Rama is the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu.
49 Facts About Rama
2.
Rama was born to Kaushalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya, the capital of the Kingdom of Kosala.
3.
Rama legends are found in the texts of Jainism and Buddhism, though he is sometimes called Pauma or Padma in these texts, and their details vary significantly from the Hindu versions.
4.
In Sikhism, Rama is mentioned as one of twenty four divine avatars of Vishnu in the Chaubis Avtar in Dasam Granth.
5.
Rama is a Vedic Sanskrit word with two contextual meanings.
6.
The word Rama appears in ancient literature in reverential terms for three individuals:.
7.
The name Rama appears repeatedly in Hindu texts, for many different scholars and kings in mythical stories.
8.
The Vishnu avatar named Rama is known by other names.
9.
In some Advaita Vedanta inspired texts, Rama connotes the metaphysical concept of Supreme Brahman who is the eternally blissful spiritual Self in whom yogis delight nondualistically.
10.
The root of the word Rama is ram- which means "stop, stand still, rest, rejoice, be pleased".
11.
When demigods went to Brahma to seek liberation from Ravana's menance on the Earth, Vishnu himself appeared and said he will incrarnate as Rama and kill Ravana.
12.
Rama is portrayed as a polite, self-controlled, virtuous youth always ready to help others.
13.
Rama's education included the Vedas, the Vedangas as well as the martial arts.
14.
The template is similar to those found for Krishna, but in the poems of Tulsidas, Rama is milder and reserved introvert, rather than the prank-playing extrovert personality of Krishna.
15.
Ravana's sister Suparnakha attempts to seduce Rama and cheat on Sita.
16.
Rama understood her devotion and ate all the half-eaten bers given by her.
17.
The region has numerous Rama temples and is an important Vaishnava pilgrimage site.
18.
The texts describe nearby hermitages of Vedic rishis such as Atri, and that Rama roamed through forests, lived a humble simple life, provided protection and relief to ascetics in the forest being harassed and persecuted by demons, as they stayed at different ashrams.
19.
One day, a demoness called Shurpanakha saw Rama, became enamored of him, and tried to seduce him.
20.
Ravana gets enraged and ultimately reaches Lanka, fights in a war that has many ups and downs, but ultimately Rama prevails, kills Ravana and forces of evil, and rescues his wife Sita.
21.
Rama responds to public gossip by renouncing his wife and asking her to undergo a test before Agni.
22.
Rama's legends vary significantly by the region and across manuscripts.
23.
In some Hindu texts, Rama is stated to have lived in the Treta Yuga that their authors estimate existed before about 5,000 BCE.
24.
Rama has broad shoulders, mighty arms, a conch-shaped neck, a charming countenance, and coppery eyes;.
25.
Rama has his clavicle concealed and is known by the people as Rama.
26.
Rama has a voice like the sound of a kettledrum and glossy skin,.
27.
Rama is shown black, blue or dark color, typically wearing reddish color clothes.
28.
Rama's life is more complex than the Western template for the battle between the good and the evil, where there is a clear distinction between immortal powerful gods or heroes and mortal struggling humans.
29.
Rama had within him all the desirable virtues that any individual would seek to aspire, and he fulfils all his moral obligations.
30.
Rama is considered a maryada purushottama or the best of upholders of Dharma.
31.
The views of Rama combine "reason with emotions" to create a "thinking hearts" approach.
32.
Third, Rama's life combines the ethics with the aesthetics of living.
33.
Rama's story has had a major socio-cultural and inspirational influence across South Asia and Southeast Asia.
34.
Rama Navami is a spring festival that celebrates the birthday of Rama.
35.
Rama was one of many ideas and cultural themes adopted, others being the Buddha, the Shiva and host of other Brahmanic and Buddhist ideas and stories.
36.
The story of Rama's life has been popular in Southeast Asia.
37.
In Jainism, the earliest known version of Rama story is variously dated from the 1st to 5th century CE.
38.
Rama, Lakshmana and evil Ravana are the eighth triad, with Rama being the reborn Baladeva, and Lakshmana as the reborn Vasudeva.
39.
Rama is described to have lived long before the 22nd Jain Tirthankara called Neminatha.
40.
Towards the end of his life, Rama becomes a Jaina monk then successfully attains siddha followed by moksha.
41.
The 2nd-century BCE stone relief carvings on Bharhut stupa, as told in the Dasaratha-Jataka, is the earliest known non-textual evidence of Rama story being prevalent in ancient India.
42.
Rama is mentioned as one of twenty four divine incarnations of Vishnu in the Chaubis Avtar, a composition in Dasam Granth traditionally and historically attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.
43.
The name of Rama is mentioned more than 2,500 times in the Guru Granth Sahib and is considered as avatar along with the Krishna.
44.
Rama is a revered Vaishanava deity, one who is worshipped privately at home or in temples.
45.
Temples dedicated to Rama are found all over India and in places where Indian migrant communities have resided.
46.
In most temples, the iconography of Rama is accompanied by that of his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana.
47.
Hindu temples dedicated to Rama were built by early 5th century, according to copper plate inscription evidence, but these have not survived.
48.
The oldest surviving Rama temple is near Raipur, called the Rajiva-locana temple at Rajim near the Mahanadi river.
49.
Rama has been depicted in many films, television shows and plays.