshasa, but just a machine (robot)”