ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ
“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”
Lord Rama
Ram is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu and the central figure of the Ramayana epic. The Ramayan is the very soul of India. It is a complete guide to God-realization, the path to which lies in righteousness. The ideals of man are beautifully portrayed in it. Everyone should emulate those ideals and grow into ideal human beings and ideal citizens.
Ram took birth to free the earth from the cruelty and sins of the demon King Ravana (Ravan). Ravana had practiced austerities in order to propitiate Shiva and Brahma, who had granted him immunity from being killed by gods, gandharvas or demons. One of the gods had to take on a human form in order to be able to defeat Ravana.
Ram was born as the first son of Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya. Ram’s mother was Kausilya. Ram had three brothers : Bharata (Bharat) born from the second wife Kaikeyi, and Lakshmana (Lakshman) and Shatrughna born from the third wife Sumitra.
One day Saint Vishwamitra visited Ayodhya and asked Dashratha to send Ram and Lakshmana with him because the Yakshini (demon) Tarka – with her two sons Mareech and Subahu – were terrifying him and the other saints at his ashram. They were not letting them worship and meditate. Ram went with Lakshmana and Vishwamitra to kill Tarka. On the way to Saint Vishwamitra’s ashram there was a dense forest. When they entered the forest Tarka came to kill them but Ram killed her and her son Subahu with a weapon given to him by Vishwamitra. Ram also shot an arrow at Mareech and threw him 100 yojan far away.
Later Ram went with Saint Vishwamitr to Mithila where the wise King Janak ruled. King Janak had organized a svayamvaraa (an acient custom wherein the bride chose her husband of her own accord from amongst a number of suitors). It was announced that whosoever will bend the bow of Lord Shiva will marry King Janak’s daughter Sita. Sita was an incarnation of Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu. But none of the suitors was able to lift Lord Shiva’s bow, except Ram. Ram lifted the bow with his one hand and bended it so hard that it even broke.
So Ram got married to Sita, and his brothers got happily married to Sita’s sisters. After returning and living happily in Ayodhya the old King Dashrath decided that it was time to give his kingdom to his beloved son Ram. There Kaikeyi, the third and youngest wife of the King, claimed the throne for her son Bharat. A long time before the young Queen had saved the King’s life and he had promised to fulfill her two wishes. Manthara, the crooked and evil-minded maid-servant of Kaikeyi influenced the queen to claim her wishes now in favor of her son and to request Dashrath to banish Ram from the kingdom for fourteen years, and to install Bharat on the throne instead. The King was shocked, his heart was broken, but he knew that truth is the highest Dharm, and that he had to fulfill his promise to his wife. So Ram went to exile happily, knowing that to obey and serve his father was the highest duty of a son.
After Ram left to the forest, Dashrath died from the pangs of separation from his beloved son Ram. Bharat went to the forest to meet his brother Ram and to request him to come back to Ayodhya. When Ram refused to return, in honor of the promise to his father, Bharat took Ram’s “khadau” (wooden sandals) and placed them symbolically on Ayodhya’s throne. Until his brother returned from the exile Bharat served the kingdom as a true and honest caretaker of Ram.
Once Surpnakha, the sister of Ravana, passed by the place where Ram was living. She saw Ram and became impressed by his beauty. She transformed herself into a beautiful lady and went to Ram and asked him to marry her. When Ram refused and told her he is already married to Sita, she became angry. Coming back to her original form she ran towards Sita to kill her. When Lakshman saw that he cut her nose and one ear. Surpnakha then send her brother Khardushan with fourteen thousand rakshasas to avenge her. But all were killed by Ram.
Surpnakha now sought vengeance through her older brother Ravana, but only got his interest by pointing out that the beautiful Sita would be a fitting wife for him. Ravana lured Ram and Lakshman away from Sita by sending an enchanted deer of extreme beauty and then took Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. On the way, Jatayu, a vulture bird and old friend of Ram’s father Dashrath, fought Ravan but was fatally wounded. He lived only long enough to tell Ram what had happened upon his return.
In Lanka, Ravana tried to threathen Sita into marrying him, but was rejected again and again. Meanwhile, Ram made an alliance with the monkey King Sugreeva, who had been exiled from his kingdom by his brother Bali. Ram helped Sugreeva to regain his kingdom and in return Sugreeva raised an army of monkeys and bears, led by Hanuman. When they reached the sea, Hanuman flew across. On the way he had many adventures, which can be found on the Hanuman page.
