The story of Rama up until his encounter with Lord Hanuman is told in this Dasakam.

गीर्वाणैरर्थ्यमानो दशमुखनिधनं कोसलेष्वृश्यशृङ्गे
पुत्रीयामिष्टिमिष्ट्वा ददुषि दशरथक्ष्माभृते पायसाग्र्यम् ।
तद्भुक्त्या तत्पुरन्ध्रीष्वपि तिसृषु समं जातगर्भासु जातो
रामस्त्वं लक्ष्मणेन स्वयमथ भरतेनापि शत्रुघ्ननाम्ना ॥१॥

giirvaaNairarthyamaanO dashamukhanidhanaM kOsaleShvR^ishyashR^inge
putriiyaamiShTimiShTvaa daduShi dasharathakshmaabhR^ite paayasaagryam |
tadbhuktyaa tatpurandhriiShvapi tisR^iShu samaM jaatagarbhaasu jaatO
raamastvaM lakshmaNena svayamatha bharatenaapi shatrughna naamnaa || 1

O Lord, you were born in Ayodhya in response to the Devas’ request that you slay the ten-headed demon Ravan. King Dasaratha had Sage Rishyasringa perform a Putrakameshti yaga (sacrifice to get progeny). This yajna awarded the king divine payasam, or rice pudding, which he divided equally among his three queens. Following their consumption, they all conceived , leading to the eventual birth of you and your brothers, Lakshmaṇa, Bharata, and Satrughna.

कोदण्डी कौशिकस्य क्रतुवरमवितुं लक्ष्मणेनानुयातो
यातोऽभूस्तातवाचा मुनिकथितमनुद्वन्द्वशान्ताध्वखेद: ।
नृणां त्राणाय बाणैर्मुनिवचनबलात्ताटकां पाटयित्वा
लब्ध्वास्मादस्त्रजालं मुनिवनमगमो देव सिद्धाश्रमाख्यम् ॥२॥

kOdaNDii kaushikasya kratuvaramavituM lakshmaNenaanuyaatO
yaatO(a)bhuustaatavaachaa munikathita manudvandvashaantaadhva khedaH |
nR^INaaM traaNaaya baaNairmuni vachanabalaat taaTakaaM paaTayitvaa
labdhvaa(a)smaadastra jaalaM munivanamagamO deva siddhaashramaakhyam || 2

O Lord! As directed by your father, King Dasharatha, you and your brother, Lakshmana, went to protect the great yajna (sacrifice) of Sage Vishwamitra while holding the divine bow Kodanda. According to the sage’s advice, you traveled without getting tired or being unsettled by the difficulties. As instructed by the sage, you used your arrows to kill the demon Tataka in order to protect the sages and the populace. You were rewarded by Vishwamitra with powerful celestial weapons. After that, you proceeded to SiddhAshrama, the sacred retreat where the yajna was conducted.

मारीचं द्रावयित्वा मखशिरसि शरैरन्यरक्षांसि निघ्नन्
कल्यां कुर्वन्नहल्यां पथि पदरजसा प्राप्य वैदेहगेहम् ।
भिन्दानश्चान्द्रचूडं धनुरवनिसुतामिन्दिरामेव लब्ध्वा
राज्यं प्रातिष्ठथास्त्वं त्रिभिरपि च समं भ्रातृवीरैस्सदारै: ॥३॥

maariichaM draavayitvaa makhashirasi sharairanyarakshaamsi nighnan
kalyaaM kurvannahalyaaM pathi padarajasaa praapya vaidehageham |
bhindaanashchaandrachuuDaM dhanuravanisutaamindiraameva labdhvaa
raajyaM praatiShThathaastvaM tribhirapi cha samaMbhraatR^iviiraissadaaraiH || 3

O Lord! You killed other rakshasas with your arrows and drove the demon Mahricha away while defending the Yajna. On Your way You blessed Ahalya, changed her to her former form, simply by the touch of Your feet. From there, you arrived at King Janaka’s palace in Mithila. You merely broke the formidable Shiva Dhanus (bow) there and won Ma Sita’s hand, who is actually Lakshmi Devi. Following this union, you returned to Ayodhya and lived contentedly with Sita, Your three brothers, and their spouses. This journey of Lord Ram teaches us to walk with grace, strength, compassion, and values in today’s fast-paced, frequently self-centered world.

