This is a special excerpt from the book คุยเฟื่องเรื่องรามเกียรติ์ (Chats on the Ramakien) by โกวิท ตั้งตรงจิตร (Kowit Tangtrongjit). It’s one of my favorite popular editions of the Thai Ramayana. I’ve chosen it because it’s a concise narrative of how the four princes (Rama, Bharata, Laksmana and Satrughna) came to be, and their relationship to Sita, Ravana and Mandodari. For post-conception details on that, though, you will need to wait for the next post!
As usual, I’ve included the Thai originals of the quoted verses.
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After many years of ruling the city of Ayutthaya, Thao Thosarot felt he ought to make preparations for his immanent death. It would be necessary for a royal heir to be established as the next ruler of the kingdom. He ordered his army to invite various siddhas and tapasvins with great insight and wisdom to the kingdom for a consultation. Their strong powers would be needed to conduct a sacrifice for a royal heir who would be capable of destroying the night-roaming demons.
Once the sages had been assembled, the king greeted them with honor and informed them of his desire for an heir to whom he could pass the kingship. [However, he would have to have enough power to destroy the demons who threatened the lineage.] The sages suggested that he invite Kalaikot, the great rishi of the kingdom of Romapad. His expertise in ritual matters would make it possible for him to fulfill the king’s desire.
Thao Thosarot welcomed this suggestion, and requested that the sages join him on the trip to Kalaikot’s ashram to help him ask the favor.
The next morning, the king’s procession left Ayutthaya. They finally reached Romapad. The king paid respect to Kalaikot, who was then told of the king’s desire for a royal son who would destroy the demons and be a cool parasol and giver of happiness to the world. Kalaikot responded with delight that he would conduct the ceremony inviting Narai to send an avatar capable of obliterating the evil demons. He invited the king to stay for a while in the palace. When Kalaikot was ready, he would go to Ayutthaya to bestow his blessings.
Seven days later, Kalaikot took leave of lovemaking with his lovely wife Arunawati. He explained that he would be conducting a ceremony in Ayutthaya. Once he finished, he would hurry back to delight in pleasure once more. [A renunciate is allowed to be with his wife for his entire life.] However, the same behavior is not proper for a Buddhist monk, for it is a great sin.
Kalaikot of the lovely wife along with four other sages flew through the sky to Ayutthaya. They informed the king that, for such a large ceremony, they would first have to visit Lord Isuan in the heavens. [They would ask?] Lord Narai to quell the sorrows of this age of distress. Once they had finished, they soared straight across the sky to Mount Kailat. The five sages entered the court of the Self-Born Lord and offered their respects. They then requested that Lord Narai incarnate himself to defeat the demons who wandered about creating chaos. The entirety of heaven and earth begged the Head of the World to have mercy. The Trident-Bearer sent the king of Maghawan with the royal edict for Lord Narai to come immediately.
Not long after the king of Maghawan had left, Lord Narai arrived with the goddess Laksami in the court of the Lord of the World. They received their orders. Narai requested that Laksami incarnate herself as Sita and that his weapons, including the great serpent upon which he rested to be born in the royal line of humans as well. Lord Isuan declared,
ยุกนี้ก็แจ้งมาแต่ก่อน
[In this age to come?]
