Dashavatar represents the ten different incarnations of Vishnu which were taken to save the earth and its living beings from destruction. This article will narrate to you the story of the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. Lord Rama is one of the most adored and worshiped gods in India.
1. Lord Ram: Maryada Purushottam
He is depicted holding a bow and arrow indicating his readiness to destroy evil. His story forms the epic Ramayana. Ram can be simply described as a man who displays perfect morals, as well as social behavior. In the words of Swami Vivekananda Ram is the embodiment of the truth of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and, above all, the ideal king.
He is a symbol of the victory of right over evil. He is perfect in every aspect and is often referred to as Maryada Purushottam, meaning the one who was the supreme man. Ram was the son of the king of Ayodhya Dashratha.
2. Manthra conspired with Kaikeyi to send Ram into Exile
Dashratha had three wives, Kaushalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi. Ram was born to Kaushalya, Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharat and Sumitra gave birth to twin Lakshman and Shatrughan. Ram was the eldest son and Bharat was the second eldest. When Rama attained the age to be crowned king, Manthara, a servant maid brainwashed Kaikeyi that Bharat should be the king and not Ram after repeated attempts at manipulating Kaikeyi, Manthara finally succeeded. Kaikeyi went to Dashrath and very slyly reminded him of the boon he had promised her when Dashrath asked what did her heart desire, she said that she wanted her son Bharat to be crowned as the king of Ayodhya and that Rama should be sent on an exile for 14 years. On hearing this, Dashratha was spellbound, but as he had promised Kaikeyi, he could not go back on his word. Even before Dashrath could order Ram, Ram at once to fulfill his father’s words, along with Sita and Lakshman left for their 14-year-long exile.
3. Bharat didn’t know of Exile
It is also important to remember that when these incidents took place, Bharat was away from the kingdom and thus was unaware of all that happened. After coming back, he was grief-stricken and angered by his mother’s evil deed. He reproached her and wished she was dead.
Rama, on the other hand, was camping in Chitrakuta and was leading a simple life, but later they moved to Panchwati, as suggested by Muni Agastya. Shurpnakha, the sister of Ravana of Lanka had this area occupied along with her two brothers Khar and Bhushan. One day, Shurpanakha by chance, happened to pass by the hermitage where Ram was staying.
4. Laxman cut the Nose of Shurpanakha
She was stunned by seeing these three beautiful human beings. She wanted to marry Ram. Ram refused to entertain Shurpanakha, this made her furious and she wanted to kill Sita, to protect Sita, Lakshman cut off her nose. Shurpanaka was so angry, that she went straight to her brother, Ravana, and reported the matter to him. Shrupanaka also informed Ravana about this divine beauty, Sita.
Ravana decided to make her his wife and also fight Rama. Ravana asked his associate Maaricha to take the form of an attractive deer. Maaricha, as told by Ravana, took the shape of a golden deer and on seeing the beautiful deer Sita wanted Ram to get it for her to play with. Ram to make his wife’s wish come true went behind the deer and asked Lakshman to look after Sita while he was away as Ram left, Sita and Lakshman heard Ram call out their names in agony.
5. Sita was Abducted by Ravana
Sita was so terrified by this thinking, that Ram was in danger, that she asked Lakshman to go look for Ram. Lakshman did not want to leave Sita alone, however, Sita insisted that he should go find his brother and that she would be fine. Before leaving Lakshman, drew a line on the porch, and asked Sita not to cross it at any cost. Sita agreed after they were both gone, came a sage to ask for alms.
Sita was compassionate and therefore she could not turn him away and offered the sage what she had as soon as she crossed the line drawn by Lakshman. The sage revealed himself as Ravana and took her by her waist and abducted her as Sita was being taken away to Lanka Jatayu, the eagle king saw them and tried to stop Ravana, but Ravana cut his wings off and he fell to the ground when Rama and Lakshman returned to the hut. They were shocked to see Sita gone Jatayu held on to his last breath and after telling them about Sita’s abduction, he died.
6. Sugreev Pledged to Help Ram find Sita
a series of vigorous searches began both Rama and Lakshmana, at last, came to rishi. Rishyamukha Parvat. Shabhari had told them to meet Sugreev, who alone would be able to help Ram to rescue Sita. Hanuman when he heard their story said in turn that he's king Sugiv too, was in the same predicament as he too had lost his wife and was turned out of the kingdom by his brother, therefore, he was sure that Sugreev would be of use in finding Sita. Sugreev thus took the vow of friendship, Sugreev promised to help Ram, and Ram in return promised to make him the king of Kishkindha and also retrieve his wife.
7. Ram Defeated Ravana and brought Sita to Ayodhya
Ram, killed Sugreev’s brother, Bali, as promised and Sugreev, was made the king of Kishkindha upon becoming the king Sugreeva on his part, sent four patches of Vanars towards east, west, north, and south and strictly ordered them that search for Sita should be complete in a month. All three directions were fruitless in terms of finding Sita, however, towards the south, an eagle named Sampath informed the Banaras that Sita was in Lanka and that if one needed to rescue her one must cross the ocean. But now the question remained: how do they cross the ocean? Soon after the Vanar army made a bridge out of big rocks with Shri Ram written on them, the rocks floated on the water, and thus all of them could cross the sea and reach Lanka.
In Lanka, a huge battle broke out between both the parties, Ram, killed, Ravana and made Vibhishan the king of Lanka. Thus, Sita was rescued and brought back. Ram, Lakshman, and Sita came back to Ayodhya after their 14-year-long exile and at last, Rama became the king. His reign was the perfect example of a monarchy. Even amongst today’s political parties in India, it is remembered as Ram Rajya.