आरुन्धाने रुषान्धे भृगुकुल तिलके संक्रमय्य स्वतेजो
याते यातोऽस्ययोध्यां सुखमिह निवसन् कान्तया कान्तमूर्ते ।
शत्रुघ्नेनैकदाथो गतवति भरते मातुलस्याधिवासं
तातारब्धोऽभिषेकस्तव किल विहत: केकयाधीशपुत्र्या ॥४॥

aarundhaane ruShaandhe bhR^igukulatilake sankramayya svatejO
yaate yaatO(a)syayOdhyaaM sukhamiha nivasan kaantayaa kaantamuurte |
shatrughnenaikadaa(a)thO gatavati bharate maatulasyaadhi vaasaM
taataarabdhO(a)bhiShekastava kila vihataH kekayaadhiisha putryaa ||4

O Lord! When the Bhrigu race’s chief, Parashuraama, fiercely opposed you, he was overthrown. After that, he left you with all of his powers. In Ayodhyaa, you lived contentedly with Ma Sita. The daughter of King Kekaya, Kekayee, obstructed your father’s plan to coronate you after Bharat and Shatrughna had traveled to their uncle’s kingdom.

According to this sloka, even though our plans may not work out, there is a greater purpose at work. Despite its difficulty, failure could be a part of something bigger and bigger.

तातोक्त्या यातुकामो वनमनुजवधूसंयुतश्चापधार:
पौरानारुध्य मार्गे गुहनिलयगतस्त्वं जटाचीरधारी।
नावा सन्तीर्य गङ्गामधिपदवि पुनस्तं भरद्वाजमारा-
न्नत्वा तद्वाक्यहेतोरतिसुखमवसश्चित्रकूटे गिरीन्द्रे ॥५॥

taatOktyaa yaatukaamO vanamanuja vadhuusanyutashchaapadhaaraH
pauraanaarudhya maarge guhanilayagatastvaM jaTaachiiradhaarii |
naavaa santiirya gangaamadhi padavi punastam bharadvaajamaaraannatvaa
tadvaakyahetOratisukhamavasashchitrakuuTe giriindre || 5

Lord Rama was prepared to enter the forest with his bow and arrows, his brother Laksmana, and his wife Ma Sita, as instructed by his father, Daśaratha.

He proceeded with a determined step and reached the hut of Guha, the tribal chief and his adored disciple, despite the citizens’ best efforts to stop him. Lord Rama traveled across the sacred Ganga River in a boat while wearing bark clothing and sporting matted hair.
As instructed by the sage Bharadvaja, he went to live with Ma Sits and Lakshman in the beautiful mountain of Chitrakuuta, where he offered sacrifices to Him.
We learn the value of dharma (duty) over comfort or desire from Lord Rama’s adherence to his father’s word, which he does not do for personal gain but rather to act morally. He does not confront injustice or inquire as to why people are suffering. All he does is follow the dharma path.

श्रुत्वा पुत्रार्तिखिन्नं खलु भरतमुखात् स्वर्गयातं स्वतातं
तप्तो दत्वाऽम्बु तस्मै निदधिथ भरते पादुकां मेदिनीं च
अत्रिं नत्वाऽथ गत्वा वनमतिविपुलं दण्डकं चण्डकायं
हत्वा दैत्यं विराधं सुगतिमकलयश्चारु भो: शारभङ्गीम् ॥६॥

shrutvaaputraartikhinnaM khalu bharatamukhaat svarga yaataM svataataM
taptO datvaa(a)mbu tasmai nidadhitha bharate paadukaaM mediniiM cha |
atriM natvaa(a)tha gatvaa vanamati vipulaM daNDakaM chaNDakaayaM
hatvaa daityaM viraadhaM sugatimakalayashchaaru bhOH shaarabhangiim || 6

O Lord, The words of Bharata, who was devastated by the death of your father Dasaratha, deeply affected you. You offered a water libation (tarpana) to your deceased father and gave Bharata your sandals (padukah) so that he could rule Ayodhya in your honor.

After bowing down to the sage Atri, you entered the vast and terrifying forest of Dandaka. There, you emancipated the vicious demon Viradha and saved the honorable sage Sarabhanga.

नत्वाऽगस्त्यं समस्ताशरनिकरसपत्राकृतिं तापसेभ्य:
प्रत्यश्रौषी: प्रियैषी तदनु च मुनिना वैष्णवे दिव्यचापे ।
ब्रह्मास्त्रे चापि दत्ते पथि पितृसुहृदं वीक्ष्य भूयो जटायुं
मोदात् गोदातटान्ते परिरमसि पुरा पञ्चवट्यां वधूट्या ॥७॥

natvaa(a)gastyaM samastaasharanikara sapatraakR^itiM taapasebhyaH
pratyashrauShiiH priyaiShii tadanu cha muninaa vaiShNave divyachaape |
brahmaastre chaapi datte pathi pitR^isuhR^idaM viikshya bhuuyO jaTaayuM
mOdaad gOdaataTaante pariramasi puraa pa~nchavaTyaaM vadhuuTyaa || 7

Lord Rama promised to destroy the horde of demons down to their very foundations after paying respects to the sage Agastya. The sage then gave Him the Brahmaastra and the Vaishnava bow. Along the banks of the Godaavari River in Panchawati, Lord Rama also met his father’s friend Jataayu and lived a happy life with Sita Devi.

