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'''Ram''' ([[Devanagari]]:राम) also known as '''Ramchandra''' ([[Devanagari]]: रामचन्द्र or रामचंद्र) is known as the son of Lord [[Surya]] and Seventh [[Avatar]] of  Lord [[Vishnu]] in [[Hinduism]]. However, in [[Valmiki Ramayana]], he was the son of Lord Sun (also known as surya). 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 [[protagonist]]s 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, they 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.
[[File:Ram in Ayodhya.jpg|thumb|300px|Depiction of Ram]]

Indra and Sumitra gave birth to Shatrughana and Lakshmana. Lakshmana and Shatrughana were [[twin]]s. 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 (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>

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| url = https://archive.org/details/sim_history-of-religions_summer-1963_3_1/page/106| 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>

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" />

Several temples use the name of Rama. [[Ram Temple, Ayodhya|Ram Temple]] is located in [[Ayodhya]], India.  ram ram

==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/>

# [[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]}}}}

==Ram Mandir ("Rama Temple")==
The '''[[Ram Mandir (disambiguation)|Ram Mandir]]''' (<abbr>lit.</abbr> 'Rama Temple') is a Hindu temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Many Hindus believe that it is located at the site of [[Ram Janmabhoomi]], the mythical birthplace of Rama, a principal deity of [[Hinduism]].

==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>

==Related pages==
* [[Hindu philosophy]]
* [[Ramayana]]
* [[Vaishnavism]]
* [[Ram Mandir (disambiguation)|Ram Mandir]]
* [[Religion in India]]

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

===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=":0">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Robin Rinehart|2011|pp=14, 28–30}}.</ref>

}}

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* {{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==
{{Commons}}
{{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.indianculture.gov.in/ebooks/ramayana-5|title=44 Ramayana|author-link=C. Rajagopalachari|last=Rajagopalachari|publisher=[[Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan]]}}
* {{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|editor=Vyas, R.T.|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|year=1980|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.325863}}
{{refend}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Solar dynasty|Ikshvaku dynasty]]}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Dasharatha]]
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = [[Kosala Kingdom|King of Kosala]]
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]]
}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-reg|[[Dashavatara|7th Avatar of Vishnu]]
}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Parashurama]]
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = [[Dashavatara]]<br/>{{small|[[Treta Yuga]]}}
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Krishna]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Hindudharma}}
{{Religion and politics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Religion in India]]
[[Category:Buddhism]]
[[Category:Hinduism]]
[[Category:Kshatriya]]
[[Category:Hindu gods and goddesses]]