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[[File:Lord Rama with arrows.jpg|thumb|180px]]
'''Raam''' is the son of Lord Sun and Seventh [[Avatar]] of [[Vishnu]] in [[Hinduism]]. However in Valmiki Ramayana, he was the son of Lord Sun. When king Dashrath conducted the sacrifice, lord sun presented his portion Rama. His character purely resembles Karna(the chief protagonist of the Mahabharata). Both were the protagonists of the two greatest epics. Both were the eldest brother but however Yudhisthira and Bharat were crowned the king. Both had to be deceived by their mother-Kunti and Kaikeyi. Both were the most handsome good-looking person of their respective eras. Both possessed the bow of Shiva. Parshurama too had a place in the epic of Mahabharata and Ramayana because of the protagonist of the epics- Lord Rama and Karna. He had a He was a king of ancient India. His wife is [[Sita]], who is the Avatar of [[Lakshmi]].


{{short description|Major Hindu deity}}
He is the hero of the ancient [[Hinduism|Hindu]] epic [[Poetry|poem]], ''[[Ramayana|The Ramayana]]'' (from [[Sanskrit]]: ''The Journey of Rama''). In this legend, Rama is born in [[Ayodhya]]. His father is King [[Dasharatha]]. His stepmother has [[exile]]d him from the kingdom, and Rama goes to live as an [[Asceticism|ascetic]] in the forests. He is also known as ''Maryada Puroshottam'', which means he teaches humanity how to live life without sacrificing the happiness and interest of others. He is the perfect human form of "prabhu" or God. Ram is a popular God and revered across India and Nepal.
{{About|the Hindu god Rama, Râm, Ramachandra, Sriram|other Ram|Ram (disambiguation)|other Ramchandra|Ramchandra (disambiguation)|other Sriram|Sriram (disambiguation)|other uses|Rama (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image = Rama with a squirell.jpeg
| caption = An angry Rāma, angered at the irresponsive [[Varuṇa]], takes up the [[Brahmastra|Brahmāstra]]
| name = Rama
| Devanagari = राम
| Sanskrit_transliteration = {{IAST|Rāma}}
| member_of = [[Dashavatar]]
| god_of = {{hlist|The Ideal Man<ref>{{Cite book|last=SATTAR|first=ARSHIA|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rmTgDwAAQBAJ&q=the+ideal+man+Rama&pg=PT13|title=Maryada: Searching for Dharma in the Ramayana|date=2020-10-20|publisher=[[HarperCollins|HarperCollins Publishers]], [[India]]|isbn=978-93-5357-713-1|language=en}}</ref> |Embodiment of [[Dharma]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Dharma Personified |website=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/dharma-personified/article2328340.ece|access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>}}
| affiliation = {{bulleted list|Seventh [[avatar]] of [[Vishnu]]|[[Brahman]] ([[Vaishnavism]])|[[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]}}
| parents = {{bulleted list|[[Dasharatha]] (father)|[[Kausalya|Kaushalya]] (mother)|[[Kaikeyi]] (step-mother)|[[Sumitra]] (step-mother)}}
| spouse = [[Sita]]{{sfn|James G. Lochtefeld|2002|p=555}}
| abode = {{hlist|[[Vaikuntha]]|[[Ayodhya]]|[[Saket]]}}
| weapon = [[Bow and arrow]]s
| texts = {{bulleted list|''[[Ramayana]]''|[[Versions of Ramayana]]}}
| siblings = {{bulleted list|[[Shanta]] (sister)|[[Lakshmana]] (half-brother)|[[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharata]] (half-brother)|[[Shatrughna]] (half-brother)}}
| festivals = {{hlist|[[Rama Navami]]|[[Vivaha Panchami]]|[[Deepavali]]|[[Vijayadashami|Dusshera]]}}
| birth_place = [[Ayodhya]], [[Kosala]] (present-day [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]])
| children = {{bulleted list|[[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]] (son)|[[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]] (son)}}
| dynasty = [[Raghuvansh]]-[[Solar Dynasty|Suryavansh]]
| predecessor = [[Dasharatha]]
| death_place = [[Sarayu|Sarayu River]], near Ayodhya
| gender = Male
| successor = [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]]
<!---| birth_date = {{BCE|5114}}<ref>
-{{cite web|url=https://thefederal.com/opinion/evolutionary-logic-and-history-contradict-belief-rama-was-born-in-ayodhya/|title=Evolutionary logic and history contradict belief Rama was born in Ayodhya|website=Federal Opinion.com|access-date=11 April 2021}}<br/>
{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/lord-ram-was-born-in-5114-bc/articleshow/273107.cms|title=Lord Ram was born in 5114 BC|last=Joshi|first=Arvind|date=23 November 2003|access-date=11 April 2021|website=[[The Times of India]]}}
</ref> (assumption)--->| mantra =
}}
{{Hinduism small}}{{Contains special characters|Sanskrit}}{{Vaishnavism}}
'''Raam''' is the son of Lord Surya and Seventh [[Avatar]] of [[Vishnu]] in [[Hinduism]]. However in Valmiki Ramayana, he was the son of Lord Sun. When king Dashrath conducted the sacrifice, lord sun presented his portion Rama. Rama's character purely resembles Karna(the chief protagonist of the Mahabharata). Both were the protagonists of the two greatest epics. Both were the eldest brother but however Yudhisthira and Bharat were crowned the king. Both had to be deceived by their mother-Kunti and Kaikeyi. Both were the most handsome good-looking person of their respective eras. Both learnt weaponry through the greatest teacher of all time- Parshurama and Vishwamitra. Despite being a part of royal family, had to suffer their entire life. Both possessed not more than 1 wife. Both possessed the bow of Shiva. Parshurama too had a place in the epic of Mahabharata and Ramayana because of the protagonist of the epics- Lord Rama and Karna.


