Rama goes back

Having lived a long life, Rama gave himself up. Many sages went with Rama. Many others wanted to go with Rama, but Rama asked them to stay back.
In Vaikuntha Rama showed himself as Vishnu. Sita came there as Lakshmi.
Rama said Where will the people go, who came along with me?
Brahma said I have created a part of the heaven for them. Also, all those who hear the Ramayana will go there. All vedas are one side and your name is heavier than that.
One who listens to the seven kandas of Ramayana will have the same gain as one gains from the Ashwamedha yagna.

With this the seven kandas of Ramayana end.

Lakshmana banished

Time or Kaala came to Rama in the guise of the sage. Rama was in court and Lakshmana was standing guard. The sage came to Lakshmana and asked for audience with Rama. Lakshmana went to Rama and said there was a visitor. Getting permission from Rama, Lakshmana brought the visitor inside.
The sage said to Rama, I have something personal and private to discuss with you. Promise that if anyone interrupts, that person will be banished for ever. One person is to stand guard at the door and not let anyone inside.

Rama asked Laksmana to stand guard. He said Please stand guard and do let anyone inside. If anyone enters, that person will be banished forever. Stand guard and be careful.

The sage and Rama went inside a room. The sage aid Rama, I am Time. I have come to remind you that your time on this earth is getting over. You need to return to your celestial kingdom.
Rama said he would do the same.

Brahma then sent the sage Durvasa there. The sage came and met Lakshmana. He said he wanted to meet Rama. Lakshmana said Rama was busy and would come meet him, when he was free.

Durvasa was angry and said He would burn the city of Ayodhya if he was not allowed to go inside.
Lakshmana thought If he was able to save the city from being destroyed, he was fine to take the banishment on his shoulder.

Lakshmana took Durvasa inside. Seeing Durvasa, Time left. Rama greeted Durvasa and asked what he wanted. Durvasa said he was hungry and had not eaten for a year and needed to be fed. Durvasa was fed.

Rama was in a dilemma. If he did not banish Lakshmana he would be known as a person who did not follow his word. If on the contrary he banished Lakshmana, he would be dead.

He asked the sages in the court what to do. They said It was proper for Rama to banish Lakshmana.

Lakshmana said It would be proper to listen to the sages.

Rama had tears in his eyes. All people in the city had wet eyes. Lakshmana took leave of all.  He stepped into the flowing waters of the river Sarayu.

Rama was heartbroken. He said there was no point in leading this life anymore. Bharata said If Rama went, he would leave also.

Rama asked Bharata to send for Shatrughna. Shatrughna crowned his Subahu the king of Mathura and left for Ayodhya.

Messages were sent everywhere that Rama had decided to end his life. Vibhishana with his rakshsas and Sugriva with the vanaras came there.

To Vibhishana Rama said Rule Lanka wisely.

To Hanumana, Rama said As long as people remember me, your name will also be taken.

Hanumana said Wherever your name is taken, I will make myself present there.
Rama said By the boon of Brahma You will be immortal. Till Sun and Moon are shining, you will remain here.
To Jambuvana, Rama said Be young again. If I am on this earth again, I will meet you once more,

Rama divided his kingdom among Lava and Kusha and decided to leave. 

Kingdom divided among sons

Rama ruled the kingdom for eleven thousand years. Slowly Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra passed away.

One day the king of Kaikeya came to Rama and asked for his help. His land was being attacked the Gandharva Lomesha.
Rama called Bharata. He said Go to the land of your mother. Defeat the Gandharva and then make your sons the kings there.

Bharata went there and defeated the gandharvas. The sons of Bharata - Pushkara and Taksha were made kings there.

Sons of Lakshmana, Angada and Chadraketu were also made kings. The kingdom of Malya was given to Angada and Chandraketu got the land of Ahshwa.

Shatrughati and Subahu, sons of Shatrughna took over the kingdom of Mathura.

Ayodhya and Nandigrama was divided between Lava and Kusha. 

Grief of Lava and Kusha

Throwing their veenas. the two brothers fell on the ground. How will we live without you? We know no one else other than you. You fed us when we were hungry. You brought us up and when it is time for us to look after you, you left us.

Rama asked the boys to be sent to Kaushalya. The Queens of Dahsratha consoled the boys. Lakshama, Bharata and Shatrughna went to the boys and tried to console them.

The boys were crying away. Seeing no other option, they called Rama. Rama came and all there were in tears.

Rama then decided to tear open the earth and get Sita back. Brahma seeing this came to Rama and said You are the who takes care of all, why do you destroy the creation.

The sages said to Rama, Do not grieve. Listen to the complete Ramayana again tomorrow. You will feel good.

Early morning, Rama sat in the court and his sons They had stopped at Sita's banishment. They sang the complete song about how Rama would banish Lakshamana.

The sages who had come left pleased with the song. 

Sita enters the nether world

It was a month when the song finished. Rama said - I want to know about you, Who are you?
The boys said We do not know who our father is. Our mother is Sita and we are disciples of Valmiki.

Rama hugged the boys with tears in his eyes. He said Why did I ask Sita to leave Ayodhya? O sage Valmiki, You know all and still do not tell me. Please prove Sita's purity and get her home.

People came rushing. They wanted to see Sita prove her purity.

Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra came there. They asked Rama not to Sita's test again. Once was enough.

Rama said If Sita does not prove herself, the people will talk.

He said to Valmiki - Please go to your ashrama. Sumantra will come with the chariot to fetch Sita.

Valmiki left with Sumantra. Sita wanted to know how Rama had greeted his sons. Valmiki told Sita all that had happened and said She had been asked to give a test again.

Sita took leave off all the people in the ashrama and started for Ayodhya.
Sita slowly entered the court of Rama and touched the feet of Rama.

