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Questions tagged [ramayana]

A Hindu epic, written by sage Valmiki. It is the story of Lord Rama's life.

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Did Ravan speak Sanskrit?

One of my Sri Lankan friends claims that Ravana spoke Sinhalese. Is there any place in the Ramayana where the sage Valmiki mentioned about the language of Ravana and his people?
sushma's user avatar
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Who is Suvarchala? Is she wife or daughter of Sun God?

There are several stories of Hanuman being married or a bachelor. A question was already asked before on this site. Some say that Hanuman promised Sun that he will marry his daughter Suvarchala when ...
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Why is Lord Hanuman portrayed as tearing-open his chest and showing Lord Rama is within it?

I have seen many images like the following that portray Lord Hanuman tear-open his chest and reveal Lord Rama and Sita inside it. What is the story behind this?
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Why did Lord Rama give a second chance to Ravana, but not to Vali?

In Ramayana, Lord Rama gave a chance to Ravana to surrender and sent Angada as his ambassador for peace conciliation. This was because mercy befits a warrior. Why didn't Rama, for the same reason, ...
doptimusprime's user avatar
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Questions regarding Jewellery of Mother Sita according to Valmiki Ramayana

This is only regarding Valmiki Ramayana. Please don't include details from other versions. Please also mention original quotes from one of the original translations of Valmiki Ramayana and their ...
Whoisburning's user avatar
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1 answer
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Who freed Rambha from Vishwamitra's curse?

It is well-known that the sage Gautama cursed his wife Ahalya to turn into a rock. What is less well-known, however, is that the sage Vishwamitra cursed the Apsara Rambha in a similar fashion. ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
2k views

Negative Characterisitcs of Women - Ravana

Women are generally loving and we worship women in the form of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati, Durga and others. Our scriptures also tell us to respect women. However, this YouTube video says that some ...
onephys's user avatar
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How did lord Rama perform penance for Ravana after killing him?

In this video, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva says that Shri Rama performed 1 year penance in Himalayas for killing Ravana, who was a great devotee of lord Shiva. Is it true? If yes, then how did he do ...
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What is the worshipping place of Hayagriva mentioned in Yuddha Kanda?

One of the famous incidents from the Ramayana is Hanuman bringing the herbal mountain containing Sanjivani herbs. His journey towards the Himalayas is described in the Yuddha Kanda Sarga 74. He sees ...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
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Why did Lord Rama accept Indra's rath (chariot) in the Ramayana?

In Ramayana, when Lord Rama was about to kill Ravana, Indra sent his glorious and prestigious rath (chariot) to aid Lord Rama. While taking leave from Ayodhya, Lord Rama had promised his father ...
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Who was the sage who witnessed Mahabharata and Ramayana multiple times?

I recently heard about time travel and am curious to know about the sage who had seen Mahabharat and Ramayan multiple times.
Krishna P S's user avatar
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Who is Jambavan an incarnation of?

Jambavan an under appreciated character in the Ramayana(most people focus on Hanuman but it should be made clear it is Jambavan who made Hanuman aware of his immense spiritual prowess) is a steadfast ...
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What are the 16 qualities of Sri Rama?

What are the 16 qualities of Sri Rama? Are all of them humanly possible to achieve? Was Rama born with those qualities or is there any evidence of him striving to acquire those qualities and get ...
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Who divided Vedas?

According to the Vishnu Purana the original Veda was divided into four parts, and further fragmented into numerous shakhas, by Vishnu in the form of Vyasa, in the Dvapara Yuga; the Vayu Purana ...
Srimannarayana K V's user avatar
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For how many days was the Ramayana war fought?

The Mahabharata war is famous for its 18 days. However, the number of days the Ramayana war lasted isn't so popularly discussed as the Mahabharata war. So, for how many days was the Ramayana war ...
Tezz's user avatar
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Did Valmiki ever meet Lord Rama prior to the Ashwamedha?

I came across a question on this site about Veda Vyasa, the author of Mahabharat, meeting Lord Krishna and I was wondering if similarly Valmiki also met Lord Rama sometime. They have met at the time ...
Amrit Dhara's user avatar
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Does Hanuma actually know Ravana's wife Mandodari by her name when he sees her the first time?

AFAIK, Valmiki as the writer of Ramayana, is describing the events of Ramayana exactly as the characters themselves perceive and experience those events. So he doesn't add anything more or anything ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
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1 answer
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What is the actual birthplace of Sita ji according to scriptures?