Indra and Sumitra gave birth to Shatrughana and Lakshmana. Lakshmana and Shatrughana were twins. Kaikeyi and Lord Yama gave birth to Bharat. Lord Rama was born through Lord Surya.
He is said to have come to earth again to give Darshan to Sant Shiromani Shree Goswami Tulasidas.


According to Puranas, Rama, Karna and Shani are three portions of Surya. They are regarded as greatest of all men.
''Ram naam'' or the calling out Ram's name is said to purify one's very soul.


Rama is said to have been born to [[Kaushalya]] and [[Dasharatha]] in [[Ayodhya]], the ruler of the Kingdom of [[Kosala]]. His siblings included [[Lakshmana]], [[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharata]], and [[Shatrughna]]. He married [[Sita]]. Though born in a royal family, their life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, ethical questions and moral dilemmas.<ref name="Brackney2013p238"/> Of all their travails, the most notable is the kidnapping of Sita by demon-king [[Ravana]], followed by the determined and epic efforts of Rama and Lakshmana to gain her freedom and destroy the evil Ravana against great odds. The entire life story of Rama, Sita and their companions allegorically discusses duties, rights and social responsibilities of an individual. It illustrates [[dharma]] and dharmic living through model characters.<ref name="Brackney2013p238">{{cite book|author=William H. Brackney |title=Human Rights and the World's Major Religions, 2nd Edition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KZRgAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA238 |year=2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-4408-2812-6|pages=238–239}}</ref><ref name="Hindery1978p95">{{cite book|author=Roderick Hindery|title=Comparative Ethics in Hindu and Buddhist Traditions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-FswBLvTkvQC&pg=PA95 |year=1978|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0866-9|pages=95–124}}</ref>
According to legend, Rama and Sita had two sons,luv and kush.


Rama is especially important to [[Vaishnavism]]. He is the central figure of the ancient Hindu epic ''[[Ramayana]]'', a text historically popular in the South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures.<ref name="goldmanrama">{{cite book|author1=Vālmīki|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DWX43jnbOngC|title=The Ramayana of Valmiki: Balakanda|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|year=1990|isbn=978-1-4008-8455-1|page=3|translator-last=Goldman|translator-first=Robert P.|author-link=Valmiki|translator-link=Robert P. Goldman}}</ref><ref name=Dimock1963>{{cite journal| author = Dimock Jr, E.C.| year = 1963| title = Doctrine and Practice among the Vaisnavas of Bengal| journal = History of Religions| volume = 3| issue = 1| pages = 106–127| jstor = 1062079| doi = 10.1086/462474| s2cid = 162027021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Marijke J. Klokke|title=Narrative Sculpture and Literary Traditions in South and Southeast Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fx3mpR4uKmkC&pg=PA51 |year=2000|publisher=BRILL|isbn=90-04-11865-9|pages=51–57}}</ref> His ancient legends have attracted [[bhasya]] (commentaries) and extensive secondary literature and inspired performance arts. Two such texts, for example, are the ''[[Adhyatma Ramayana]]'' – a spiritual and theological treatise considered foundational by [[Ramananda|Ramanandi]] monasteries,{{Sfn|Ramdas Lamb|2012|p=28}} and the ''[[Ramcharitmanas]]'' – a popular treatise that inspires thousands of [[Ramlila]] festival performances during autumn every year in India.<ref name="SchechnerHess51">{{cite journal | last1=Schechner | first1=Richard | last2=Hess | first2=Linda | title=The Ramlila of Ramnagar [India] | journal=The Drama Review: TDR | publisher=The MIT Press | volume=21 | issue=3 | year=1977 | pages=51–82 | doi=10.2307/1145152 | jstor=1145152 }}</ref><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|James G. Lochtefeld|2002|p=389}}.</ref><ref name="Jennifer Lindsay 2006 12–14">{{cite book|author=Jennifer Lindsay|title=Between Tongues: Translation And/of/in Performance in Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ks-nUAO_fJgC&pg=PA12|year=2006|publisher=National University of Singapore Press|isbn=978-9971-69-339-8|pages=12–14}}</ref>
== Other websites ==
{{commonscat-inline|Rama}}