In Lanka, Hanuman promised Sita that help would come soon. When he was then captured by the rakshasas, Ravana ordered them to set fire to Hanuman’s tail, wrapping it with oily rags. But Hanuman increased the length of his tail so much that there seemed no end to it. He escaped and used his burning tail to set fire to all of Lanka.
Meanwhile, Ram’s army had build a huge bridge between Lanka and the mainland. They crossed the ocean and attacked Ravana’s army. During the battle, Lakshmana was heavily wounded, but he was cured by a magic herb which Hanuman flew all the way to the Himalayas to obtain. Not finding the herb at first, Hanuman brought the entire mountain just to be sure. Finally, all rakshasa generals were killed and the battle become a single combat between Ravana and Ram. Finally, Ram killed Ravana with a special weapon given to him by saint Agastya.
This was a moment of great rejoicing. Ram and Sita were finally crowned King and Queen of Ayodhya, though people were doubting that Sita had preserved her virtue while being Ravana’s captive, which is another story in itself.
Who is Rama, the Hindu God?
Rama, the Hindu god, is the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu. In Hindu mythology, an avatar is an animal or human form into which a god can incarnate in order to counterbalance some opposing evil. Vishnu has ten avatars, depending on local stories in each area where he is worshiped. Vishnu is the protector of dharma, which is the nature of reality, existence, and a person’s duty. Vishnu is also the preserver and guardian of men. Vishnu is one of the most important gods in Hinduism and has a sect called Vaishnavism.
Rama is one of the most popular Hindu deities. He is seen as representing chivalry and virtuousness. Rama is the symbol of reason and doing the right thing. Another popular incarnation of Vishnu includes Krishna, the deity admired for doing mischievous pranks and having casual flings.
Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu. Before he incarnates, Vishnu is in heaven. Lakshmi, Vishnu’s wife, also incarnates alongside Vishnu when he incarnates. Vishnu and Lakshmi are in heaven, and they see the world overrun with demons. Vishnu and Lakshmi become Rama and Sita on Earth.
Rama is born in northern India to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya. It is reported that his birth was due to the bidding of the gods. Vishnu gives King Dasharatha a pot of nectar after being summoned by fire. The pot of nectar is fed to Queen Kausalya, who then gives birth to Rama. Rama’s purpose is to defeat the demon Ravana, the King of Lanka (modern Sri Lanka).
Rama has three half-brothers, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. Lakshmana is Rama’s favorite brother. Additionally, Rama has a monkey who serves him named Hanuman.
Rama meets Sita on his first adventure. Rama is requested by a sage named Visvamitra to help fight a demon. He leaves with his brother Lakshmana, and after he kills the demon, he wants more adventure. Rama ends up in Mithila. The king welcomes him and challenges that anyone who could bend a huge bow that once belonged to the god Shiva could then have his daughter’s hand in marriage. Rama bends the bow so much that it breaks. That is how Rama and Sita became married.
Are Rama and Krishna the same?
While Rama and Krishna are both incarnations of Vishnu, they are not the same. Rama is known for being a loyal son and husband, and Krishna is known for being mischievous and having many lovers.
What is Rama’s power?
Rama was known for being chivalrous, doing the right thing, and being an ideal son and husband. Above this, he was very strong and heroic, as is seen from when Sita’s father challenges him to bend the bow that belonged to Shiva. He can break it.
What is the god Rama known for?
Rama is known for being the seventh incarnation of Vishnu as well as his many heroic adventures described in the Ramayana. Hindus appreciate Rama’s loyalty, virtuousness, kindness, humility, and heroic stories.
Is Lord Rama the Supreme God?
Lord Rama is an avatar, or incarnation, of Vishnu. In some sects of Hinduism, such as Vaishnaism, Vishnu is the supreme god, and all his avatars are worshiped.
How did Rama become a god?
Rama is an incarnation of the god Vishnu. Dasharatha, Rama’s father, summoned Vishnu with fire. Vishnu gave Dasharatha nectar, which he fed to his wife. His wife then gave birth to Rama.
Was Rama a real person?
Lord Rama was most likely not a real person, although many Hindus still believe this. The stories of Rama were written about mythological beings and happenings that are not real.
The Story of Lord Rama
Millions of years ago, according to Vedic sources, the Supreme Lord appeared on this planet as the warrior Rämacandra to execute His will and display the pastimes of the Personality of Godhead. The pastimes of Lord Räma are revealed in the famous Vedic scripture called the Rämäyana, written by Sri Välmiki. The Rämäyana is written down as a historical epic, but it contains the essential information of the original Vedas. The Rämäyana and the Mahäbhärata (of which the famed Bhagavad-gitä is a chapter) are especially recommended for the present age, even more so than the highly intricate Vedas or the philosophical theses of the Vedänta-sütra—all of which are prone to misinterpretation in this fallen Age of Quarrel.
