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Rama

The orthodox Vaishnava adherents hold to 10 incarnations of Vishnu, but they do not all agree as to what these incarnations were. However the general Vaishnava opinion now gives them as follows in their order of happening: Fish, Tortoise, Boar. Man-lion, Dwarf, Parasu Rama, Rama Chandra, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki or white horse. Under each of these incarnations Vishnu is said to have appeared with some definite object in view, and so about them has grown up a vast amount of legendary and religious lore, myth, tradition and poetry which have woven themselves into the life of the Indian people, whether or not they be of the Viashnava sect.

Rama, in Hindu mythology, the name common to a personage appearing as three incarnations of Vishnu, all great warriors of surpassing beauty. These three forms are distinguished as Bala Rama or Balaram, ParaMirama or Parasram, and Rama Chandra or Dasrat Rami. Rama first appeared in the sixth incarnation, and his deeds are celebrated in a poem called the 'Ramayana.' the best great epic poem of ancient India. In this poem all three of the heroes are celebrated, but the last-named, or Rama Chandra, has his life and deeds detailed 'at greater length than the others. The story tells how Sita, his wife, was carried away to Ceylon by the king of demons, one Ravana, and how Rama rescued his wife, bridging the water between Ceylon and India by the aid of an army of monkeys. He slew the demons and became a great hero. The Ramayana is often likened to the 'Iliad,' to which it bears great resemblance. The Ramayatya, i.e. poem " relating to Rama," is ascribed to the poet Valmiki; and, allowance being made for some later additions, the poem indeed presents the appearance of being the work of an individual genius. In its present form it consists of some 24,000 slokas, or 48,000 lines of sixteen syllables, divided into seven books.

1. King Dasaratha of Kosala, reigning at Ayodhya (Oudh), has four sons borne him by three wives, viz. Rama, Bharata and the twins Lakshmana and Satrughna. Rama, by being able to bend an enormous bow, formerly the dreaded weapon of the god Rudra, wins for a wife Sita, daughter of Janaka, king of Videha (Tirhut).
2. On his return to Ayodhya he is to be appointed heir-apparent (yuva-raja, i.e. juvenis rex); but Bharata's mother persuades the king to banish his eldest son for fourteen years to the wilderness, and appoint her son instead. Separation from his favourite son soon breaks the king's heart; whereupon the ministers call on Bharata to assume the reins of government. He refuses, however, and, betaking himself to Rama's retreat on the Chitrakuta mountain (in Bundelkhund), implores him to return; but, unable to shake Rama's resolve to complete his term of exile, he consents to take charge of the kingdom in the meantime.
3. After a ten years' residence in the forest, Rama attracts the attention of a female demon (rakshasi); and, infuriated by the rejection of her advances, and by the wounds inflicted on her by Lakshmana, who keeps Rama company, she inspires her brother Ravana, demonking of Ceylon, with love for Sita, in consequence of which the latter is carried off by him to his capital Lanka. While she resolutely rejects the Rakshasa's addresses, Rama sets out with his brother to her rescue.
4. After numerous adventures they enter into an alliance with Sugriva, king of the monkeys; and, with the assistance of the monkey-general Hanuman, and Ravana's own brother Vibhishana, they prepare to assault Lanka.
5. The monkeys, tearing up rocks and trees, construct a passage across the straits— the so-called Adam's Bridge, still designated Rama's Bridge in India.
6. Having crossed over with his allies, Rama, after many hot encounters and miraculous deeds, slays the demon and captures the stronghold; whereupon he places Vibhishana on the throne of Lankii. To allay Rama's misgivings as to any taint she might have incurred through contact with the demon, Sita now successfully undergoes an ordeal by fire; after which they return to Ayodhya, where, af ter a triumphal entry, Rama is installed.
7. Rama, however, seeing that the people are not yet satisfied of Sita's purity, resolves to put her away; whereupon, in the forest, she falls in with VSlmTki himself, and at his hermitage gives birth to two sons. While growing up there, they are taught by the sage the use of the bow, as well as the Vedas, and the Ramayana as far as the capture of Lankfi and the royal entry into Ayodhya. Ultimately Rama discovers and recognizes them by their wonderful deeds and their likeness to himself, and takes his wife and sons back with him.

The last book, as will be noticed from this bare outline, presents a somewhat strange appearance. There can be little doubt that it is a later addition to the work; and the same is apparently the case as regards the first book, with the exception of certain portions which would seem to have formed the beginning of the original poem. In these two books the character of Rama appears changed: he has become deified and identified with the god Vishnu, whilst in the body of the poem his character is simply that of a perfect man and model hero.