Rama legends are also found in the texts of [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]], though he is sometimes called Pauma or Padma in these texts,{{Sfn|Roshen Dalal|2010|pp=337-338}} and their details vary significantly from the Hindu versions.<ref name="ClausDiamond2003p508">{{cite book|author1=Peter J. Claus|author2=Sarah Diamond|author3=Margaret Ann Mills|title=South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ienxrTPHzzwC&pg=PA508|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93919-5|page=508}}</ref> [[Jain Scriptures|Jain Texts]] also mentioned [[Rama in Jainism|Rama]] as the eighth [[balabhadra]] among the 63 [[salakapurusa]]s.<ref name="King">{{cite book|last=King|first=Anna S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0FvH1aCXETwC|title=The intimate other: love divine in Indic religions|publisher=Orient Blackswan|year=2005|isbn=978-81-250-2801-7|pages=32–33}}</ref><ref name="Matchett">{{cite book|last=Matchett|first=Freda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1oqTYiPeAxMC|title=Krishna, Lord or Avatara?: the relationship between Krishna and Vishnu|publisher=9780700712816|year=2001|isbn=978-0-7007-1281-6|pages=3–4}}</ref>{{Sfn|James G. Lochtefeld|2002|pp=72-73}} In [[Rama in Sikhism|Sikhism]], Rama is mentioned as one of twenty four divine incarnations of Vishnu in the [[Chaubis Avtar]] in ''[[Dasam Granth]].''<ref name=":0" />
[[Category:Hindu mythology]]


==Etymology and nomenclature==
''Rāma'' is a Vedic Sanskrit word with two contextual meanings. In one context as found in ''[[Atharva Veda]]'', as stated by [[Monier Monier-Williams]], means "dark, dark-colored, black" and is related to the term ''ratri'' which means night. In another context as found in other Vedic texts, the word means "pleasing, delightful, charming, beautiful, lovely".<ref name="mmwrama">{{Cite web|title=Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary --र|url=https://sanskrit.inria.fr/MW/218.html#raama|access-date=2021-03-06|website=sanskrit.inria.fr}}</ref><ref name=parpola264/> The word is sometimes used as a suffix in different Indian languages and religions, such as Pali in Buddhist texts, where ''-rama'' adds the sense of "pleasing to the mind, lovely" to the composite word.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Thomas William Rhys Davids|author2=William Stede|title=Pali-English Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Guw2CnxiucC&pg=PA521 |year=1921|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1144-7|page=521}}</ref>


''Rama'' as a first name appears in the Vedic literature, associated with two patronymic names – Margaveya and Aupatasvini – representing different individuals. A third individual named ''Rama Jamadagnya'' is the purported author of hymn 10.110 of the ''[[Rigveda]]'' in the Hindu tradition.<ref name=mmwrama/> The word ''Rama'' appears in ancient literature in reverential terms for three individuals:<ref name=mmwrama/>
{{religion-stub}}

#[[Parashurama|Parashu-rama]], as the sixth [[avatar]] of Vishnu. He is linked to the ''Rama Jamadagnya'' of the ''Rigveda'' fame.
#'''Rama-chandra''', as the seventh avatar of Vishnu and of the ancient ''Ramayana'' fame.
#[[Balarama|Bala-rama]], also called ''Halayudha'', as the elder brother of [[Krishna]] both of whom appear in the legends of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

The name Rama appears repeatedly in Hindu texts, for many different scholars and kings in mythical stories.<ref name=mmwrama/> The word also appears in ancient [[Upanishad]]s and [[Aranyaka]]s layer of Vedic literature, as well as music and other post-Vedic literature, but in qualifying context of something or someone who is "charming, beautiful, lovely" or "darkness, night".<ref name=mmwrama/>