The Rämäyana tells of how Lord Rämacandra appeared on earth in human form. He was of greenish hue. His bodily luster like fresh green grass.
What is written in the Rämäyana, we should note here, is best understood as it is. When the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are narrated, there can be no question of allegory. Allegory means a given text conveys a truth higher than the literal one. But the highest realization of spiritual perfection is that the Absolute Truth is a person. This precludes the possibility of going beyond Him to some higher truth. Although out of kindness to His devotees Lord Räma appeared as a man. He is the Supreme Lord, and His birth is transcendental in every respect and free of all material taint. Therefore, His history is marvellous and filled with wondrous feats.
Rämacandra was the son of King Dasaratha. He was the darling of His father and mother, Queen Kausalya, He was also the hero and darling of all Ayodhya, the capital of what was then the single world kingdom.
Growing old, King Dasaratha desired to confer the kingdom on his eldest son, Räma. As a joyous Ayodhyä prepared to, coronate the beloved prince, one of the queens of King Dasaratha, Queen Kaikeyi, plotted to remove Räma from the kingdom so that her own son, Bharata, would take the throne. Persuaded by a crooked maidservant that Rämacandra would have Kaikeyi’s son killed if He became king, Queen Kaikeyi I took advantage of two boons she had received from her husband in gratitude for service she had rendered to him. She called her husband to her rooms and requested the following boons: Let Rämacandra be banished to the forest for fourteen years. And let Bharata be installed as king. When King Dasaratha heard these requests, he fainted away in shock.
As an ideal ksatriya king, Dasaratha would stand by his promise to grant two boons to his queen, even when it meant a fate worse than death. His religion was truth, and he had to keep his promise.
When Lord Rämacandra received the awful news. He only replied, “Very well. I shall go from here and proceed to the Danaka forest for fourteen years with an unwavering mind.”
The wife of Räma was the beautiful and chaste Sita. Lord Rämacandra had gained Sita when, in the assembly where Sita was to choose her husband. He had broken a bow that was so heavy it had to be carried by three hundred men. Räma thus satisfied Sita’s father, Janaka, and married Sita, who was endowed with transcendental qualities. It is understood that, as Lord Rämacandra was Viñëu, the Supreme Lord Himself, so Sita was actually Laksmi, the goddess of fortune. Being the daughter of the royal saint Janaka, she was accustomed to the life as a princess. Yet when Rämacandra informed her that she must stay in the kingdom under the protection of Bharata during His exile, Sita replied with an offended air: “If You repair to the forest, I shall go in front of You and make smooth the path by crushing the thorns under my feet. I shall not leave Your company, nor will You be able to dissuade me. I shall feel no sorrow in passing a long time with You.”
Laksmana, Rämacandra’s beloved brother, had been there while Räma was speaking with Sita. He caught hold of Rämacandra’s lotus feet, as it was unbearable for him to be separated from Räma. Räma tried to dissuade him. But nothing could turn Laksmana. Laksmana was determined to accompany Sita and Räma to the forest for their long exile.
Forest life for a royal prince was supposed to be an abominable insult, but Rämacandra managed to cheer Sita by pointing out the beauty of the natural setting. A forest is said to be a place in the mode of goodness, just suitable for cultivation of spiritual life.
While Räma, Sita, and Laksmana were exiled in the forest, the horrible Ravana entered their lives. Ravana was a great demon who had almost everything. Through long performances of austere penances he had gained great power. For the sake of war-mongering he had conquered the demigods Kuvera and Indra. He reigned on the island of Sri Lanka and possessed vast wealth and opulence. He and his “Rovers of the Night” roamed about killing and eating hermits engaged in spiritual practices in the forest. Ravana also had made a career of violating beautiful women wherever he found them, and he had a harem of hundreds who had surrendered to his material influence of wealth and strength.
Ravana believed himself to be unvanquishable. He disdained God. Perfect materialist that he was, he challenged even the existence of God. He challenged everything good and listened to no cautious counsel about the bad reaction that follows sinful acts. In challenging Rama by the abduction of His wife Sita, however, Ravana was choosing death, and he rushed headlong toward his inevitable fate.
To implement the abduction of Sita, Ravana called on his warlord, Marica. Ravana asked Marica to take the form of a golden deer and frisk in front of Sita. When Sita should wish to have the deer for her own, Rama and Laksmana would follow it and Sita could be abducted.
