RAMAYANA SCRIPT Vasistha: I understand your concern, King Dasharatha.

There are many things that

Characters:
Narrator 1 – Mariane Mercado
Dasharatha – Kurt Casas
Kausalya – Cybrice Liwag
Kaikeye – Xanthal Dacillo
Sumitra – Marissa Carido
Vasistha – Paul Arellano
Ravana – JR Fragada
Servant 1 – Janel Ramento
Narrator 2 – Lyka Liwag
Rama – Bryce Ladera
Bharatha – Neo De Guzman
Lakshmana – James Bayoneto
Sita – Kyle Lumio
Shurpanakha – Mitch Madrigal
Hanuman – Gabrielle Manalo
can prevent a couple from having children. But there are also many remedies that can
help.
Dasharatha: What can I do?
Vasistha: There are many things you can do. You can change your diet, you can
exercise more, and you can take herbal remedies. But the most important thing you
can do is to pray to the gods.
Dasharatha: I will do all of those things. But I will also pray to the gods. I know
that they will help me.
Vasistha: I am sure they will, King Dasharatha. And I will be here to help you in any
way that I can.

Dasharatha: Thank you, Sage Vasistha. I appreciate your help.

----------------------------Act 1: The Four Sons------------------------------
Narrator 1: Long ago, Dasharatha, the wise king of Ayodhya of Sarayu, India had
three wives, namely, Kausalya, Kaikeye, and Sumitra. Kausalya is his first wife,
Kaikeye is his second and favourite, while the third wife is Sumitra. Though the
King had three wives, he didn’t have any children with them.
Dasharatha: I have been childless for a long time. If this situation stays like this,
who will be the heir of my beloved Kingdom? I can’t just stay like this. Servant!
Servant 1: How can I serve you, my majesty?
Dasharatha: Prepare the chariots for I will travel to the Chief Priest Vasistha to seek
for his advice.
Servant 1: Your order I’ll do, my Highness.
Narrator 2: So, the King went to Vasistha to talk and consult to him. After he
travelled for long, he finally reached Sage Vasistha, who happily welcomed the King
to his place.
Vasistha: You are welcome, King Dasharatha. Now, I recommend that you perform a
ritual to please the gods. This ritual will help to increase your chances of having
children.
Dasharatha: What is the ritual?
Vasistha: The ritual is called the Putrakameshti Yagna. It is a sacrifice that is
performed to please the gods and to ask for their blessings for children.
Dasharatha: I will perform the ritual. I am willing to do anything to have children.
Vasistha: I am glad to hear that, King Dasharatha. I will help you to prepare for the
ritual.
*King Dasharatha leaves*
Vasistha: (to himself) I will do everything I can to help King Dasharatha and his
wives have children. They are good people, and they deserve to have a family.