The Vishnu avatar named Rama is also known by other names. He is called ''Ramachandra'' (beautiful, lovely moon),<ref name=parpola264>{{cite book|author=Asko Parpola|title=Studia Orientalia, Volume 84|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jkBZAAAAMAAJ |year=1998|publisher=Finnish Oriental Society|isbn=978-951-9380-38-4|page=264}}</ref> or ''Dasarathi'' (son of Dasaratha), or ''Raghava'' (descendant of Raghu, solar dynasty in Hindu cosmology).<ref name=mmwrama/><ref>{{cite book|author1=Wagenaar|first=Hank W.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_kWROaer5UsC&pg=PA528|title=Allied Chambers transliterated Hindi-Hindi-English dictionary|last2=Parikh|first2=S. S.|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=1993|isbn=978-81-86062-10-4|page=528}}</ref> He is also known as Ram Lalla ''(Infant form of Rama)''.<ref name="News18RamLalla19">{{Cite web|title=Ayodhya Case Verdict: Who is Ram Lalla Virajman, the 'Divine Infant' Given the Possession of Disputed Ayodhya Land|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/ayodhya-case-verdict-who-is-ram-lalla-virajman-the-divine-infant-given-the-possession-of-disputed-ayodhya-land-2379679.html|date=9 November 2019|access-date=4 August 2020|website=News18}}</ref>

Additional names of Rama include ''Ramavijaya'' ([[Javanese language|Javanese]]), ''Phreah Ream'' ([[Khmer language|Khmer]]), ''Phra Ram'' ([[Lao language|Lao]] and [[Thai language|Thai]]), ''Megat Seri Rama'' ([[Malay language|Malay]]), ''Raja Bantugan'' ([[Maranao]]), ''Ramudu'' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]), ''Ramar'' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rajarajan |first1=R.K.K. |title=Sītāpaharaṇam: Changing thematic Idioms in Sanskrit and Tamil. In Dirk W. Lonne ed. Tofha-e-Dil: Festschrift Helmut Nespital, Reinbeck, 2 vols., pp. 783-97 |date=2001 |isbn=3-88587-033-9 |pages=783–797 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263747582 |language=en}}</ref> In the ''[[Vishnu sahasranama]]'', Rama is the 394th name of [[Vishnu]]. In some Advaita Vedanta inspired texts, Rama connotes the metaphysical concept of Supreme [[Brahman]] who is the eternally blissful spiritual Self (Atman, soul) in whom [[yogi]]s delight nondualistically.{{Sfn|Ramdas Lamb|2012|p=31}}

The root of the word ''Rama'' is ''ram-'' which means "stop, stand still, rest, rejoice, be pleased".<ref name=parpola264/>

According to [[Douglas Q. Adams]], the Sanskrit word ''Rama'' is also found in other Indo-European languages such as [[Tocharian languages|Tocharian]] ''ram'', ''reme'', ''*romo-'' where it means "support, make still", "witness, make evident".<ref name=parpola264/><ref>{{cite book|author1=Adams|author2=Douglas Q. Adams|title=A Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EWziAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA587 |year=2013|publisher=Rodopi|isbn=978-90-420-3671-0|page=587}}</ref> The sense of "dark, black, soot" also appears in other Indo European languages, such as ''*remos'' or Old English ''romig''.{{Sfn|Maloory and en|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=tzU3RIV2BWIC&pg=PA160 160]}}{{refn|group=lower-greek|The legends found about Rama, state Mallory and Adams, have "many of the elements found in the later Welsh tales such as ''Branwen Daughter of Llyr'' and ''Manawydan Son of Lyr''. This may be because the concept and legends have deeper ancient roots.{{Sfn|Maloory and en|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=tzU3RIV2BWIC&pg=PA165 165]}}}}

==Legends==
This summary is a traditional legendary account, based on literary details from the ''[[Ramayana]]'' and other historic mythology-containing texts of [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]]. According to [[Sheldon Pollock]], the figure of Rama incorporates more ancient "morphemes of Indian myths", such as the mythical legends of ''Bali'' and ''Namuci''. The ancient sage Valmiki used these morphemes in his ''Ramayana'' [[simile]]s as in sections 3.27, 3.59, 3.73, 5.19 and 29.28.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Vālmīki|author2=Sheldon I. Pollock|title=The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Araṇyakāṇḍa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h1g6fWIu-kAC |year=2007|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-3164-3|pages=41 with footnote 83}}</ref>

* {{harvnb|Blank|2000|p=190}}
* {{harvnb|Dodiya|2001|pp=109–110}}
* {{harvnb|Tripathy|2015|p=1}}|group=lower-greek}} He has been depicted in many films, television shows and plays.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rajadhyaksha|first1=Ashish|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jOtkAAAAMAAJ|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema|last2=Willemen|first2=Paul|date=1994|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]|isbn=9780851704555}}</ref>