Thus Marica, in the form of a wonderful deer with silver spots and the sheen of jewels, appeared before Sita in the forest. He drew the mind of Sita, who asked Ramacandra to catch him for her. Ramacandra was, of course, cognizant that this might be the Räksasa magic of Marica, but He decided to go after the deer. If it proved to be Marica, He would kill him. After firmly ordering Laksmana to stay with Sita, Ramacandra pursued the deer. It became elusive, even invisible. Finally Rama resolved to kill it. He shot one deadly shaft, which entered Marica’s heart like a flaming snake.
But with his last breath, Marica cried out loudly, “Alas, Sita! Alas, Laksmana!”
Waiting with Laksmana in the cottage, Sita heard the cries and believed them to be Rama’s. She told Laksmana to go at once to help Rama. Although Laksmana dismissed the idea that Ramacandra could be in danger, Sita insisted that Laksmana go and find Him. In that way Ravana was able to find Sita alone, and he carried her off by force.
On a chariot pulled by asses, Ravana, often heads and twenty arms, flew through the sky clutching Sita. This act completely sealed Ravana’s doom. Not only would he die for capturing another man’s wife, but he would not even be able to enjoy her in the meantime, not even for a moment.
Unable to forcibly have his lust satisfied, Ravana could only threaten Sita that if after twelve months she did not turn to him, he would cut her into pieces and have his cooks serve her to him for a feast.
In the absence of Sita, Ramacandra was plunged into unalloyed grief. Laksmana attempted to draw off Rama’s despair, but He was paid no attention. Finally the brothers found signs of Sita, pieces of her clothing from her struggle with Ravana and ornaments that had fallen from her as she had risen up in Ravana’s chariot. Rama and Laksmana also received information from the dying Jatayu, ancient king of the birds, who had tried to stop Ravana as he had flown away. Jatayu informed Ramacandra and Laksmana that Ravana had kidnapped Sita. For help in getting her back, Jatayu recommended they form an alliance with Sugriva, the king of a race of monkeys.
Sugriva did indeed help, mobilizing his forces and sending them out in search of Sita. After months of futile searching, the armies began to lose hope. Some returned, and some dispersed to foreign lands. It was Hanuman, the chief counsellor to the king, who learned of the kingdom of Lanka, far away in the Indian Ocean.
Hanuman resolved to travel through the air in search of Sita. Being the son of the wind-god, Vayu, Hanuman had the faculty for flight. In one leap he crossed the ocean to Lanka.
Reducing himself to the size of a cat, Hanuman steadily entered the capital of Ravana, carefully noting all the details. As a servitor, he was very concerned that at any moment he might be caught and ruin the project. “If I lose my life,” thought Hanuman, “great obstacles will crop up for the fulfillment of my master’s project.” To this very day, Hanuman is eulogized by all saints and scholars of Vedic science as the ideal servitor for his unwavering dedication to Lord Ramacandra.
Hanuman searched all over for Sita, finally locating her in the heart of the dense Asoka forest. He assured her that he was coming from Ramacandra and promised her that They would soon be reunited. As Hanuman left, the island of Lanka, he single-handedly destroyed thousands of raksasa warriors and set the entire city on fire.
In millions, the army of the monkeys mobilized and marched to the ocean. The Lord then had His faithful servants, like Hanuman and Sugriva, hurl huge boulders into the sea, and by the Lord’s supreme potency they floated on the water, forming a bridge to Lanka. The army then marched into Lanka under the very nose of the lord of the Raksasa. Soon hand-to-hand combat began, and great heroes from both sides fought to the death day after day. Finally, one by one, the great Raksasa chieftains fell before the unlimited powers of heroes like Hanuman, Laksmana, Sugriva, and Ramacandra. At last, Lord Ramacandra slew Ravana with a brahmastra weapon released from His bow.
Valmiki tells of the origin of this weapon. It was handed down by Lord Brahma and passed from sage to sage. The brahmastra was smeared with fat and blood, and smoked like doomsday fire. It was hard and deep-sounding, and when shot by Ramacandra it cleft Ravana’s heart in two, depriving him of his life.
Rama was then reunited with Sita, and the fourteen-year exile having ended, they returned to Ayodhya on a flower-bedecked airplane.
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains the Lord’s appearance as Ramacandra thus: “The comparative studies on the life of Krsna and Ramacandra are very intricate, but the basic principle is that Ramacandra appeared as the ideal king, and Krsna appeared as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although there is actually no difference between the two. A similar example is that of Lord Caitanya. He appeared as a devotee and not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is Krsna Himself. So we should accept the Lord’s mood in His particular appearance, and we should worship Him in that mood. Our service should be compatible with the mood of the Lord. Therefore, in the sastras there are specific injunctions. For example, to worship Lord Caitanya, the method is chanting Hare Krsna.”