ว่าโลกจะเดือดร้อนไปภายหน้า
The world will boil with strife
จึงจัดฝูงเทพโยธา
Let the army of the gods
ไปคอยช่วยเข่นฆ่าราวี
Assist in the furious battle
ล้วนกำเนิดเกิดในประยูรวงศ์
Let them all be born
พงศ์พญาพานรเรืองศรี
To the noble lineage of the glorious apes
ทั้นชมพูขีดขินธานี
In the kingdoms of Chomphu and Khitkhin
แต่ละคนย่อมปรีชาชาญ
Merely acting like beings of insignificance
เจ้าไปเถิดเกิดเป็นกษัตริย์
And may you [Narai] be born a king
สุริยวงศ์จักรพรรดิมหาศาล
Of the solar line of universal emperors
ทรงนามพระรามอวตาร
By the name of the avatar Ram
ในสถานกรุงศรีอยุธยา
In the kingdom of Ayutthaya
จักรเป็นพระพรตยศยง
Let your discus be Phrot, he of enduring glory
ถัดองค์พระนารายณ์เชษฐา
The one next in glory to Phra Narai
ฝ่ายสังข์บัลลังก์นาคา
The conch and his serpent couch
เป็นพระลักษมณ์อนุชาฤทธิรอน
Shall be Lak, the mighty younger brother
อันซึ่งคทาวราวุธ
As for the mace
เป็นพระสัตรุดชาญสมร
He will be Satrut the beloved
องค์พระลักษมีบังอร
Lady Laksami
ไปเกิดในนครลงกา
Will be born in the kingdom of Longka
ชื่อว่าสีดานงลักษณ์
Her name will be Sita, the distinguised lady
เป็นบุตรทศพักตร์ยักษา
She will be the daughter of the ten faced demon
จงไปศรีสวัสดิ์วฒนา
She will flourish
อย่ามีโรคาเพทภัย ฯ
Without suffering a single flaw
Furthermore, another group of gods begged the Lord of the World to be incarnated as the monkeys soldiers under the Eighteen Generals to assist Lord Narai in defeating the lineage of the evil demons. The names of the divine volunteers in the battle against the demons filled 77 ledgers. These were gods of the highest heavens who were not content, as their lives were too comfortable. They wanted to be born as monkeys. Humans likewise wish to be born as gods and, accordingly, hurry to do good deeds and give alms.
Lord Isuan was delighted that the gods had volunteered wholeheartedly to join the battle against the demons. He offered them a boon:
ถึงมาตรยักษาจะฆ่าตาย
Even if you are slain by the demons
พระพายพัดจงคืนชีวี
The breeze of Lord Phay will restore you to life
Kalaikot and his party were extremely happy that they had received such grace from the Lord of the World. He hurried back to Ayutthaya along with the four sages and informed the king of what had happened. A ritual hall was prepared, with nine huge rooms equipped with royal flags, white umbrellas and all the goods required for the sacrifice. They then began the sacrifice. After they had recited the Vedas in unison for four days, the earth shook and a flame like a beam of light appeared. A strong-bodied demon appeared, bearing on his head a golden tray with four balls of divine rice. Its fragrance wafted throughout the ten directions, reaching all the way to the island of Longka, where Nang Montho smelled it and craved for a taste. She went to her husband, the ten-headed king of the demons, and informed him of her desire. She told him, “If my will is not done, I will die.” The ten-headed demon king sent Kakanasun to fly in search of the origin of the scent, promising her a rich reward if she could procure the substance.
Nang Kakanasun received her orders and hurried outside, where she transformed herself into a gigantic, monstrous crow and flew into the clouds. She scanned the ground as she flew, following the scent, and before long, she saw the grand ceremonial hall of the city of Ayutthaya. The crow demoness swooped straight down like a jet dropping bombs. However, her ferocious nosedive was in order to shatter the roof of the ritual pavilion. The sages broke from their rows in shock, leaping and fleeing in an effort to save themselves. The demoness seized half a ball of divine rice from the platter and returned to give the prize to the lord of Longka. Nang Montho ate the rice with great pleasure.
King Thosarot’s three wives ate their rice balls as well. In accordance with the wishes of Isuan, the supreme being, the queens conceived. At the auspicious moment, Narai entered the womb of Kaosurya. The discus then entered the womb of Kaikesi, and the mace and shell/serpent couch that of the lovely lady Samut. Laksami of the elegant gait entered the womb of Nang Montho, wife of the evil demon.
Ten months later, at the silent hour of midnight, under a haloed moon, Queen Kaosuriya gave birth to the Discus Bearer. His skin was green. At dawn, Queen Kaikesi gave birth to a son with ruby-red skin. After nine o’clock [?] Queen Samut gave birth to a son who was yellow as if he were gilt. An hour later, she gave birth to another son, but his skin was purple. The sage from the sacrifice requested the children, as it was time for them to receive their names. The best of them, the one who was the avatar of Lord Narai, he named Ram. The second he named Phrot. The third became Lak and the fourth Satrut.
(The king and four sages invite the deer-headed ascetic Kalaikot to the ceremony.)
