23 votes
Accepted

Was Rama a god?

Yes, Sri Rama, the son of Dasharatha is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. So, he himself is the Lord. It is mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana, Baala Kanda that all world had become sad because of Ravana. ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
21 votes
Accepted

What are the main differences between Valmiki Ramayana and Ram Charit Manas

Your above information is partly wrong. Tulsidas Ramcharitmanas was not direct word of Hanuman . Tulsidas got darshan of Hanuman guided by a Pretatama and by the guide of Hanuman he received vision of ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
20 votes

What is Rama Rajya?

Rama Rajya is described in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana after Rajya-Abhishekam of Lord Rama. Here is how Rama Rajya is described: न पर्यदेवन्विधवा न च व्यालकृतं भयम् | न व्याधिजं भयन् वापि रा...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
19 votes
Accepted

If Ramayana is much older than Mahabharata, then why don't we find any character in Mahabharata discussing Lord Rama or worshipping him?

In the Vana Parva of Mahabharata there is Ramopakhyana section ie. Ramayana is told there by Markandeya to Yudhisthira. One example from that section is: "Markandeya said, 'O bull of the Bharata ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
19 votes
Accepted

Is the story of Sita's banishment present in any scriptures other than Valmiki Ramayana?

Do any puranas mention about Sita's second excile? Yes , as you have enquired ,Puranas do talk about mother Sita's second excile. Although not in detail as Valmiki Ramayana because it is Itihasa (...
SwiftPushkar's user avatar
  • 32.1k
16 votes

Was Rama a god?

Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhya Kanda provides answer to this question. See Here तेषामपि महातेजा रामो रतिकरः पितुः | स्वयम्भूरिव भूतानां बभूव गुणवत्तरः || २-१-६ RaamaH = Rama; svayambhuuriva = ...
SwiftPushkar's user avatar
  • 32.1k
16 votes
Accepted

Did Lord Rama reach Ayodhya after 20 days from Dusherra?

I do not know how the story of Rama killing Ravana on Vijaya Dashami and returning on Deepawali became famous. If we go through Valmiki Ramayana. It doesn't give precise information on time ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
15 votes

Anshavatar and Purnavatar - are there different types of avatars?

Yes, It certainly has a scriptural basis and there are such types of Avatars. Narada says in Garga Samhita - Goloka Khanda - First Chapter श्रीबहुलाश्व उवाच - कतिधा श्रीहरेर्विष्णोरवतारो ...
Student's user avatar
  • 3,577
15 votes
Accepted

Why Ravana of Ramayana is worshipped like god and also considered as a demon?

If we go by Uttar Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana then his act of Kidnapping Sita is also considered not bad. It is told he did it to get liberation from hand of Rama. The Story is in Section XLIII of Uttar ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
15 votes

What is Rama Rajya?

Apart from Valmiki Ramayana, Ram Rajya is described in Ramcharitmanas, Uttar Kand. Very long description has been given from Doha number 20. राम राज बैंठें त्रेलोका। हरषित भए गए सब सोका।। बयरु न ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
14 votes

Why is Lord Rama never mentioned in the Mahabharata?

Rama is mentioned many times in the Mahabharata: As I discuss in this answer, once while the Pandavas and Draupadi while living in the forest, Duhsala's husband Jayadratha kidnapped Draupadi, and the ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
14 votes

Are there any scriptures that portray Lord Rama to be the source of all incarnations including Lord Vishnu?

Yes there are verses in scriptures which Declare Lord Rama as source of all Incartions. Salutations to that Rama who is most superior, the primal Lord of Universe and free from all the vices. Brahma, ...
Karmanya Nanda's user avatar
14 votes
Accepted

Why "Rama" Nama is called Taraka mantra?

By Taraka Mantra we basically mean the Pranavam, the first sound or OM, also called the Nada Brahman. So, Taraka: Deliverer. Taraka Mantra: From the root word tara–that which crosses. The Taraka ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 112k
14 votes
Accepted

Where is it mentioned that chanting Krishna is more powerful than chanting Rama's name?