Sri Valmiki declares that he who always listens to this epic becomes absolved from sins. He who listens with due respect meets with no obstacles in life. He will live happily with his near and dear ones and get his desired boons from Ramacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Rama also called as Srirama and Sriramachandra Moorthy, is an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and he is widely worshipped throughout the world by the Hindus. Lord Rama though he is considered as a supreme Lord, but didn’t utilise his powers unnecessarily during the period of his avatar. He is praised for his good qualities, and his significance is increasing day by day, and it would never diminish, since his humble servant Lord Hanuman is continuously chanting the Rama Mantra even still today at the Holy Mountain Kailash.
BIRTH
Rama was born during the Treta Yuga to Ma Kaushalya and King Dasharatha in Ayodhya, and his brothers were Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. He was born on the NAVAMI day, hence every year during March – April, his birthday would be grandly celebrated by his devotees as “RAMA NAVAMI”, and during that auspicious day, butter milk, and jaggery water would be distributed to the devotees in the temples of Lord Vishnu and Rama.
CHILDHOOD
During his childhood, he performed playful activities similar to Lord Krishna. Playfully he used to shot sand balls using his bow to his servants, and used to laugh at them. He has done so, in order to cause happiness to others, and he didn’t injure anybody either through physically or verbally. Once she saw the attendant Manthara, who was a hunch back. Lord Rama wanted to remove the bent from her body, and hence he shot sand balls on her back through his bow. Though he had done it in a good sense, but Manthara had mistaken about the acts of Rama, and she thought that the child Rama had insulted her, and hence from that day onwards, she kept vengeance on the divine child, and due to that, she made tricks and sent Rama to the forest.
YOUNG AGE
Lord Rama was very studious at his young age, he used to learn all the Vedic subjects from the sages and the Vedic pundits, and he also grasped all the subjects quickly. He went along with Rishi Viswamitra to the forest and killed Demons and he was appreciated by Rishi Viswamitra and others for his excellent bravery and for his good skills in archery.
MARRIAGE AND EXILE
After Rama fulfilled the wishes of Rishi Viswamitra, he was taken by Viswamitra to the Vidheka Kingdom, which was ruled by the pious king Janaka. As per the instructions of Viswamitra, Rama had broken the Shiva Danasu, the Divine bow, and he had got married with Sita. And during the time of marriage ceremony, his brothers were also married with the relatives of Sita, and they were blessed by the sages, Kings and by the divine gods and goddesses.
When the great princes were happily living in the Kingdom of Ayodhya, Kaikeyi, who was the mother of Bharata and the second wife of King Dasharatha, as per the cunning act of her attendant Manthara, had asked two boons to her husband Dasharata, which he was already granted the boons to her, long time back. The first boon is to make her son Bharata as the next ruler of Ayodhya, and the second boon is to send Lord Rama to the forest. On hearing that, Dasharata was very much upset, and due to the evil act of Kaikeyi, somehow he accepted her proposal and sent his son Lord Rama to the forest, and Sita and Lakshmana also joined with him, and all the three went to the forest. Unable to bear the separation of his son, after some time, Dasharatha was collapsed and died. Bharata, met Rama and others in the forest, he carried the holy slippers of Lord Rama on his head, and kept those things in the throne, and began to rule the Ayodhya Kingdom during the exile term of Lord Rama.
FOREST STAY
Rama stays at Chitrakuta, for some time, which was situated on the banks of river Mandakini, and he took shelter in the Ashram of the holy sages. During that time, Lord Rama met his staunch devotee Shabari, tasted the fruits affectionately offered by her and also gave salvation to her. After some years, Rama visited Panchavati, which is situated on the banks of the Holy River Godavari. There Ravana’s sister Shurpanakha saw Rama, and fell in love with him. But Rama rejected her proposal citing the reason that he was already got married with Ma Sita. Due to that, Shurpanakha decided to kill Sita. Lakshmana, on seeing the scene, chopped off the nose and ears of Shurpanakha. And very soon the news reached the ears of king Ravana, and Ravana then sent Maricha, his uncle, and as per his instructions, Maricha had transformed himself into a golden deer, went to Panchavati Ashram, stood before Ma Sita, and after some time it ran out from that place and disappeared. Since the golden deer looked very beautiful, Sita wants to keep it as a pet animal for her, and hence he sent Lord Rama to catch it. After some time, she sent Lakshmana also to trace out the deer as well as to find about the whereabouts of Lord Rama.