प्राप्ताया: शूर्पणख्या मदनचलधृतेरर्थनैर्निस्सहात्मा
तां सौमित्रौ विसृज्य प्रबलतमरुषा तेन निर्लूननासाम् ।
दृष्ट्वैनां रुष्टचित्तं खरमभिपतितं दूषणं च त्रिमूर्धं
व्याहिंसीराशरानप्ययुतसमधिकांस्तत्क्षणादक्षतोष्मा ॥८॥

praaptaayaaH shuurpaNakhyaa madanachaladhR^iterarthanairnissahaatmaa
taaM saumitrau visR^ijya prabalatamaruShaa tena nirluuna naasaam |
dR^iShTvainaaM ruShTachittaM kharamabhipatitaM duuShaNaM cha trimuurdhaM
vyaahimsiiraasharaanapyayuta samadhikaaM statkshaNaadakshatOShmaa ||8

Lord Rama, who had a strong moral compass, asked Lakṣmaṇa to look after Surpaṇakha, Ravaṇa’s lecherous sister, after she reached out to him and repeatedly tried to seduce him.

Laksmana cut off her nose out of command and out of his own righteous wrath.
This infuriated her, and she summoned her brothers, Khara, DuSana, and TriShira, who arrived with their force to attack.

सोदर्याप्रोक्तवार्ताविवशदशमुखादिष्टमारीचमाया-
सारङ्ग सारसाक्ष्या स्पृहितमनुगत: प्रावधीर्बाणघातम् ।
तन्मायाक्रन्दनिर्यापितभवदनुजां रावणस्तामहार्षी-
त्तेनार्तोऽपि त्वमन्त: किमपि मुदमधास्तद्वधोपायलाभात् ॥९॥

sOdaryaa prOktavaartaavivasha dashamukhaadiShTa maariichamaayaa
saarangaM saarasaakshyaa spR^ihitamanugataH praavadhiirbaaNaghaatam |
tanmaayaakranda niryaapita bhavadanujaaM raavaNastaamahaarShiittenaarttO(
a)pi tvamantaH kimapi mudamadhaastadvadhOpaaya laabhaat || 9

In this verse, Lord Rama pursued and killed the golden deer at the behest of Sita, who was enchanted by it (a trick committed by Maricha under RavaNas’s orders). Maricha mimicked Rama’s voice when died, wailing in anguish, which caused Lakshmana to desert Sita. Using this as an opening, Ravana abducted her. Even though Rama was in a lot of pain at the time, He was calm inside because it was an opportunity to kill Ravana and fulfill His divine mission. This tells us that God can use even the greatest setbacks to prepare us for something greater. It teaches that, pain, disappointments and betrayals might be necessary detours on the path to our ultimate success or maturity; what we might consider a loss could actually be life’s door opening to our predetermined gain.

भूयस्तन्वीं विचिन्वन्नहृत दशमुखस्त्वद्वधूं मद्वधेने-
त्युक्त्वा याते जटायौ दिवमथ सुहृद: प्रातनो: प्रेतकार्यम् ।
गृह्णानं तं कबन्धं जघनिथ शबरीं प्रेक्ष्य पम्पातटे त्वं
सम्प्राप्तो वातसूनुं भृशमुदितमना: पाहि वातालयेश ॥१०॥

bhuuyastanviiM vichinvannahR^ita dashamukhastvadvadhuuM madvadhenetyuktvaa
yaate jaTaayau divamatha suhR^idaH praatanOH pretakaaryam |
gR^ihNaanaM taM kabandhaM jaghanitha shabariiM prekshya pampaataTe tvaM
sampraaptO vaatasuunuM bhR^ishamuditamanaaH paahi vaataalayesha ||10

The noble bird Jatayu tried to stop the demon and perished in the process when the great Lord Rama was looking for His wife Ma Sita, who had been kidnapped by the ten-headed Ravana. Before he passed away, he informed Lord Rama about Sita’s abduction. As a close friend and family member, Lord Rama performed Jaṭayu’s last rites with deep sadness and reverence. As Lord Rama proceeded on his quest, he encountered and killed Kabandha, a cursed demon who was rewarded with his former form after being killed. Shortly afterward, Lord Rama met the devoted ascetic Sabari, who had been waiting for Him with unwavering devotion. After blessing her, Lord Rama proceeded to the shores of Lake Pampa, where he joyfully encountered Hanuman, the Lord Vayu’s son. May You, Guruvayoorappa, who is so merciful, always keep us safe! This verse reminds us that when the cause is worthy, there will always be divine intervention, pure devotion, and the right people in the right places, regardless of how horrible and corrupt our paths may be.

Click here to learn Narayana Kavacham.