Recently Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi was in Nepal at the Janaki Temple in Janakpur which is supposed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita and I came to know about this place due to the news ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
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Why is Sundara Kanda more glorified than other Kandas of Ramayana?

In most of the hindu homes as well as temples, it is a customary practice to have sessions of Sundara Kanda on either day of week (preferably Tuesday). My question is What makes Sundara Kanda more ...
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How many shlokas are there in Valmiki Ramayana?

Bibek Debroy in the article 10 Sanskrit texts everyone must read says: Valmiki Ramayana - Valmiki was the first Sanskrit poet. He invented the shloka. In roughly 25,000 shlokas, this is the first ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
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4 answers
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Whose bow Sri Rama broke - Varuna's or Shiva's?

In Ayodhya Kanda, Sita, while narrating her marriage episode to Anasuya, wife of Sage Atri, states that Janaka himself received a great bow from Varuna, the god of Water (rain-god), but not from Lord ...
Srimannarayana K V's user avatar
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Did Rama really send Lakshmana to receive wisdom from Ravana after his fall in war?

When Ravana was dying in the battlefield after getting hit by Lord Rama, Lord Rama sent Lakshmana to Ravana. Ravana and Lakshmana had some conversation. What was it all about?
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On Identity of Sage Valmiki

Rishi Valmiki is the author of the Great Epic Ramayana. What are whereabouts of his earlier life? I have heard something like this about him (that he was dacoit) is there a way to prove or disprove ...
Yogi's user avatar
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What is the story behind Kumbhakarna's sleep?

I've heard a lot about the Sleep Lover, Kumbhakarna. Why was he sleeping for so many days continuously? Is there a story behind this?
Kiran RS's user avatar
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Did Urmila Really Sleep for Fourteen Years?

It is a well known fact that Urmila did not accompany her husband Lakshmana to the forest for fourteen years, but remained behind in Ayodhya. I have come across a story, that Lakshmana accompanying ...
Suresh Ramaswamy's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
4k views

Who shot the first arrows to start the battles of the Ramayana and Mahabharata?

I have heard that shooting the first arrow to start the battle is very important to every battle. Who shot the first arrow to start the battles of Ramayana and Mahabharata respectively?
LightAchala's user avatar
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Why was Garuda cursed by Swayamprabha to lose his wings?

This Hindupedia information page states that Garuda once lost his wings due to a curse by Swayamprabha, the female ascetic that Hanuman and other Vanars met while looking for Sita. Can anyone shed ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
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3 answers
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Why was Sundara Kanda named as such?

I have come across the following verse in one website. sundare sundaro ramah sundare sundari katha sundare sundari sita sundare sundaram vanam, sundare sundaram kavyam sundare sundarah kapih sundare ...
Srimannarayana K V's user avatar
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1 answer
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What will happen if two people fight Vali together?

Vali was famous for the boon that he had received, according to which anyone who fought him in single-combat lost half his strength to Vali, thereby making Vali invulnerable to any enemy. Source: ...
user3459110's user avatar
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How many wives did Ravana have?

Is Mandodari the only wife of Ravana? Or did he have other wives too? If he had more than one wife, then why is only Mandodari famous? In which scripture(s) are others mentioned? What are the names ...
Kailash Chandra Polai's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
4k views

What is the story of Kalanemi who was reborn as Kamsa?

The Sambhava Parva of Mahabharat mentions that Kamsa was a rebirth of the demon Kalanemi: "There was also born on earth a mighty Asura known amongst the Danavas by the name of Kalanemi, endued with ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
11 votes
4 answers
560 views

Is invincibility in a battle dharma or adharma?

Background: Many warriors like Bhishma, Indrajit, etc., had boons which made them invincible in a battle. Even Karna had Kavacha and Kundalas which made him invincible (or almost immortal) in any ...
Sakthi's user avatar
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Why didn't Rāma leave his ring back in Ayodhya before setting out to the forest?

It is well-known that, in Kishkindha Kāṇḍa, before Hanumān begins his search for Sītā, Rāma gives his signet ring to Hanumān which he later hands over to Sītā saying: O illustrious lady! I am a ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
4k views

Do any scriptures say that the hunter Jara was a rebirth of Vali?

