Avatar 7 of 10 · Treta Yuga
Rama
The seventh avatar: Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, the ideal king, whose story is the Ramayana.
- His form
- The prince of Ayodhya
- Treta Yuga
- His day
- Ram Navami
- Chaitra Shukla Navami
The story
Rama was the eldest son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. On the eve of his crowning, his stepmother Kaikeyi asked for two boons the king owed her: that her son Bharata be king, and that Rama go into the forest for fourteen years. Rama went without complaint, with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana.
In the forest the demon king Ravana carried Sita away to Lanka. Rama searched for her with the help of the monkey king Sugriva and his minister Hanuman, who leapt the sea, found her, and burned Lanka. The monkey army built a bridge to the island, and Rama killed Ravana in battle.
Rama returned to Ayodhya with Sita, and the city was lit with lamps, which is remembered at Diwali. His rule, Ram Rajya, is the very picture of just government.
Why he came
To destroy Ravana, and to show in a human life what it is to keep dharma.
How he is shown
As a prince, dark blue or green, holding a bow and arrows, often with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman kneeling at his feet.
His verse
वितरसि दिक्षु रणे दिक्पतिकमनीयं दशमुखमौलिबलिं रमणीयम्।
केशव धृतरामशरीर जय जगदीश हरे॥
Vitarasi dikshu rane dikpati kamaniyam, dashamukha mauli balim ramaniyam;
Keshava dhrita rama sharira, jaya Jagadisha Hare.
In battle you scatter the heads of ten-faced Ravana as a lovely offering to the guardians of the directions, in the body of Rama. O Keshava, glory to you, Lord of the world, Hari!
युद्ध में आप दस मुख वाले रावण के सिरों को दिशाओं के रक्षकों के लिए सुंदर भेंट की तरह बिखेर देते हैं, राम के शरीर में। हे केशव, आपकी जय, जगत के स्वामी हरि!
His day
Ram Navami
Chaitra Shukla Navami, the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra (March or April)
Find the date this yearWhere he is worshipped
- Shri Ram Janmabhoomi MandirAyodhya, Uttar Pradesh
- Sita Ramachandraswamy TempleBhadrachalam, Telangana
- Ramaswamy TempleKumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
Questions
Why is Rama called Maryada Purushottama?
Because he kept every duty, as son, husband, brother and king, even at great cost: “the best of men, who keeps the bounds”.
How is Rama connected to Diwali?
Diwali remembers his return to Ayodhya after fourteen years, when the people lit the city with lamps.