==See also==
{{div col}}
* [[Ayodhya dispute]]
* [[Ram Mandir, Ayodhya]]
* [[Culture of India]]
* [[Genealogy of Rama]]
* [[Hindu philosophy]]
* [[Natyashastra]]
* [[Ram Nam]]
* [[Ram Statue]]
* [[Jai Shri Ram]]
* [[Ramayan (1987 TV series)|''Ramayan'' (1987 TV series)]]
* [[Rama in Jainism]]
* [[Rama in Sikhism]]
* ''[[Ramayana]]''
* [[Dashavatara]]
* [[Vaishnavism]]
* [[Erlang Shen]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist|30em|group=lower-greek}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin|30em}}
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* {{citation |last=Zimmer |first=Heinrich |author-link=Heinrich Zimmer |title=Philosophies Of India |date=1953 |orig-year=April 1952 |editor-first=Joseph |editor-last=Campbell |editor-link=Joseph Campbell |publisher=[[Routledge]] & Kegan Paul Ltd |url=https://archive.org/details/Philosophy.of.India.by.Heinrich.Zimmer |isbn=978-81-208-0739-6 }}
* {{Citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QQRkuduNXTkC&pg=PA139|last=Dodiya |first=Jaydipsinh |title=Critical Perspectives on the Rāmāyaṇa |pages=139|publisher=Sarup & Sons|year=2001|isbn=978-81-7625-244-7 }}
* {{cite book|author=Bassuk|title=Incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity: The Myth of the God-Man|first=Daniel E|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k3iwCwAAQBAJ|date=1987|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Palgrave Macmillan]]|isbn=978-1-349-08642-9|ref={{SfnRef|Daniel E Bassuk|1987}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Parrinder|title=Avatar and Incarnation: The Divine in Human Form in the World's Religions|first=Edward Geoffrey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VkV5AAAAMAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Oxford: Oneworld|isbn=978-1-85168-130-3|ref={{SfnRef|Edward Geoffrey Parrinder|1997}}}}
*{{Cite book|last=Tripathy|first=Amish|title=[[Scion of Ikshvaku]]|publisher=[[Amazon India|Westland Publications]]|year=2015|isbn=9-789-385-15214-6|location=[[New Delhi]], [[India]]|author-link=Amish Tripathi}}
* {{cite book|author=Rinehart|title=Debating the Dasam Granth|first=Robin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qe6WnpbT2BkC|year=2011|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-984247-6|ref={{SfnRef|Robin Rinehart|2011}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Lochtefeld|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z|first=James G.|url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch|url-access=registration|year=2002|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8239-3180-4|pages=|ref={{SfnRef|James G. Lochtefeld|2002}}}}
* {{cite book|author=Lamb|title=Rapt in the Name: The Ramnamis, Ramnam, and Untouchable Religion in Central India|first=Ramdas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R51OEErb9g8C&pg=PA28|year=2012|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-0-7914-8856-0|pages=28–32|ref={{SfnRef|Ramdas Lamb|2012}}}}
*{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Shakti M.|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Festivals_Fairs_and_Fasts_of_India/XQjgAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0|title=Festivals, Fairs, and Fasts of India|publisher=Clarion Books|year=1991|location=[[University of Indiana]], [[United States]]|isbn=9-788-185-12023-2|oclc=1108734495}}
*{{Cite book|last=Dalal|first=Roshan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA338|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|year=2010|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|ref={{SfnRef|Roshen Dalal|2010}}}}
* {{cite book|first=Roderick|last=Hindery|title=Comparative Ethics in Hindu and Buddhist Traditions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-FswBLvTkvQC&pg=PA98|year=1978|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0866-9}}
*{{Cite book|last=Goldman|first=Robert P.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sFmsrEszbxgC|title=The Ramayan of Valmiki|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|year=1996|isbn=978-0-691-06662-2|location=[[New Jersey]], [[United States]]|author-link=Robert P. Goldman}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Van Der Molen|first=Willem|date=2003|title=Rama and Sita in Wonoboyo|journal=Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde|volume=159|issue=2/3|pages=389–403|doi=10.1163/22134379-90003748|jstor=27868037|issn=0006-2294|doi-access=free}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation | title= Jain Rāmāyaṇa of Hemchandra (English translation), ''book 7 of the Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra'' | url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/jainism/book/trishashti-shalaka-purusha-caritra/d/doc213981.html |year=1931 }}
* {{citation|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24869|title=Ramayana|author-link=Ralph T. H. Griffith|last=Griffith|publisher=[[Project Gutenberg]]}}
* {{cite book|author=Willem Frederik Stutterheim|title=Rāma-legends and Rāma-reliefs in Indonesia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OoitUqGk8PAC|year=1989|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-251-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Vyas|first=R.T. (ed.)|title=Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa|quote=Text as Constituted in its Critical Edition'',|publisher=Oriental Institute|location=[[Vadodara]]|date=1992}}
* {{cite book|last=Valmiki|ref={{SfnRef|Valmiki Ramayan}}|author-link=Valmiki|title=[[Ramayana]]|publisher=[[Gita Press]]|location=[[Gorakhpur]], [[India]]}}
*{{cite book|author1=J. P. Mallory|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tzU3RIV2BWIC|title=Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture|author2=Douglas Q. Adams|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|year=1997|isbn=978-1-884964-98-5|ref={{SfnRef|Maloory and en|1997}}}}
* {{cite book|last=Menon|first=Ramesh|author-link=Ramesh Menon|orig-year=2004|year=2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JmQuLwAACAAJ|title=The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic|isbn=978-0-86547-660-8}}
* {{cite book|author-link=F.S. Growse|title=The Ramayana of Tulsidas|last=Growse|first=F.S.|year=2017|isbn=9-780-649-46180-6|publisher=Trieste Publishing Pty Limited}}
* {{cite book|author-link=Jonah Blank|last=Blank|first=Jonah|title=Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God: Retracing the Ramayana Through India|year=2000|isbn=0-8021-3733-4}}
* {{cite book|author-link=Kambar (poet)|last=Kambar|title=Kamba Ramayanam}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*{{Commons and category-inline|Rama}}
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{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Solar dynasty|Ikshvaku dynasty]]}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Dasharatha]]
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{{s-ttl
| title = [[Kosala Kingdom|King of Kosala]]
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{{s-aft
| after = [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]]
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{{s-break}}
{{s-reg|[[Dashavatara|7th Avatar of Vishnu]]
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{{s-bef
| before = [[Parashurama]]
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{{s-ttl
| title = [[Dashavatara]]<br/>{{small|[[Treta Yuga]]}}
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{{s-aft
| after = [[Krishna]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Ramayana}}
{{HinduAvatars}}
{{Hindudharma}}{{Subject bar|d-search=Q160213|commons=y|d=y|n-search=y|q=y|wikt=y|wikt-search=Rama|portal1=Hinduism|portal2=Philosophy|v=Hinduism/Rama}}{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rama| ]]
[[Category:Ancient Indian culture]]
[[Category:Asian rulers]]
[[Category:Avatars of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Ayyavazhi mythology]]
[[Category:Buddhist gods]]
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Characters in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Creator gods]]
[[Category:Descendants of Ikshvaku]]
[[Category:Heavenly attendants in Jainism]]
[[Category:Hindu given names]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Solar dynasty]]
[[Category:Names of God in Hinduism]]
[[Category:Raghuvamsa]]
[[Category:Salakapurusa]]
[[Category:Savior gods]]
[[Category:Names of God in Sikhism]]
[[Category:Kshatriya]]
[[Category:Suryavansha]]