Vasistha: Good day, my Majesty, here come and take a seat so we can have a
conversation properly.
Dasharatha: Thank you.
Narrator 2: After they sat, the discussion has started.
Dasharatha: Sage Vasistha, I have come to you today to seek your advice. I have
been married to my three wives for many years, but we have not been able to have
any children. I am worried that my line will die with me.
Narrator 1: And so, King Dasharatha and Sage Vasistha began their journey to have
children. They prayed to the gods, they changed their diets, and they exercised more.
And after many years, their prayers were finally answered, and performed the ritual.
Dasharatha: I, King Dasharatha, hereby declare that I will perform the Ashvamedha
Yagna. This is a great sacrifice that will bring glory to my kingdom and ensure the
prosperity of my people.
Vasistha: I, Sage Vasistha, will be honored to conduct this ritual. I will do my best to
ensure that it is performed correctly and that the gods are pleased.
Priests: We, the priests, will assist Sage Vasistha in the performance of the ritual. We
will make sure that all the necessary preparations are made and that the ritual is
performed according to the scriptures.
Royal subjects: We, the royal subjects, pledge our support to King Dasharatha in
this great undertaking. We will pray for the success of the ritual and for the blessings
of the gods.
*The ritual begins*
Narrator 2: The priests chant mantras and make offerings to the gods. King
Dasharatha sacrifices a white horse, and the blood is poured into a fire. The ritual
continues for several days. On the final day, the gods are pleased with the sacrifice.
They appear to King Dasharatha and grant him a boon. One of them appeared out of
the flame and handed him a pot full of nectar. The god told the king to share the
nectar with his three queens Kausalya, Kaikeye, and Sumitra.
God (voice): King Dasharatha, we are pleased with your sacrifice. We grant you a
boon. You will have four sons, who will be great warriors and rulers. They will bring
glory to your kingdom and ensure the prosperity of your people.
Narrator 1: King Dasharatha is overjoyed. He thanks the gods and returns to his
kingdom. The next year, Queen Kausalya gives birth to a son, Rama. Soon after,
Queen Sumitra gives birth to twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Finally, Queen
Kaikeyi gives birth to a son, Bharatha. The four sons of King Dasharatha grow up to
be great warriors and rulers. They bring glory to their kingdom and ensure the
prosperity of their people. The Ashvamedha Yagna was a great success. It brought
glory to King Dasharatha's kingdom and ensured the prosperity of his people. It also
blessed King Dasharatha with four sons, who would go on to become great warriors
and rulers.
---------------------Act 2: The Introduction of Sita-------------------------
Narrator 2: Rama is introduced to Sita, a noble and beautiful princess from Mithila.
The court is held in Ayodhya, where various kings, sages, and ministers are invited to
discuss the welfare of the land.]
Sita: It is an honour to meet you, Rama. I have heard many good things about you.
Rama: And I am equally delighted to meet you, Sita. Your reputation precedes you.
Narrator 1: They speak for a while, with the court commencing soon after. The
guests are welcomed by Dasharatha and his queens. The discussions range from
trade to admiration of Rama's valour. When it was time for Sita to choose her
bridegroom, at a ceremony called a Swayamvara, the princes were asked to string a
giant bow. No one else could even lift the bow. A swayamvara is a ceremony in
which a princess chooses her own husband from among a group of suitors. The
princess is usually the daughter of a king or other powerful ruler, and the suitors are
usually princes or other noblemen. The swayamvara is a public event, and it is often
held in a grand arena or hall. The princess is seated on a throne, and the suitors
approach her one by one. Each suitor must perform a task or challenge, and the
princess chooses the suitor who performs the task the best.
Sita: I am Sita, the daughter of King Janaka. I am here today to choose my husband.
Prince 1: I am Prince 1. I am a brave and strong warrior. I would be honoured to be
your husband.
Prince 2: I am Prince 2. I am a wise and just ruler. I would be a good husband to
you.
Prince 3: I am Prince 3. I am a wealthy and powerful man. I can give you everything
you ever wanted.
Rama: I am Rama, the son of King Dasharatha. I am a simple man, but I am also a
good man. I would love to be your husband.
Narrator 2: Sita looks at each of the princes. She is impressed by their strength,
their wisdom, and their wealth. But a ceremony must be performed first, and the
swayamvara is started.
Sita: I will choose the suitor who can string this bow and shoot an arrow through this
target.
Narrator 2: The princes approach the bow. They are all strong and skilled archers,
but none of them can string the bow. Rama steps forward. He is young and
inexperienced, but he is strong and determined. He takes the bow in his hands and
strings it with ease. He then takes an arrow and shoots it through the target. The
princess is impressed. She has never seen anyone string the bow so easily or shoot an
arrow so accurately. She knows that Rama is the one for her.
Sita: I choose Rama to be my husband.
Narrator 1: The other princes are disappointed, but they accept Sita's decision.
Rama is overjoyed. He has found the woman of his dreams. Rama and Sita are
