Dashrath’s family teacher
Vashishtha educated Rama. Rama killed the demons and protected the yagya (sacrifice) of
Vishwamitra. He went to Mithila to attend Swayamvar (the choice of husband made by a princess in public) of
Sita, daughter of King
Janak. He broke the Shiv-dhanush (a bow) and
Sita made him wear the nuptial garland. He obeyed his father and went for exile for fourteen years to keep the promise that his father gave to queen
Kaikeyi. During the period of their stay at the forest,
Sita was kidnapped by
Ravan, King of Lanka. Due to this, a war was fought between Rama and
Ravan.
Ravan was killed by Rama during this war. By killing
Ravan, Rama made the sages and gentlemen tension free and reinstalled the glory of religion. On finishing the stay at the forest, Rama became the king of Ayodhya and ruled as an ideal protector of his subjects and dutiful religious king.
Rama and
Sita are the protagonists in one of the most famous love stories of all time.
Sita and Rama are described as being deeply in love and are theologically understood as avatars of
Lakshmi and
Vishnu respectively. When Rama is banished from the kingdom, he attempts to convince
Sita not to join him in a potentially dangerous and certainly arduous existence in the jungle, but
Sita rejects this. When Rama orders her in his capacity as husband,
Sita rejects it, asserting that it was an essential duty of a wife to be at her husband's side come good or ill. Rama in turn is assiduously protective and caring for
Sita throughout the exile.
Rama’s reign was the one with happiness, prosperity, peace, good conduct and honoured with virtues. That is why it is one of the best and ideal reigns and so is called ‘RAMRAJYA’. Rama himself is the idol of mercy, modest, virtuous conduct, sacrifice and generosity. He became an ideal image of Indian civilization because of utmost virtues and bright character. Rama is paid homage as ‘MARYADA- PURSHOTTAM’ in the puranas as he is the perfect man who maintains the decoram.
Ramkatha is famous in the whole world. Except the demons, all the principal characters of Ramkatha also cherish the social ideals. Rama’s wife
Sita was also an ideal wife. His brothers
Lakshman,
Bharat and
Shatrughna were also ideal brothers.
Hanuman and
Sugriv has been picturised as an ideal devotee and an ideal friend respectively. The demon family also had a gentleman like
Vibhishan. That is why ‘RAMAYAN’ is approved as the best epic of social ideals.
Apart from India, Ramayana is famous in the countries like Indonesia, Java, Thailand, Myannmar (Burma) and Cambodia. Ramkatha is available in three hundred forms in different languages. In this, ‘Ramayana’ composed by Valmiki in India and ‘Ram Charit Maanas’ composed by Tulsidas is the most famous. Valmiki’s Rama is a human (comman man) and the way he conducted his life, he is the ideal man whereas Tulsidas believes Rama to be a God and devotedly bowed to him. In both these forms, Rama’s character is generous and inspiring.
The classical poet Kalidas was inspired with the royal character of Rama and he created ‘Raghuvansh Mahakavyam’.
In the modern times, national poet Maithili Sharan Gupta’s famous poem ‘Saket’ is focused on the luminous character of Rama.
Rama’s character will always remain an ideal in every age for the making of single faced, complete and peaceful society. As a person, Rama personifies the characteristics of an ideal person (Purshottam) who is to be emulated. He had within him all the desirable virtues that any individual would seek to aspire, and he fulfils all his moral obligations (Maryada). Rama's purity and piety in his intentions and actions inspires affection and devotion for him from a variety of characters from different backgrounds. For example, he gave up his rightful claim to the throne, and agreed to go into exile for fourteen years, to fulfill the vow that his father had given to
Kaikayee, one of King
Dashrath’s wives. This is in spite of the fact that
Kaikeyee's son,
Bharat, begged him to return back to Ayodhya and said that he did not want to rule in place of Rama. But Rama considered his dharma as a son above that of his own birthright and his life's ambition. For such supreme sacrifices, and many other qualities, Shri Rama is considered a Maryada Purshottam.