Revision as of 10:52, 9 January 2022

Simple English Wikipedia does not use Short Description at this time. Please remove this template. This template categorizes the page it is put on for cleanup to remove the template call.

Template:Pp-protect

Rama
Member of Dashavatar
An angry Rāma, angered at the irresponsive Varuṇa, takes up the Brahmāstra
Affiliation
PredecessorDasharatha
SuccessorLava
Abode
WeaponBow and arrows
Texts
GenderMale
Festivals
Personal information
Born
Died
Sarayu River, near Ayodhya
SpouseSita[3]
Children
Parents
Siblings
DynastyRaghuvansh-Suryavansh

Template:Hinduism small

Template:Vaishnavism

Raam is the son of Lord Surya and Seventh Avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. However in Valmiki Ramayana, he was the son of Lord Sun. When king Dashrath conducted the sacrifice, lord sun presented his portion Rama. Rama's character purely resembles Karna(the chief protagonist of the Mahabharata). Both were the protagonists of the two greatest epics. Both were the eldest brother but however Yudhisthira and Bharat were crowned the king. Both had to be deceived by their mother-Kunti and Kaikeyi. Both were the most handsome good-looking person of their respective eras. Both learnt weaponry through the greatest teacher of all time- Parshurama and Vishwamitra. Despite being a part of royal family, had to suffer their entire life. Both possessed not more than 1 wife. Both possessed the bow of Shiva. Parshurama too had a place in the epic of Mahabharata and Ramayana because of the protagonist of the epics- Lord Rama and Karna.

Indra and Sumitra gave birth to Shatrughana and Lakshmana. Lakshmana and Shatrughana were twins. Kaikeyi and Lord Yama gave birth to Bharat. Lord Rama was born through Lord Surya.