married in a grand ceremony. They live happily ever after.
----------------------------Act 3: The Next King------------------------------
Narrator 2: Time had passed, King Dasharatha had grown old and the time had
come to choose his successor. Dasharatha had three wives and four sons, but not all
were eligible to become the next king. The search was on for the worthiest candidate.
*Scene opens with King Dasharatha sitting on his throne. A council of ministers
stands before him*
Dasharatha: I have given this matter much thought. My eldest son, Rama, is the best
among the four. He has proven his worthiness in battles, he is intelligent, kind-
hearted and greatly respected by people. (Pauses) Hence, Rama will be my successor.
*All the ministers nod in agreement except one – Kaikeye*
Kaikeye: (interrupts) My lord, I object. It is true that Rama is capable and noble, but
I believe that my own son Bharatha is more fit to be the next king of Ayodhya.
Dasharatha: (surprised) But why do you say that, my dear Queen?
Kaikeye: (firmly) My son has been brought up in the royal palace, he has had
training in administration, warfare and politics from an early age. I think he would be
the perfect king.
Dasharatha: (shaking his head) You are forgetting one crucial point, Queen Kaikeyi.
Rama is the elder son, and by tradition, he should be the next king. Moreover, the
people of Ayodhya love Rama and look up to him as a great leader.
Kaikeye: (angrily) I don't care about any tradition or people's opinion! I demand that
my son Bharatha be named the next king.
Dasharatha: (sighing) Please understand, my queen. This is not about our personal
feelings, but about the welfare of our kingdom. We must follow the rules and
traditions laid down by our ancestors.
Kaikeye: (tears welling in her eyes) I see... So, it is all about following rules, not
about the love and sacrifice I have given to you all these years. (Pauses) Fine, name
that beloved son of yours as the king and exile Rama to the forest for 14 years.
Dasharatha: (shocked) What? Kaikeye, how can you even suggest such a thing?
Kaikeye: (coldly) It is what I ask for, and I will not budge from my stance.
Narrator 1: Dasharatha looks sad and helpless, knowing the consequences of
breaking a promise made to Kaikeyi in the past. He slowly gets up and leaves the
throne room. The council of ministers looks at each other in confusion, while
Kaikeye storms out in anger.
*Scene transition to Rama, who is standing outside the palace, not aware of what
has happened. Dasharatha enters, looking heartbroken*
Rama: (smiling) Father! What brings you here?
Dasharatha: (voice trembling) My son, I have a terrible message to give you.
Rama: (concerned) What is it, father? You look so troubled.
Dasharatha: (tears streaming down his face) Kaikeye has asked for an undeserved
boon and I have given her a promise in the past. Now she's using it against you. You
must go to the forest for 14 years.
Rama: (shocked) What? This is unbelievable! Father, you cannot be serious.
Dasharatha: (nodding) I'm truly sorry, my son. Forgive me for having to do this.
Narrator 2: Then, Bharatha, the second son, went to visit his elder brother and their
father.
Bharata: Father, I have just received word that you are ill. I have come to see how I
may serve you.
Dasharatha: My son, I am not ill. I am well, but I have something to tell you.
Bharata: What is it, father?
Dasharatha: I have made a mistake. Many years ago, I promised Kaikeyi a boon.
She has now come to claim it.
Bharata: What is the boon, father?
Dasharatha: She has asked that you be crowned king in my place. She has also
asked that Rama be banished to the forest for fourteen years.
Bharata: This is madness! Why would you do such a thing?
Dasharatha: I know it is madness, but I have no choice. I must honor my promise.
Bharata: I will not allow this to happen! I will not let you banish Rama!
Dasharatha: You cannot stop me, Bharata. This is my decision.
Bharata: Then I will go with Rama. I will not leave him alone in the forest.
Dasharatha: No, Bharata. You must stay here. You are the rightful heir to the throne.
You must rule Ayodhya in my place.
Bharata: I cannot do this, father. I cannot leave Rama.
Dasharatha: You must, Bharata. This is what I ask of you.
Bharata: I will not abandon my brother. I will not leave him alone.
Dasharatha: Please, Bharata. For my sake.
Bharata: Very well, father. I will stay here and rule Ayodhya in your place. But I will
not forget Rama. I will come for him as soon as the fourteen years are over.
Dasharatha: Thank you, Bharata. I knew I could count on you.
Bharata: I will not let you down, father.

Bharata: Brother, I cannot bear to see you leave. But I cannot disobey our father's
wishes either.

Rama: Fear not, Bharata. I shall return to Ayodhya when my exile has ended.

Sita: And I shall be by your side, Rama. Lakshmana and I will be your faithful
companions.

Narrator 1: Rama, who is still trying to process the information, looks at his father
with pain and sadness in his eyes. King Dasharatha is heartbroken by this decision,
but he knows that he cannot go back on his word. He orders Rama to be exiled, and
he makes Bharata king. Rama accepts his fate, and he leaves Ayodhya with
Lakshmana. Bharata is reluctant to be king, but he knows that he must obey his
father's wishes. He stays in Ayodhya and tries to rule wisely and justly.

------------------------Act 4: The Forest Banishment-----------------------