KIDNAP OF MA SITA
During that time, Ravana transformed himself as a hermit, and stood before Ma Sita in the pretext of asking for alms. When Sita tried to give some fruits to him, Ravana took his original form, and kidnapped Ma Sita. On his way to Lanka, the great Bird Jatayu fought bravely with Ravana, but finally it was killed by Ravana.
After some time, Rama returned to his Ashram, and there he found his consort Sita was missing. By that time, Lakshmana also joined with him and both of them went inside the forest in search for Ma Sita. After walking a long distance, they saw the pathetic condition of Jatayu which was lying in a pool of blood. Jatayu explained about the kidnap incidents to Rama and it died. Rama buried Jatayu in his own hands, and also gave salvation to the holy bird.
RAMA’S JOURNEY TO KISHKINTA AND TRACING OF MA SITA BY LORD HANUMAN IN LANKA
After a while, both of them met Hanuman and Sugriva in the Kishkinta Kingdom, and they were become friends. As per the wish of Sugriva, Rama killed Vali with a single arrow, and made Surgriva as the king of Kishkinta Kingdom. As per the promise given to Rama, Sugriva sent Lord Hanuman and other Vanaras in search for Ma Sita. Lord Hanuman came to knew about the whereabouts of Ma Sita from Jatayu’s brother Samabati, and with the blessings of Jambavan, he travelled to Lanka, met Ma Sita, destroyed half of the Lanka Kingdom, and he also met Ravana and asked him to release Ma Sita from the Lanka. But Ravana didn’t hear his words, and he has got angry with Hanuman and insulted him with his cruel words.
HANUMAN’S RETURN TO KISHKINTA, WAR BETWEEN RAMA AND RAVANA, AND RAMA’S RETURN TO AYODHYA WITH MA SITA AFTER KILLING RAVANA
Hanuman returned to Kishkinta, and conveyed the good message about the safety of Ma Sita. Lord Rama was very much delighted on hearing the good news, and he embraced Lord Hanuman with full of joyful tears on his eyes. Later they built a bridge in order to travel to Lanka, and finally Ravana was killed in the hands of Lord Rama with the help of Ravana’s brother Vibhishana, Sugriva and other Vanaras. Rama made Vibhishana as the king of Lanka, and blessed him.
Ma Sita returned to Ayodhya along with Rama, after successfully winning in the chastity test conducted by Rama, and Rama had become the king of Ayodhya, with the blessings of his Kula Guru Vasishta, the holy deities, and other sages, and his brothers were given their full cooperation to Rama, and they acted as his humble servants.
MA SITA’S STAY AT THE VALMIKI’S ASHRAM
While everyone was peacefully living in the Ayodhya kingdom, once after hearing about the rumour news doubting about the chastity of Ma Sita by some Ayodhya people, Lord Rama sent Ma Sita to the forest. There Ma Sita took shelter under Rishi Valmiki’s Ashram. She was properly taken care by the great Rishi by considering her as his own daughter, and after some months, Ma Sita delivered two beautiful twin sons, Lava and Kusha.
DISAPPEARANCE OF MA SITA IN THE EARTH, RAMA’S SUCCESSFUL GOLDEN RULE AND THE END OF THE RAMA AVATAR
When Lord Rama again tried to test the chastity of Ma Sita, the earth mother had become very angry with Rama, and she had taken Sita to her abode. Then Lava and Kusha began to grow under the custody of their father Lord Rama. Unable to bear the separation of his loving consort Sita, with great grief, Lord Rama ruled the Ayodhya kingdom for about 11,000 years, and after the end of his avatar, it is believed that he had taken the people of Ayodhya along with him to the Vaikunta.
Lord Hanuman stayed back in earth itself, and began to chant the Rama Mantra for millions and millions of years, and right now, he is believed to live at a cave in the Holy Mountain Himalayas, and he is still meditating the Rama Mantra with great devotion, perfection and dedication.
SIGNIFICANCE OF SRI RAMA CHARITRA
Whoever read the life history of Lord Rama, also known as Sri Rama Charitra, with sincere devotion, would be blessed by Lord Rama and Hanuman, and they would attain all sorts of prosperity in their lives.
Who Were Lord Rama’s Brothers?
The story of Lord Ram is one that has been passed down from generation to generation. Hailed as one of the epic tales ever written, Ramayana follows the story of Lord Ram.
And right at the beginning of his majestic story is his father, Dasharatha, King of Ayodhya.