This comparison is actually unfair and made famous from some particular sects only. This is same how they started saying "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama, ...
YDS's user avatar
  • 24.3k
13 votes

Depiction of Rama and Krishna

The depiction of Gods is not accurate these days. See my question about Brahma depicted as old here. What was the actual colour of Rama and Krishna? In Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana Sita asks ...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
  • 25.8k
13 votes
Accepted

Did Rama shoot Ravana in the navel or chest?

Ramcharitmanas tells that 31 arrows flew simultaneously and 10 cut the heads of Ravana, 20 cut his arms and 1 hit the navel whereas Valmiki Ramayana tells that a single arrow hit Ravana's chest. As ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
13 votes
Accepted

Where is the mention of 'Chanting Rama three times is equal to chanting 1000 names of Vishnu'?

These verses are found in Uttar Khanda of Padma Purana in chapter 71. These verses are the last two verses of that chapter. Parvati Said: 330. if I am unable to recite every day these thousand ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
12 votes
Accepted

Anshavatar and Purnavatar - are there different types of avatars?

I don't know whether there are concepts of Kalas or something like that in Avatars. The only place in Padma Purana which I have found compares Avatars as: Padma Purana Uttarkhanda Chapter 229 40-...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
12 votes
Accepted

What is the story of KumbhaKarna's death?

Yes, It is true that those arrows which killed Vali also couldn't do any harm to Kumbhakarna. Here is how Valmiki Ramayana describes Kumbhakarnas Death:: दर्शयेक्ष्वाकुशार्दूल वीर्यम् गात्रेषु मे ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
12 votes
Accepted

What was the reward given by Sri Rama to Jatayu for fighting Ravana?

Sri Rama had performed the final rites of Jatayu and wished him to go to the worlds that can be attained only by righteous people, highly souled people. This incident is described in Valmiki Ramayana, ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
12 votes

If Rāma could sacrifice his kingdom to Bharata, why couldn't Yudhiṣṭhira do it for Duryodhana?

If Rāma could sacrifice his kingdom to Bharata, why couldn't Yudhiṣṭhira do it for Duryodhana? Because Bharata was righteous while Duryodhana was unrighteous. It can be observed from many events of ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
12 votes

Why did Rāma kill Śambūka? And is Rāma justified in killing him without a second chance?

This is what happened. Rama, the performer of unblemished deeds, spoke these words. Hearing them, with his face hanging downwards. he replied in these words, ‘I have been born in the womb of a ...
Pradip Gangopadhyay's user avatar
12 votes

Why didn't Lord Ram try to prove Mother Sita's Purity but rather chose to exile her?

Why-didnt-lord-ram-try-to-prove-mother-sitas-purity-but-rather-chose-to-exile her? was Adharma ? The exact answer why shree Rama sent Sita on exile in the forest and not again took her Agni ...
SwiftPushkar's user avatar
  • 32.1k
12 votes
Accepted

Why are female counterparts in South Indian temples placed on the right?

If the temple is depicting the specific scenario of the deities during marriage then it's correct that the female deity is placed to the right of the male deity. Because we have from the Atri Smriti: ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 112k
11 votes

Which is the oldest known Hindu Calendar?

The oldest calendar I found in a panchangam published by a Sanskrit University for this year(2016) is as: Kalpadergatabda: 1972949117 Shristyadergatabda: 1955885117 Kalergatabda: 5117 ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
11 votes

Why Lord Rama was called Raghunath and when?

Raghu was one of the great renowned King of Ikshvaku dynasty. His father was Dirghabahu. His son was Aja. Son of Aja was Dasaratha and son of Dasaratha were Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna. ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48.4k
11 votes
Accepted

Why couldn't or why didn't Lord Rama withdraw his Brahmastra when Arjuna could?

Was Rama not aware about withdrawal of Brahmāstra? Rama invocated Brahmāstra more than once. We can find the references in Valmiki Ramayana on this. During the exile on Kākā.(Narrated by Sita in ...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
  • 25.8k

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible