ACK-031: Valmiki's Ramayana; & ACK-032: The Bridegroom's Ring

According to Hinduism and Hindu mythology, Valmiki is the name of a famous maharishi (the great sage) who wrote the Ramayana. The Ramayana is one of the two most famous Hindu epics, the other is the Mahabharata.

About Valmiki

Early Life

Maharishi Valmiki was born as Ratnakara to sage Prachetasa. At a very young age, Ratnakara went into the forest and got lost. A hunter, who was passing by, saw Ratnakara and took him under his own care. Under the love and care of his foster parents, Ratnakara forgot his original parents. Under his father's guidance, Ratnakara turned out to be an excellent hunter. As he approached marriageable age, Ratnakara was married to a beautiful girl from hunter's family.

Turning into a Robber

As his family grew larger, Ratnakara found it next to impossible to feed them. As a result, he took to robbery and began looting people passing from one village to another.

Meeting with Narada and Transformation

One day, the great sage Narada, while passing through the jungle, was attacked by Ratnakara. As Narada played his Veena and sang praises of the Lord, he saw a transformation coming over Ratnakara. Then, he asked Ratnakara whether the family, for whom he was robbing others, will partake in his sins also. Ratnakara went to ask the same question to his family and on being refused by all his family members, he went back to sage Narada. Narada taught him the sacred name of 'Rama' and asked him to sit in meditation, chanting the name of Rama, till the time Narada came back.

Ratnakara followed the instructions and kept sitting in a meditative posture for years, during which his body got completely covered by an anthill. At last, Narada came to see him and removed all the anthills from his body. Then, he told Ratnakara that his tapasya (meditation) paid off and the God was pleased with him. Ratnakara was bestowed with the honor of a Brahmarshi and given the name of Valmiki, since he was reborn from the Valmika (the ant-hill).

Receiving Lord Rama

One day, Valmiki had the fortuity of receiving Lord Rama's wife Sita (later gave birth to her twins Lav & Kusha in his ashram), later Lord Rama and his brother Lakshman at his ashram. On Valmiki's suggestion, Lord Rama built his hut on Chitrakuta hill, near the ashram.

Writing Ramayana

Narada visited Maharishi Valmiki in his ashram once and there, he narrated the story of Lord Rama. Thereafter he received a vision from Brahma in which the Lord instructed him to write Ramayana in slokas, which the sage readily followed.


Srimad Valmiki Ramayana is an epic poem of India which narrates the journey of Virtue to annihilate vice. Sri Rama is the Hero and aayana His journey. In India, there is believe that Sri Rama lived in Treta Yug, millennia BC.

Srimad Valmiki Ramayana is composed of verses called Sloka, in Sanskrit language, which is an ancient language from India and a complex meter called Anustup. These verses are grouped into individual chapters called Sargas, wherein a specific event or intent is told. These chapters or sargas are grouped into books called Kaandas where Kaanda means the inter-node stem of sugar cane, or also a particular phase of the story or an event in the course of story telling.

Srimad Valmiki Ramayana contains 24,000 verses or [sloka] arranged into numerous cantos [sarga], which are contained in six Kaandas or Books, and they are:
Bala Kanda ( Book of Youth) [77 chapters]
Ayodhya Kanda (Book of Ayodhya) [119 chapters]
Aranya Kanda (Book of Forest ) [75 chapters]
Kishkindha Kanda (The Empire of Holy Monkeys) [67 chapters]
Sundara Kanda ( Book of Beauty ) [68 chapters]
Yuddha Kanda ( Book of War ) [131 chapters]

Many many thanks to an “Unknown friend” for providing ACK scan.

*In future try to provide better version of this ACK.

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An out of print ACK

Many many thanks to “Ajay Misra” for providing this ACK scan.

ACK-029:The Ancestors of Rama; & ACK-030: The Celestial Necklace

Rama's Ancestry

The Sun Dynasty or Solar Dynasty or Suryavansha is one of the most prominent dynasties in the history of Hinduism, along with the "Chandravansha" or Lunar Dynasty.

"Suryavanshi" means a person belonging to this dynasty. This clan was the eldest and the most prosperous in ancient India till the rise of Magadh in the 6th century BC. Ayodhya, the city founded by Vaivasvata Manu son of Vivasvan or Vaivasvata, was their capital.

The full lineage from Brahma is given in the Ramayana by Valmiki, other important sources are the Mahabharat, the Ramayana , the Bhagwat Purana & the Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa

The List of Monarchs

The following is the list, in chronological order, of the monarchs of the solar dynasty. Most of them were rulers of Ayodhya and therefore, Kings of Kosala.

According to Bhagwat Purana, Brahma created sage 10 sages using his mental powers -Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaka, Kratu, Vasishtha, Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, Nārada., one of whom was Marichi.

Kashyapa, the son of Marichi and Kala, is regarded as the father of humanity. His sons from Aditi, the sky goddess, and the daughter of Daksha Prajapati are called Adityas (Sons of Aditi), they were, Aṃśa, Aryaman, Bhaga, Dhūti, Mitra, Pūṣan, Śakra, Savitṛ, Tvaṣṭṛ, Varuṇa, Viṣṇu, and Vivasvat or Vivasvan.

Vivasvan or Vaivasvata (one of the sons of Lord Sun) - the Sun God, progenitor of the clan. His parents were the sage Kashyapa, father of all beings, and Aditi, Aditi's 12 sons, the Adityas, are the sun deities, and both Vivaswan and Aditya mean sun. Therefore another name for Vivaswan is Surya or the Sun, hence the name, Suryavansha. Vivaswan's sons include Shrraaddev and Shanishchar. The river Tapi was named after Vivaswan's sister Tapti.

1. Manu or Vaivasvata Manu - the King of all mankind and the first human being. (According to Hindu belief there are 14 Manvantaras; in each, Manu rules. Vaivasvata Manu was the seventh Manu. Manu is referred to as a Rajan (King) in the Shatapatha Brahmana scripture. He founded the town of Ayodhya. He had nine sons, Vena, Dhrishnu, Narishyan, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha, Saryati, Prishadhru, Nabhagarishta and one daughter, Ila, who was married to Budha of the Lunar Dynasty). He left the kingdom to the eldest male of the next generation, Ikshvaku, who was actually the son of Manu's brother Shraaddev.
2. Ikshvaku - the first prominent monarch of this dynasty, giving the dynasty its another name the Ikshvaku dynasty. He had one hundred sons. Fifty of them ruled Uttarapath (Northern India) and fifty ruled Dakshinapath (Southern India).
3. Vikukshi - He is said to have eaten the meat of a rabbit at the time of Shraddha and was known as Shasad. (Some records claim him to be grandson of Ikshvaku.) His son was Kakuthsa or Puranjay.
4. Kakutstha or Puranjaya - He was a brave king and fought in the Devasur Sangram. His original name was Puranjaya. But after he annihilated Asuras (demons) while sitting on the hump (Kukud) of a bull, he was known as Kakuthstha, which means seated on the hump. His dynasty was also known as Kakuthstha after him.
5. Anena or Anaranya
6. Prithu
7. Vishvagashva
8. Ardra or Chandra
9. Yuvanashva I
10. Shravast - He founded the town of Shravasti near Kosala.
11. Vrihadashva
12. Kuvalashva - He killed a Rakshasa named Dhundh. It is said that Dhundhar region and the Dhund river are named after Dhund. Eighteen of Kuvalashva's sons died in the battle with Dhund. Thereafter, Kuvalashva was called "Dhundhumara".
13. Dridhashva
14. Pramod
15. Haryashva I
16. Nikumbh
17. Santashva
18. Krishasva
19. Prasenjit I - His daughter Renuka was married to sage Jamdgni. She was mother of Parashurama.
20. Yuvanashva II - He was married to Gori, daughter of the Chandravanshi king Matinaar.
21. Mandhata - He became a famous and Chakravarti (ideal universal ruler) king. He defeated most of the other kings of his time. He married Bindumati, a daughter of the Chandravanshi king.
22. Purukutsa - He performed the Ashwamedha Yajna (horse sacrifice). He married Nagkanya "Narmada". He helped Nagas in their war against the Gandharvas.
23. Traddasyu
24. Sambhoot
25. Anaranya II
26. Trashdashva
27. Haryashva II
28. Vasuman
29. Tridhanva
30. Tryyaruna
31. Satyavrata or Trishanku - His original name was Satyavrata, but he committed three (tri) sins, and hence got the name Trishanku. First, while he was a prince, he misbehaved and was temporarily exiled from the kingdom. Next, he killed the milch cow of his preceptor Vasishta. His third sin was that he used the unsanctified meat of his kill as food. Trishanku also had a desire to ascend to heaven in his mortal body. After Vashistha refused him this boon, since it is against nature to ascend into heaven as a mortal, the sage Vishwamitra, Vashistha's rival, created another heaven for him, called "Trishanku's Heaven", and located in mid-air. His sons were Dhundumara, and Harishchandra, who was borh of the princess of "Kaikaya" named "Satyaraksha".
32. Harishchandra - He is known for his honesty, truth and devotion to duty or Dharma.
33. Rohitashva - He was the son of Harishchandra. He founded town of Rohtas Garh in Rohtas district, Bihar and Rohtak, originally Rohitakaul, meaning from the Kul (family) of Rohit
34. Harit
35. Chanchu
36. Vijay
37. Ruruk
38. Vrika
39. Bahu or Asit - He was attacked and defeated by another clan of Kshatriyas. After this, he left Ayodhya and went to the Himalaya mountains to live as an ascetic with his queens. At that time Yadavi queen was pregnant with Sagara.
40. Sagara - He recaptured Ayodhya from the "Haihaya" and "Taljanghi" Kshtriyas. He then attempted to perform the horse sacrifice, Ashwamedha Yajna. However, the sacrificial horse was stolen by the god Indra on the south eastern shores of the ocean, which was at that time an empty bed with no water in it. At least sixty of Sagara's sons died attempting to recover the horse, also causing great destruction by their reckless search. Puranic legends say the number of his sons was 60 thousand.
41. Asmanja - Sagara's surviving son was not made king due to his bad conduct.
42. Anshuman - He was the grandson of Sagara, and his successor as king. He did penance in an attempt to bring the holy river Ganges to earth, that she might wash away the sins of his ancestors.
43. Dileepa I - He also tried to bring Ganges to earth, but also failed.
44. Bhagiratha - Sagara's great-grandson, after strenuous penances, at last succeeded in bringing Ganga down from heaven. When she flowed over the remains of his ancestors, their souls were redeemed, and the ocean was refilled. Ganga also bears the name "Bhagirathi", in honour of his deed.
45. Shrut
46. Nabhag
47. Ambarish - According to Buddhist legends, he went to Tapovana to be a renunciant but after a public outcry returned and ruled for some time.
48. Sindhu Dweep
49. Pratayu
50. Shrutuparna
51. Sarvakama
52. Sudaas
53. Saudas or Mitrasah - He performed the Ashwamedha Yajna, but as the rituals were concluding a Rakshasa tricked him into serving human meat to Brahmin,s including Rishi Vashishta. He was then cursed by the Brahmins. He wanted to curse them back, but his wife prevented him. He spent twelve years in exile in the forest.
54. Sarvakama II
55. Ananaranya III
56. Nighna
57. Raghu I
58. Duliduh
59. Khatwang Dileepa
60. Raghu II or Dirghbahu - He was a famous king, who conquered most of India. The great epic Raghuvamsa describes his victories. After him the Sun dynasty was also known as the dynasty of Raghu or Raghu Vansha.
61. Aja
62. Dasaratha
63. Rama - He is considered the seventh Avatar of the god Vishnu. He is worshiped by every Hindu. Rama's story before he became king of Ayodhya is recounted in the Ramayana. After he ascended the throne, he performed the Ashwamedha Yajna. Bharata, his younger brother, won the country of Gandhara and settled there, where his two sons, Taksha and Pushkal, founded the cities of Taksashila and Pushkalavati, now known as Taxila and Peshawar. Rama's third brother, Lakshmana, founded Lakshmanpur, now known as Lucknow, and his youngest brother Shatrughna, Lakshmana's twin, was given Madhura which is now known as Mathura.

Sumitra - He was the last king (118^th) of Ayodhya from solar dynasty. In the fourth century BC, emperor Mahapadma Nanda of the Nanda Dynasty forced Sumitra to leave Ayodhya. He went to Rohtas with his sons. His son Kurma established his rule over Rohtas.

Above motioned Information based on Wikipedia, but modified with help some more authentic sources.

Many many thanks to “Ajnaabi” for providing ACK scan.

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An ACK based on JAIN STORY

Many many thanks to “Ajay Misra” for providing this ACK scan.

T-1:Tinkle 256 - Folktales of south India; ACK- ; ACK-027: Gopal the jester; & ACK-028: Mystery of the missing gifts

Update: One more ACK added. Today Ajay send another ACK & requested to post for forthcoming my kids Birthday.

Today Birthday of Ajay Misra.

Dear Ajay!

In soft gleaming night of stars,
May all your dreams come true.
May every star of every night,
Bring peace and joy to you.
Happy Birthday to you.

Many many happy returns of Day!

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3rd October Birthday of my twins, daughter "Aastha" & son "Harsha", that is why presenting two different series by same publisher. Hope you also like the IDEA.

Some good things come

in pairs........
Like the two of you!
Here's wishing a very
Happy 8th Birthday,
to the terrific twins.....
Aastha
n
Harsha

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Tinkle is an Indian monthly comic Indian magazine, published in several Indian languages. Originally owned by the India Book House, the Tinkle brand was acquired by ACK Media in 2007. The Magazine combines comics, puzzles, quizzes, contest and other features in a unique mix targeted at school children. It is published in English and syndicated in many Indian languages.

Anant Pai was the founding editor of the magazine, who became popular among its readership as Uncle Pai. He also launched the popular ACK series.

The first issue was printed in 1980, and more than 600 issues have been printed so far. The magazine carries comic stories and regular columns of interest to school children. Tinkle enjoys great popularity, and has been an integral part of growing up in India in the last two decades. Characters like Suppandi and Shikari Shambu that appeared first in the pages of the magazine have nation wide recognition. Readers send more than 200 letters with stories and other features to be considered for printing in the magazine. The wholesome combination of educational and entertainment that defines Tinkle has many celebrity fans in India, including the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Sourse of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinkle

Download Comics (9.31 MB)

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An interesting ACK

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An out of print ACK

Download Comics (4.95 MB)

Many many thanks to “Ajay Misra” for providing ACK scans.

ACK-026:The Sons of Rama

This title is based on Uttara-Ramacharita of Bhavabhuti. He was an 7th century scholar of India noted for his plays and poetry, written in Sanskrit. His plays are considered equivalent to the works of Kalidas. Bhavabhuti was born in a Deshastha Brahmin family of Padmapura, Vidarbha, central India, in Gondia district, on Maharashtra and MP border. His real name was Srikantha Nilakantha, and he was the son of Nilakantha and Jatukarni.

Uttararamacharita by Bhavabhuti (seventh century) deals with the history of Rama's later life, beginning with his coronation, the abandonment of Sita, and their final reunion. Bhavabhuti says he has only given a dramatic form to the Ramayanakatha of Valmiki. It is true that the main characters and events in this play are drawn from the Valmiki Ramayana, but the changes in characters and happenings Bhavabhuti has made, including the happy end, cannot all be ascribed to the demands of the dramatic form. Bhavabhuti has, in fact, presented the Rama story with a new motivation within an overall design implying purposeful art.

Many many thanks to “LMP” for providing ACK scan.

ACK-025:Garuda

Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila. The Garuda (Sanskrit: Garuḍa, Pāli Garuḷa) is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature, the king of birds, that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.

Garuda is one of the three principal animal deities in the Hindu Mythology that has evolved after the Vedic Period in Indian history. The other two are Ganesha, the elephant-headed and Hanuman, the monkey god. Thailand and Indonesia uses the garuḍa as its national symbol. It is after Garuda that the Indonesian National Airlines is named. Even today, Garuda is much revered by devout Hindus for his ethics and his strength in applying his ethics to correct evil-doers.

The story of Garuda's birth and deeds is told in the first book of the great epic Mahabharata. In Hindu mythology, a Garuda is a lesser Hindu divinity, usually the mount (vahanam) of Vishnu. Garuda is depicted as having a golden body, white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak, but with a man's body. He wears a crown on his head. He is ancient and has size enough to block out the sun.

His stature in Hindu religion can be gauged by the fact that an independent Upanishad, the Garudopanidad, and a Purana, the Garuda Purana, is devoted to him. Various names have been attributed to Garuda - Chirada, Gaganeshvara, Kamayusha, Kashyapi, Khageshvara, Nagantaka, Sitanana, Sudhahara, Suparna, Tarkshya, Vainateya, Vishnuratha and others. The Vedas provide the earliest reference of Garuda, though by the name of Śyena, where this mighty bird is said to have brought nectar to earth from heaven. The Puranas, which came into existence much later, mention Garuda as doing the same thing, which indicates that Śyena (Sanskrit for Eagle) and Garuda are the same. One of the faces of Śrī Pañcamukha Hanuman is Mahavira Garuda. This face points towards the west. Worship of Garuda is believed to remove the effects of poisons from one's body. In Tamil Vaishnavism Garuda and Hanuman are known as "Periya Thiruvadi" and "Siriya Thiruvadi" respectively.

In the Bhagavad-Gita (Ch.10, Verse 30), in the middle of the battlefied "Kurukshetra", Krishna explaining his omnipresence, says - "Of birds, I am the son of Vineeta (Garuda)" indicating the importance of Garuda.

Garuda plays an important role in Krishna Avatar in which Krishna and Satyabhama ride on Garuda to kill Narakasura. On another occasion, Lord Hari rides on Garuda to save the devotee Elephant Gajendra. It is also said that Garuda's wings when flying will chant the Vedas.

Many many thanks to “Ajnaabi” for providing ACK scan.