According to Puranas, Rama, Karna and Shani are three portions of Surya. They are regarded as greatest of all men.

Rama is said to have been born to Kaushalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya, the ruler of the Kingdom of Kosala. His siblings included Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. He married Sita. Though born in a royal family, their life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, ethical questions and moral dilemmas.[4] Of all their travails, the most notable is the kidnapping of Sita by demon-king Ravana, followed by the determined and epic efforts of Rama and Lakshmana to gain her freedom and destroy the evil Ravana against great odds. The entire life story of Rama, Sita and their companions allegorically discusses duties, rights and social responsibilities of an individual. It illustrates dharma and dharmic living through model characters.[4][5]

Rama is especially important to Vaishnavism. He is the central figure of the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana, a text historically popular in the South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures.[6][7][8] His ancient legends have attracted bhasya (commentaries) and extensive secondary literature and inspired performance arts. Two such texts, for example, are the Adhyatma Ramayana – a spiritual and theological treatise considered foundational by Ramanandi monasteries,[9] and the Ramcharitmanas – a popular treatise that inspires thousands of Ramlila festival performances during autumn every year in India.[10][11][12]

Rama legends are also found in the texts of Jainism and Buddhism, though he is sometimes called Pauma or Padma in these texts,[13] and their details vary significantly from the Hindu versions.[14] Jain Texts also mentioned Rama as the eighth balabhadra among the 63 salakapurusas.[15][16][17] In Sikhism, Rama is mentioned as one of twenty four divine incarnations of Vishnu in the Chaubis Avtar in Dasam Granth.[18]

Etymology and nomenclature

Rāma is a Vedic Sanskrit word with two contextual meanings. In one context as found in Atharva Veda, as stated by Monier Monier-Williams, means "dark, dark-colored, black" and is related to the term ratri which means night. In another context as found in other Vedic texts, the word means "pleasing, delightful, charming, beautiful, lovely".[19][20] The word is sometimes used as a suffix in different Indian languages and religions, such as Pali in Buddhist texts, where -rama adds the sense of "pleasing to the mind, lovely" to the composite word.[21]

Rama as a first name appears in the Vedic literature, associated with two patronymic names – Margaveya and Aupatasvini – representing different individuals. A third individual named Rama Jamadagnya is the purported author of hymn 10.110 of the Rigveda in the Hindu tradition.[19] The word Rama appears in ancient literature in reverential terms for three individuals:[19]

  1. Parashu-rama, as the sixth avatar of Vishnu. He is linked to the Rama Jamadagnya of the Rigveda fame.
  2. Rama-chandra, as the seventh avatar of Vishnu and of the ancient Ramayana fame.
  3. Bala-rama, also called Halayudha, as the elder brother of Krishna both of whom appear in the legends of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

The name Rama appears repeatedly in Hindu texts, for many different scholars and kings in mythical stories.[19] The word also appears in ancient Upanishads and Aranyakas layer of Vedic literature, as well as music and other post-Vedic literature, but in qualifying context of something or someone who is "charming, beautiful, lovely" or "darkness, night".[19]

The Vishnu avatar named Rama is also known by other names. He is called Ramachandra (beautiful, lovely moon),[20] or Dasarathi (son of Dasaratha), or Raghava (descendant of Raghu, solar dynasty in Hindu cosmology).[19][22] He is also known as Ram Lalla (Infant form of Rama).[23]

Additional names of Rama include Ramavijaya (Javanese), Phreah Ream (Khmer), Phra Ram (Lao and Thai), Megat Seri Rama (Malay), Raja Bantugan (Maranao), Ramudu (Telugu), Ramar (Tamil).[24] In the Vishnu sahasranama, Rama is the 394th name of Vishnu. In some Advaita Vedanta inspired texts, Rama connotes the metaphysical concept of Supreme Brahman who is the eternally blissful spiritual Self (Atman, soul) in whom yogis delight nondualistically.[25]

The root of the word Rama is ram- which means "stop, stand still, rest, rejoice, be pleased".[20]

According to Douglas Q. Adams, the Sanskrit word Rama is also found in other Indo-European languages such as Tocharian ram, reme, *romo- where it means "support, make still", "witness, make evident".[20][26] The sense of "dark, black, soot" also appears in other Indo European languages, such as *remos or Old English romig.[27][lower-greek 1]

Legends

This summary is a traditional legendary account, based on literary details from the Ramayana and other historic mythology-containing texts of Buddhism and Jainism. According to Sheldon Pollock, the figure of Rama incorporates more ancient "morphemes of Indian myths", such as the mythical legends of Bali and Namuci. The ancient sage Valmiki used these morphemes in his Ramayana similes as in sections 3.27, 3.59, 3.73, 5.19 and 29.28.[29]