Valmiki said - I am the son of Chavana and go with the name Valmiki. I know and can vouch for Sita's purity. Do not test Sita. Take her home with your sons.

With folded hands, Rama said I know Sita very well and know about her purity. She went through fire in the presence of the Gods. Do not say anything O sage. Let Sita prove herself again in the court.
To Sita - Rama said, Let Ayodhya see your test once again.

Sita said slowly - I will enter the fire once again. You heard the Gods and brought me back, I lived for years in the abode of a sage and there were days when I went hungry. You still want me to go through the test.? Brahma and your departed father spoke about me to you but you still want me to prove myself. I do not want to live anymore and will enter the nether world. Be my husband in all my lives.

Sita said to the earth - Mother, help this unfortunate daughter of yours.

When Sita said this, the earth split up. A golden throne came up. Mother earth called out to Sita. Sita jumped on the throne.

Rama tried to catch Sita but what he got in his hand was a lock of her hair.

Sita once she was inside the earth, shed the body and as Lakshmi, went back to wait for Rama to come back as Vishnu.  

Song of Ramayana

Rama went back with the horse and completed the sacrifice. Gifts were given to all. Valmiki went their with his disciples. Lava and Kusha were among the disciples. Rama gave seats to all. Valmiki called Lava and Kusha and said - I have taught you who to use weapons. You displayed your skills well and even Rama himself had to face defeat in your hands. I also taught you how to sing and use musical instruments. Tomorrow sing the Ramayana that I taught you. When Rama askes you who are are, say you are my disciples. When in the song you come to the point where Rama has to banish Sita, do not say anything to Rama. Come dressed as hermits.

Early morning, the two boys dressed in bark, came to the court of Rama. They had tied their hair and had a veena in each's hand. Rama asked the two boys to come where the sacrifice had happened. All came to listen to the Ramayana.

Every one was lost in the song of the boys. These were two replicas of Rama who could single handedly fight and win a battle, and also sing a song in a melodious voice.
After the first day's song. Rama asked Lakshmana to reward the boys. Gold was brought for them. Wonderful dresses were brought. The boys said they had no need for this.

Rama asked who had composed this. The boys said This is a song listening to which the childless are blessed with children. The fruits of a sacrifice can be achieved by listening to this. Even before your birth, the great sage Valmiki had composed this song. In Adi Kanda is your birth. In Ayodhya Kanda is your becoming crown prince. On the words of Kaikeyi, the king sent you to the forest. Leaving the people crying, you left for the forest. The king died in shock. His body was preserved in oil. Bharata came and performed the last rites of the king. In Aranya Kanda Sita was taken away by Ravana. In Kishkindhya Kanda Sugriva became king. In Sundar Kanda, the ocean was crossed and in Lanka Kanda, Ravana was killed. Sita had to go through the fire and Vibhishana was made king.

When the boys came to the point where Sita was banished by Rama, they were chocking.

Rama falls

Rama was grieving for his brothers when Lava and Kusha decided to return and fight. They shot arrows and the darkness vanished.
It was a fierce battle. Sometimes Rama had to take a step backwards and sometimes the brothers.
Struck by an arrow of the brother, Rama fell on the ground. Rama got up.
Lava shot an arrow and like a noose, the weapon wrapped itself around Rama's neck. Kusha shot an arrow which struck Rama. Rama fell on the ground.

Rama was in pain. The two brothers went to Rama. They started taking Rama's jewels and the crown. Hanumana and Jambuvana, being immortal were senseless, not dying as they were immortal. Taking their prize, the brothers rushed home. They decided to take Hanumana and Jambuvana as their prisoners.

Sita was wondering what had happened to her sons when they appeared. Happily they started telling Sita about their battles and how they had defeated Shatrughna, Lakshmana, Bharata and Rama. They also said they had got two prisoners. As they were huge in size, the brothers had not been able to get them inside the hut so had kept them outside. They then started showing the jewels they had got.

Sita recognized the jewels. She started lamenting. What have you done? You have killed your own father. I am want to go see Rama before the vultures swoon down on him.

The two brothers started crying. Coming outside, Sita saw Hanumana and Jambuvana, tied up. Sita said You have done something which you should never have. Hanumana is your elder brother, He jumped and crossed the ocean for me. You have killed your father. I will consume poison and kill myself. I do not want to live this life. Untie Hanumana and Jambuvana immediately.

To Hanumana, Sita said Please Do not tell anyone about this. They did not know who you were which is why they fought you.

Sita then ran to see Rama, with the two brothers behind her. Seeing Rama, she fell down at his feet and said Please forgive your sons who fought you unknowingly.

The two brothers said Mother, You never told us who our father was. How were we to know that we sons of Rama? We have killed our father and will not live this life. We will kill ourselves by jumping into the fire.

Sita said I will enter the fire first and you can do what you want to, after that.

Three fire pyres were built and burnt.

Valmiki had been meditating and saw blood in front of this eyes. He knew he was needed in his ashrama. He immediately rushed and came to the ashrama.

There were jackals and vultures everywhere. He asked Sita what had happened.

Sita said Lava and Kusha fought and killed their father and uncles. You taught them how to use weapons and see what has happened.

Valmiki said Do not worry. Rama and his brothers will come alive. The others who have fallen will also come alive. I will tell you all. Come inside the ashrama with your sons.

He asked Lava and Kusha to sprinkle holy water on all who had fallen. This was an elixir and as soon as the water touched them, the dead people sat up. Sita was relieved to see Rama and his brothers get up. Valmiki asked Sita to go inside with her sons.

Rama saw Valmiki and asked about the two boys, Valmiki asked Rama to go and complete the sacrifice. When it was time, he would come to Rama.