Also known as: Raghav · Maryada Purushottam · Ramachandra · Kosalendra
Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu — the Maryada Purushottam, the supreme upholder of dharma even at personal cost.
Tradition
Vaishnavism
Domain
Dharma · Righteous Kingship · Filial Duty · Truth
Vahana
— (Pushpaka Vimana in Lanka)
Sacred day
Sunday
Sacred colors
Yellow, Blue
Number of arms (typical)
2
Weapons / attributes
Bow (Kodanda), Brahmastra
Consort
Sita
Parents
Dasharatha & Kausalya
The story
Rama was born to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya as the eldest of four sons. On the eve of his coronation, his stepmother Kaikeyi invoked an old boon to send him into 14 years of forest exile — and Rama accepted without protest, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana joining him willingly. In the forest, the demon-king Ravana abducted Sita; Rama allied with the monkey kingdom under Hanuman and Sugriva, built a bridge to Lanka, and slew Ravana to recover her. The return to Ayodhya — celebrated as Diwali, with the city lit by lamps to welcome him home — completed the cycle. The Ramayana of Valmiki (and the later Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas) elevates each of Rama's choices into a teaching: the son who obeys, the husband who searches, the king who renounces.
Iconography
Royal-blue-skinned prince; bow and arrow in hand; flanked by Sita on his left, Lakshmana on his right, Hanuman at his feet; calm, princely demeanor.
Mantras
ॐ श्री रामाय नमः
Om Sri Ramaya Namah
Recommended count: 108
श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम
Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram
The simplest taraka mantra — sufficient for liberation in the Kali Yuga according to many sants.
Festivals
Rama Navami
Chaitra Shukla Navami (Mar-Apr)
Rama's birthday — fasting, recitation of the Ramayana, processions of his idol.
Diwali (in north India)
Kartika Amavasya (Oct-Nov)
Welcoming Rama home from his 14-year exile after defeating Ravana.
Recommended practices
- Recite Sundara Kanda on Saturdays for resolution of stuck situations.
- Chant "Ram Ram" continuously while walking long distances or in distress.
Scriptural references
- · Ramayana (Valmiki)
- · Ramcharitmanas (Tulsidas)
- · Adhyatma Ramayana