As I discuss in this answer, Krishna departed the Earth after he was shot by a hunter named Jara. Now there's a popular story that this Jara was actually the next birth of Sugriva's brother Vali, ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
10k views

Why did Lord Rama and Lord Krishna choose to born at (12 O'clock) day and night time respectively?

I have heard that Lord Rama was born at afternoon 12 O'clock (In day time) in Treta yuga. Same as in Dwapara yuga, Lord Krishna was born at mid night 12 O'clock (In night time). Both Lord Rama and ...
LightAchala's user avatar
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How did earth sustain itself after Rishi agastya drank all the water from the oceans?

Rishi Agastya drank the oceans so the Devtas can iradicate the asura's hiding in the depth of Oceans,but he digested all the water and it was not filled back. Then after many 1000s of years later ...
vince's user avatar
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Timelines of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vedas, and Upanishads

Can someone please give timelines of Ramayana, Mahabharta, Vedas, and Upanishads?
Viswanathan Sethuraman's user avatar
11 votes
3 answers
3k views

Did Lord Rama's wife Devi Sita belong to Nepal? In which place did she stay during pregnancy?

The Wikipedia article suggests that Sita was either from Bihar or Nepal: Born: Either present-day Sitamarhi district, Bihar, India or Janakpur, present-day Nepal (both the places were part of the ...
iammilind's user avatar
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1 answer
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How come Lord Hanuman was able to resize his body?

Lord Hahuman was able to resize his body. When he wanted to cross the sea to get information of Maata Sita, he enlarge his body and cross the sea by jumping from India to Shri Lanka ( Keep in mind ...
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References of Radha in the Itihasas?

Ok, this might be a little weird question, but are there any sort of references to Srimati Radharani INDIRECTLY in the two epics we have (viz. Ramayana and Mahabharata)? Just like Brahma extols Rama ...
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1 answer
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Does Shri Rama return in the month of Chaitra or Vaishakha?

The main question is right below, if you want to avoid the scriptural reference in the middle. also below we are following Amanta calendar (similar to South India) Valmiki Ramayana Shri Rama was ...
Adiyarkku's user avatar
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11 votes
0 answers
140 views

What was the name of the Sage in the story narrated by Sita?

Sita narrated an old episode about a Sage(Rishi) to Sri Rama, in the Dandaka forest.The narration is as under:- Once upon a time, oh, dexterous one, there was a pious and true worded hermit in some ...
Uday Krishna's user avatar
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11 votes
0 answers
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Was Seeta ji born as a blessing from Shiva?

We know that Shri Rama took birth to rid the three worlds of the tyranny of Ravana. But I recently came across a verse in the Valmiki Ramayan that says that Seeta was also born for the same purpose! ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
11 votes
0 answers
753 views

What is the story of Vishnu incarnating as a mango tree in the Dandaka forest?

The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. My question is ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
10 votes
4 answers
14k views

Did Rama have multiple wives?

I strongly believed that Rama has a single wife, Sita. But I know that Krishna has multiple wives. But this blog says that Rama has multiple wives and it's told in Valmiki Ramayana. Is it true? Did ...
hanugm's user avatar
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3 answers
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Which scripture mentions Yuga length?

I am aware that the yuga lengths have the ratio 4:3:2:1 and have seen in various posts that a Kali Yuga is 432,000 years. What religious texts (Puranas, Mahabharat, Ramayan, etc) mention these Yuga ...
Debbie's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
961 views

How did Ashoka Vana remain unaffected by the fire?

When Hanuman set the entire Lanka on fire, how is it that Ashoka Vana escaped it. Was it because Hanuman put out the fire, or due to Sita's power or the fire did not reach there?
Nishant Mohan's user avatar
10 votes
4 answers
31k views

Ravana - Who were his parents and siblings?

Who were the parents of Ravana? What were the names of Ravana's brothers and sisters? And who is the real king of Lanka? Ravana or Vibhishana?
Rohit Azad Malik's user avatar
10 votes
3 answers
5k views

How did Ravan get 10 heads? What are the names of those heads?

As Ravan had 10 heads, Does each head have individual names? Did Ravana got all names for his heads? How he had got 10 heads?
Kailash Chandra Polai's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is it mentioned in any ancient scripture that Bhagiratha was raised by a lesbian couple?

From my own answer regarding third gender and its acceptance in Hinduism, I got to know about Krittivasi Ramayana, which says that Bhagiratha was raised by two co-widows, who made love together with ...
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