Lord Rama: Seventh Avatar of Vishnu

Introduction

Rama is the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He has various adventures and legends attributed to him, including the slaying of Ravana. Lord Rama, who is considered to be the most pious figure in Hindu mythology, is depicted as a man of purity and devotion. He and his wife, Sita, are also depicted as pious individuals.

Rama is worshipped in various parts of India and Southeast Asia. He is most notable in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India. He is also considered an avatar of Buddha by some Buddhists. In art, Rama is usually portrayed with his family, including Laksmana, Hanuman, and Sita.

Physical Traits

In art, Rama is always young and has green or blue skin, and he usually wears a yellow robe. He often has a bow and arrows in his hands. He has broad shoulders, a charming countenance, and piercing and coppery eyes. He was known to have a deep voice and a dark brown complexion.

Family

Rama is the son of King Dasaratha and Queen Kausalya. He came into the world at the behest of the gods to Lord Vishnu to deal with Ravana, who was a demon king. The pious king was presented with a pot of nectar during a sacrificial fire and gave half of it to Kausalya who produced half-divine Rama as a consequence. Rama had three half-brothers – Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna – all with some, albeit lesser, divine qualities. He had 2 step mothers by the names of Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Rama’s favourite brother and great companion was Laksmana, son of Sumitra, while his loyal servant was the monkey warrior Hanuman (or Hanumat).

Other Names

Rama is known by many names today with many of them escribing his various qualities. The most common or popular ones include Ram, Ramachandra, Ramlalla, Rajeevalochana, Janakivallabha, Janardhana, Satyavrata, Trivikrama and Raghava.

Powers and Abilities

Rama was the epitome of virtue and was believed to always stand on the side of morality. As a warrior he was unsurpassed in his time with complete mastery over the bow and arrow. He was also a master strategist and diplomat.

Modern Day Influence

Rama has elements of both Hindu and non-Vishnu avatars. He has a bana in his right hand and a dhanus in his left. He is usually shown in a tribhanga pose. If his wife or brother is also involved in the iconography, then the icon of Lakshmana would be placed on his left and Sita on the right. Hanuman is usually shown as kneeling before them.

Ramnavami,  Diwali, Dusserah etc are major festivals in India which are dedicated to Ram and his many achievements. These festivals are celebrated even today with much fanfare and devotion.