Dasratha was married to Kaushalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi. Despite this, he had no sons. When King Dasaratha was childless, he sacrificed a horse (an Asvamedha) in the hopes that the gods would grant him a child.
Several gods conspired to persuade Lord Vishnu to assume the form of King Dasaratha’s sons in order to vanquish the demon Ravana. The enchanted offering was divided among his three wives.
King Dasaratha was told to split the portion between his wives, so he honored Kausalya’s seniority by giving her half and showing his affection for Kaikeyi by giving her the other half. As there was nothing left for Sumitra, Kausalya, and Kaikeyi split their servings in half and gave them to her.
Sumitra had twins because she was double-served and so became pregnant twice. Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharata, while Sumitra had Laksmana and Shatrughna. Lord Ram was born to Kaushalya.
Thus, he had four sons after he performed the Putrakameshti yagna to conceive. When his sons reached adulthood, he decided to retire and make his eldest, Rama, the prince.
Children of Dasharatha
1. Rama
Rama (or Ramacandra) is the seventh incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu in Hinduism. Both the oldest Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana, written about the 5th century BCE with some later revisions, and the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata commemorate his exploits, including the defeat of the demon king Ravana.
Many Hindus believe that the mythical Lord Rama was inspired by a real person from Hindu history. Lord Rama and his wife Sita are often regarded as Hindu mythology’s most virtuous couple. Maryada Purushottama is the ideal guy, and that is what Ramachandra is.
It is believed that Lord Rama came to Earth to vanquish the evil powers of his time. We defeated the demonic ruler of Lanka, Ravana, and rescued his kidnapped wife, Sita. Lava and Kusha, his sons, were born to him. And his grace and power still live on to this day, his story forever etched into the walls of our history!
2. Shanta
Shanta was the sister of Lord Rama and the daughter of Raja Dasharatha. Once, King Dasharatha learned that Raja Rajarompada had no children when he travelled to Ayodhya with his wife to see King Dasharatha, King Dasharatha, feeling the couple’s anguish over their inability to start a family, handed them his eldest daughter, Shanta.
Shanta was crowned the princess of Anga. She had an extensive background in Vedic knowledge, art, craft, and combat. She wed Rishyasringa, who also conducted the putra kameshthi yajna that resulted in Dasharatha’s four sons—Rama, Bharata, and the identical twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna—being born to him. Shringa Rishi is a temple dedicated to Devi Shanta, the older sister of Lord Rama.
The temple can be found at Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. Shanta, the goddess, and her husband, the sage Shring Rishi, are both honored at this temple.
3. Bharat
Bharata is a well-known name from the Ramayana, an ancient Indian epic. He was born to Kosala King Dasharatha and Ashvapati of Kekeya’s daughter, Kaikeyi. This individual is Rama’s younger half-brother. While Rama is exiled, he acts as the regent of Ayodhya and leads the fight to free Rama’s abducted wife, Sita.
Mandavi, the daughter of Kushadhwaja and Chandrabhaga, was married to Bharat. Kushadhwaja was the brother of King Janaka of Mithila, making Mandavi a cousin of Sita. Taksha and Pushkala are his two sons.
Bharata is described in the Ramayan as an embodiment of dharma. Bharata was Rama’s younger brother and an idealist and defender of dharma. While Rama was an incarnation of Vishnu, other myths hold that Bharata was an avatar of Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra.
In Nandigrama, Bharata encountered Hanuman, who filled him in on all that had happened during Rama’s exile.
Bharata returned Rama’s shoes to him when he saw him again, holding them high above his head like a trophy. Bharata and Kaikeyi made up when Rama was crowned king of Kosala.
Present-day Bharata worship is concentrated in Kerala.
4. Lakshmana
Lakshmana and Shatrughna, the twins, were born to Sumitra. Lakshman, sometimes called Lakhan or Soumitra, was Lord Rama’s trusted friend and ally. Lakshmana wed Sita’s younger sister Urmila. Angad and Chandraketu, two sons, were born to them.
During the exile, he also served Rama and Sita with great respect. According to the Puranas, Lakshmana is a representation of Shesha, the multi-headed naga (serpent) upon which Vishnu, whose avatar Rama is believed to be, rests for preservation.
If Rama represents Vishnu and Bharat represents the Sudarshana Chakra, then Lakshman represents Shesha or Sheshnaag, the 1000-headed serpent, which is the age-old belief.
Lakshmana travelled to Mithila with Rama and the teacher Vishvamitra when Rama was asked to kill demons in the forest. The bond between Rama and Lakshmana was extremely strong.