See also

References

Notes

  1. The legends found about Rama, state Mallory and Adams, have "many of the elements found in the later Welsh tales such as Branwen Daughter of Llyr and Manawydan Son of Lyr. This may be because the concept and legends have deeper ancient roots.[28]

Citations

  1. SATTAR, ARSHIA (20 October 2020). Maryada: Searching for Dharma in the Ramayana. HarperCollins Publishers, India. ISBN 978-93-5357-713-1.
  2. "Dharma Personified". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  3. James G. Lochtefeld 2002, p. 555.
  4. 4.0 4.1 William H. Brackney (2013). Human Rights and the World's Major Religions, 2nd Edition. ABC-CLIO. pp. 238–239. ISBN 978-1-4408-2812-6.
  5. Roderick Hindery (1978). Comparative Ethics in Hindu and Buddhist Traditions. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 95–124. ISBN 978-81-208-0866-9.
  6. Vālmīki (1990). The Ramayana of Valmiki: Balakanda. Translated by Goldman, Robert P. Princeton University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-4008-8455-1.
  7. Dimock Jr, E.C. (1963). "Doctrine and Practice among the Vaisnavas of Bengal". History of Religions. 3 (1): 106–127. doi:10.1086/462474. JSTOR 1062079. S2CID 162027021.
  8. Marijke J. Klokke (2000). Narrative Sculpture and Literary Traditions in South and Southeast Asia. BRILL. pp. 51–57. ISBN 90-04-11865-9.
  9. Ramdas Lamb 2012, p. 28.
  10. Schechner, Richard; Hess, Linda (1977). "The Ramlila of Ramnagar [India]". The Drama Review: TDR. 21 (3). The MIT Press: 51–82. doi:10.2307/1145152. JSTOR 1145152.
  11. James G. Lochtefeld 2002, p. 389.
  12. Jennifer Lindsay (2006). Between Tongues: Translation And/of/in Performance in Asia. National University of Singapore Press. pp. 12–14. ISBN 978-9971-69-339-8.
  13. Roshen Dalal 2010, pp. 337–338.
  14. Peter J. Claus; Sarah Diamond; Margaret Ann Mills (2003). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Taylor & Francis. p. 508. ISBN 978-0-415-93919-5.
  15. King, Anna S. (2005). The intimate other: love divine in Indic religions. Orient Blackswan. pp. 32–33. ISBN 978-81-250-2801-7.
  16. Matchett, Freda (2001). Krishna, Lord or Avatara?: the relationship between Krishna and Vishnu. 9780700712816. pp. 3–4. ISBN 978-0-7007-1281-6.
  17. James G. Lochtefeld 2002, pp. 72–73.
  18. Cite error: The named reference :0 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 "Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary --र". sanskrit.inria.fr. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Asko Parpola (1998). Studia Orientalia, Volume 84. Finnish Oriental Society. p. 264. ISBN 978-951-9380-38-4.
  21. Thomas William Rhys Davids; William Stede (1921). Pali-English Dictionary. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 521. ISBN 978-81-208-1144-7.
  22. Wagenaar, Hank W.; Parikh, S. S. (1993). Allied Chambers transliterated Hindi-Hindi-English dictionary. Allied Publishers. p. 528. ISBN 978-81-86062-10-4.
  23. "Ayodhya Case Verdict: Who is Ram Lalla Virajman, the 'Divine Infant' Given the Possession of Disputed Ayodhya Land". News18. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  24. Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2001). Sītāpaharaṇam: Changing thematic Idioms in Sanskrit and Tamil. In Dirk W. Lonne ed. Tofha-e-Dil: Festschrift Helmut Nespital, Reinbeck, 2 vols., pp. 783-97. pp. 783–797. ISBN 3-88587-033-9.
  25. Ramdas Lamb 2012, p. 31.
  26. Adams; Douglas Q. Adams (2013). A Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged. Rodopi. p. 587. ISBN 978-90-420-3671-0.
  27. Maloory and en 1997, p. 160.
  28. Maloory and en 1997, p. 165.
  29. Vālmīki; Sheldon I. Pollock (2007). The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Araṇyakāṇḍa. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 41 with footnote 83. ISBN 978-81-208-3164-3.
  30. Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute. ISBN 9780851704555.

Sources

Further reading

Rama
Preceded by
Dasharatha
King of Kosala Succeeded by
Lava
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Parashurama
Dashavatara
Treta Yuga
Succeeded by
Krishna

Template:Ramayana Template:HinduAvatars

Template:Subject bar