Valmiki brought Sita to his abode and took every care of her. After the expiration of nine months, she was delivered of twin sons at midday, as bright as the sun, when the wives of the Rishis came and helped her in her confinement. The first-born son was the younger, and the second-born was the elder. The disciples of Valmiki went and informed the Rishi of the birth of the two sons. Whereupon Valmiki immediately came to his abode and performed the necessary ceremonies.

He sprinkled water over the younger son with a kusha (grass) and named him Kusha after it. The elder son having been placed on lavas (a rush-like grass), the Rishi, in like manner, sprinkled water over him and called him Lava.

When the two sons became eight years old, the Rishi performed their Vratabandha (the ceremony of investing a boy with the sacred thread) and entertained the Rishis for four days. A Kamadhenu, or wish-fulfilling cow, supplied them with whatever they wanted. The Rishi taught them the Vedas, mantras, Ramayana, the Puranas, and Dhanurvidya (the science of archery). They thoroughly mastered all sciences and arts and always played with the sons of the Rishis.

When they became ten years old, they went on hunting excursions and brought home the animals killed by them. One day Kusha killed a sage on the top of a mountain, who was a brother of Valmiki. The sage was meditating there in the form of a deer. They dragged the corpse of the sage towards the abode of Valmiki, when the latter asked them on the road what they were doing.

“We have brought a deer for you,” replied they, “and shall make a seat of its skins for you.” Valmiki, having looked at the corpse, found that it was his brother and said to himself, “Now both the boys have become very brave. They have even killed a Brahman.” So saying to himself, Valmiki performed the funeral ceremony of his brother and informed Sita of the valour of her sons, when she said, “What do I know? It is you who have taught them Dhanurvidya, mantras, arts, and all sciences. I implore you, Papa, to free them from the sin.”

“Unless they bring one thousand Brahma-kamals (lotuses),” replied Valmiki, “and worship the god Shiva with all their heart and soul, they will not be freed from the sin.”

“Papa, will you kindly tell us where those kamals can be had?” enquired the boys. “We will immediately bring them here.”

“There is a lake called Brahmasarovar near Ayodhya,” continued Valmiki, “but a number of warriors are posted by Rama to watch it. Those kamals are used by Rama for the worship of Shiva.”

“Pooh!” said the boys, “we shall immediately bring those kamals. Let there be hundreds of brave warriors to watch the lake; we shall punish them and even capture Rama.” So saying, they hastened to the lake.

Kusha went and plucked all the kamals, when the warriors came upon him; but Lava killed many of them. Those who had escaped went and informed Rama of what the boys had done. Rama was greatly surprised and praised the valour of the boys.

Lava and Kusha brought the kamals and worshipped Shiva as directed by Valmiki, and thus they were freed from the sin they had committed in killing the Brahman.

One day, while both the boys were shampooing the feet of their mother, Kusha asked her, “In what country were we born? What is the name of the country, what is our race, and who is our father?”

“Rama, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna,” replied Sita, “are sons of Dasharatha, who was the king of Ayodhya and belonged to the Solar Race. Rama, the eldest son of the king, is your father. I am left in this forest alone because a washerman scandalized your father on my account.” So saying, she shed tears, when both the boys became enraged at Rama and consoled their mother.

Owing to the injustice done by Rama to Sita, there was a terrible famine in Ayodhya for twelve years. The people and animals suffered much. The rain fell in torrents. Rama was alarmed and asked the Rishi Vashistha what the cause of the famine was, when the latter replied, “You have unjustly left Sita in the forest, although she is a paragon of virtue; and this is the cause of the famine. In order to put it down, you must celebrate an Ashwamedha Yagna (horse-sacrifice).”

[A horse-sacrifice is a rite in which a monarch lets loose a horse with a patrika (letter) on its forehead stating that any ruler whose dominion the horse enters must either capture it and fight its master, or submit and pay tribute. Wherever the horse roams, the monarch follows with armies. After all rival kings are subdued, the horse is either slain or released. The rite purifies the monarch and declares him sovereign.]

Whereupon Rama erected a mandap (hall) on the bank of the river Sharayu, one yojana in length, and invited all kings to the ceremony — including Vibhishan, Sugriva, Nala, Nila, Maruti, Sharab, Govaksha, and all other monkeys.

Rama, having performed the necessary ceremonies, brought the best horse, called Shamakarna, from his stable and made it stand in the mandap. Vashistha tied to its forehead a golden patrika (inscribed plate) and wrote on it the following words:

“Rama, the king of Ayodhya, son of Dasharatha, has let the Shamakarna loose. It is guarded by six billion warriors under the command of Shatrughna. Any king who is powerful and mighty must capture the horse and fight with its owner; if unable, he must submit to Rama and pay tribute.”

Rama worshipped Shamakarna and appointed Shatrughna as commander-in-chief of the six billion warriors who followed the horse. Rama performed the necessary yagna for many days in the mandap, strongly guarded by Sugriva, Vibhishan, and Maruti. Lakshman, Bharat, and Sumantra supplied him with all that was needed for the purpose.

Shatrughna conquered fifty-six kings of vast realms, who submitted to him and, having paid tribute to Rama, followed the prince.

The Shamakarna of Rama then galloped on the road near the abode of Valmiki. The Rishi had gone to Patal (the under-world) to attend a yagna performed by Varuna. Before leaving, he had told the boys to guard his hermitage during his absence.

Both the young boys were playing with their companions near the hermitage when Shamakarna galloped by. Lava showed the animal to his playmates and, pulling off the patrika from the horse’s forehead, read its contents. He laughed at what he had read and said, “Is Rama the only mighty king on earth? Pooh! I shall capture this horse, and let me see who will come to fight and recover it.”

So saying, he tied the animal to a plantain tree. All the children of the Rishis were alarmed and said, “No doubt this horse belongs to a king. How dare you capture it? If the king comes here and asks who has detained the horse, I will surely give your name.” until next time, Jai Shree Ram!

|| OM SAI SHRI SAI JAI JAI SAI || 

|| SHRI SATCHIDANANDA SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI ||

Note: This narration is based on Ramavijaya: The Mythological History of Rama (Bombay, 1891, Dubhashi & Co.), a public domain text shared here for free reading.

The text follows the Marathi Ramavijaya and not the Sanskrit Valmiki Ramayana, where the twin sons are always named Lava (elder) and Kusha (younger); the inversion of order and the names Lahu/Kusha reflect local oral tradition.

Also, Brahma-kamal and Brahmasarovar (Kurukshetra region) are later additions in regional tellings. The episode symbolizes purification of karmic sin through devotion (Shiva-bhakti as atonement).