Lakshmana followed Rama and Sita into exile when the latter was banished for fourteen years at Kaikeyi’s urging. In their subsequent incarnations, Rama and Lakshmana are claimed to have taken the names Krishna and Balarama. A story of siblings greatly revered across times, the bond between Lord Ram and Lord Lakshman is one never to be forgotten.
5. Shatrughna
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Shatrughna is a prince of Ayodhya and the king of Madhupura and Vidisha. He is also the youngest brother of Prince Rama. Ripudaman is another name for him (vanquisher of foes).
His brother Lakshmana is his twin. Like Lakshmana was faithful to Rama, so is he to Bharata. Shatrughna is the reincarnation of the Sudarshana Chakra, as described in the Valmiki Ramayana.
The 412th name of Vishnu in the Mahabharata’s Vishnu Sahasranama is Shatrughna. He was responsible for the death of Lavanasura, the demon king of Mathura and Ravana’s nephew. He wed King Kusadhvaja’s third daughter, Princess Shrutakirti.
Sheshanaga, Panchajanya, and the Sudarshana Chakra are portrayed in the Ramayana as avatars of Lakshmana, Shatrughna, and Bharata, while Rama himself is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu.
Although Bharata was supposed to rule Ayodhya in Rama’s absence, it was actually Shatrughna who took on the responsibility of running the entire kingdom in the stead. During Rama, Lakshmana, and Bharata’s exile from Ayodhya, the only comfort for the three queen mothers was Shatrughna.
Conclusion
The complicated family tree portrayed in Ramayana paved the way for the making of this epic story. Tales of bravery, love, betrayal, and grief are intricately woven amongst this powerful family who stands united and divided in their own rights.
The four brothers, despite the various deceits they were subjected to, stood strong, relying upon one another to bear through the difficulties they came across. Each brother has unique and commendable qualities that make their character dear to us.
The Story Behind The Birth Of Lord Rama And His Brothers
Father of Lord Rama, Dasharatha was a king that was hailed as the best king in the world and had a reputation that everyone loved him and were fond of him. His rule was the best and he would often do extraordinary things for the welfare of the people. Everyone was happy in the kingdom. However, Dasharatha and his queens felt really sad and were upset by the fact that there was no heir to carry forward the legacy of the king. They tried several times to no avail. Finally, Dasharatha was so worried about this that he expressed his worries and anxiety to Vashista. Vashishta was the court head priest and he would know the solution to impress the divine. As expected, Vashishta advised Dasharatha to visit sage Rishyashringa and perform the holy Ashwamedha Yagna to get sons.
Dasharatha immediately made arrangements to visit Rishyashringa in his kingdom and do what Vashishta advised. Upon reaching the kingdom of Anga, he met Ramapada to take his blessings and consent to perform the holy yagna under the guidance of his son-in-law. Ramapada felt very fortunate and lucky to have Dasharatha come to him and he immediately agreed. Dasharatha then visited Rishyashringa and Rishyashringa was ready to perform the holy ritual. In order to perform the Yagna, preparation of one full year had to be done by Dasharatha to be eligible to sit in the Yagna and perform it. Dasharatha returned to Ayodhya and started the preparations.
One year passed and now each and every arrangement was done to welcome Rishyashringa as the chief priest and thousands of other Brahmins and priests were present in the kingdom. Without further ado, Dasharatha made sure that everything was ready and thus the Yagna was started. The horse was made to wander for a full year until the day of Yagna. Finally, it was sacrificed in a holy fire where all the Gods were remembered. Indra was worried about Ravana who was ruling over Lanka and creating havoc in heaven as he had received the boon of invincibility from Shiva and celestial weapons from Brahma. Brahma replied that the child born to Dasharatha would be an avatar of Vishnu and would kill the demon.
Just as the Gods wished, a messenger of Lord Prajapati came to life from the fire. He instructed Dasharatha that he soon would have four sons- Lord Rama, the slayer of Ravana, Bharat – the king of justice, and Lakshmana & Shatrugna – the warrior twins. He then told Dasharatha to feed his wives the holy dessert that they had offered in the Yagna. Dasharatha bowed to the messenger and paid his respects. He then went ahead to the wives and offered the desert to his queen.
Kausalya, the head queen took half of the dessert. Sumitra took ¼ of the dessert and Kaikeyi took ⅛ of the dessert. The vessel was passed again to Sumitra who ate the remaining dessert. Thus, Kausalya gave birth to Rama, Sumitra gave birth to Laxmana and Shatrughan, while Kaikeyi gave birth to Laxman.