The Ramayana / Characters

The Ramayana

Ramayana is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. The epic, traditionally ascribed to the poet Valmiki, narrates the life of Rama, the legendary prince of the Kosala Kingdom. It follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest by his father King Dasharatha, on request of his step-mother Kaikeyi. His travels across forests in India with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, the kidnapping of his wife by Ravana, the great king of Lanka, resulting in a war with him, and Ram's eventual return to Ayodhya to be crowned king. This is the culmination point of the epic. It is the most sacred book, and is read by millions of people every year.

The Ramayana

Lord Rama

Rama is a major deity of Hinduism. He is the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu, one of his most popular incarnations along with Krishna. Rama was born in Ayodhya to Kaushalya and Dasharatha, 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.

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.

The Ramayana

Sita

Sita, in her youth, chooses Rama as her husband in a swayamvara—bride choosing the best from a crowd of suitors after a contest, where Rama proves his heroism and valor and martial power and "defeats" the other seekers for her hand in marriage. Afterwards, she accompanies her husband to his kingdom, and later in his exile, alongside with Lakshmana. While in exile, the they settle in the Dandaka forest from where she is abducted by Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka. She is imprisoned in Lanka until she is rescued by Rama, who slays her captor. After the war, in some versions of the epic, Rama asks Sita to undergo Agni Pariksha (an ordeal of fire) by which she proves her purity before she is accepted by Rama, which for the first time makes his brother Lakshmana get angry at him.

Sita is the central female character in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. She is described as the daughter of the earth goddess, Bhūmi or Prithvi and the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Videha. She is known for her dedication, self-sacrifice, courage and purity.

The Ramayana

Lakshmana

Lakshmana is the younger brother of Rama and his aide in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Lakshmana serves Rama and Sita reverently during the exile. In Panchvati, Lakshmana also builds a hut for Rama and Sita to live in. Lakshmana cuts off Ravana's sister Surpanakha's nose in anger when she tries to seduce Rama and insults Sita. He plays an important role in the war with Ravana and slays Ravana's sons Indrajit, Atikaya.

The demon lord's sister,

The Ramayana

Ravana

Ravana is the great king of Lanka. He is described as having been a great devotee and follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler and a maestro of the Veena, but someone who wished to overpower the Devas (good spirits). His ten heads represent his knowledge of the six shastras and the four Vedas. Ravana is also depicted as the author of the Ravana Samhita, a book on Hindu astrology, and the Arka Prakasham, a book on Siddha medicine and treatment. Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Siddha and political science. In the Ramayana, Ravana kidnaps Sita to exact vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister Shurpanakha and tries coercing her to marry him and forget her husband.

Ravana won boons from Brahma:

• being invincible to except for humans
• receiving weapons and a chariot
• having the ability to shapeshift
• learning the Arthashastra (Science of Politics)
• possessing the nectar of immortality, which was stored inside his belly

The Ramayana

Hanuman

The monkey king

Hanuman was a Hindu god and a divine monkey companion to Lord Rama.

He is viewed as the ideal combination of "strength, heroic initiative and assertive excellence" and "loving, emotional devotion to his personal god Rama". In later literature, he has been the patron god of martial arts such as wrestling, acrobatics, as well as meditation and diligent scholarship. He symbolizes the human excellences of inner self-control, faith and service to a cause.

The Ramayana

Brahma

The Hindu god of creation and the Vedas.

Brahma is traditionally depicted with four faces and four arms. Each face of his points to a cardinal direction. His hands hold no weapons, rather symbols of knowledge and creation. In one hand he holds the sacred texts of Vedas, in second he holds mala (rosary beads) symbolizing time, in third he holds a sruva or shruk — ladle types symbolizing means to feed sacrificial fire, and in fourth a kamandalu – utensil with water symbolizing the means where all creation emanates from. His four mouths are credited with creating the four Vedas. He is often depicted with a white beard, implying his sage-like experience. He sits on lotus, dressed in white (or red, pink), with his vehicle (vahana) – hansa, a swan or goose – nearby.

The Ramayana

Shiva

Supreme Being; Lord of Divine Energy, Meditation, Arts, Yoga, Time, Destruction, Dance; Supreme Destroyer of Evil; Lord of The Devas (gods)

त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगंधिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् उर्वारूकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मा अमृतात। We worship Tryambaka, sweet augmenter of prosperity. As from its stem a cucumber, may I be freed from the bonds of death, not reft of immortality. Sanskrit

The Ramayana

Vishnu

Supreme Being, Parabrahman, God of Protection, Preservation of Good, Controller of entire Universe, Karma restoration

The avatars of Vishnu descend to empower the good and to destroy evil, thereby restoring Dharma and relieving the burden of the Earth.

The Ramayana

The Asthras

Celestial weapons

In Hinduism, an asthra was a supernatural weapon, presided over by a specific deity and imbued with spiritual or occult power that caused its effect or impact.

Asthra required use of a specific incantation/invocation and specific conditions. The deity invoked would then endow the weapon making it impossible to counter through regular means. The violation ofthe conditions could be fatal. Because of their power, the knowledge involving an astra was passed from a Guru (teacher) to a pupil by word of mouth alone, and only following the establishment of the student's character. Certain astras were given only by the deity involved directly.

The Ramayana

Rakshasas

Rakshasas were believed to have been created from the breath of Brahma when he was asleep at the end of the Satya Yuga. As soon as they were created, they were so filled with bloodlust that they started eating Brahma himself. Brahma shouted "Rakshama!" (Sanskrit for "Protect me!") and Vishnu came to his aid, banishing to Earth all Rakshasas (named after Brahma's cry for help).

Rakshasas were most often depicted as ugly, fierce-looking and enormous creatures, with two fangs protruding from the top of the mouth and having sharp, claw-like fingernails. They are shown as being mean, growling like beasts, and as insatiable man-eaters that could smell the scent of human flesh. Some of the more ferocious ones were shown with flaming red eyes and hair, drinking blood with their palms or from a human skull.