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If you’ve ever heard of the Ramayana, then you might know about Lord Rama who is the hero of this ancient epic story from India. Today marks the day when millions of Hindus around the world celebrate Lord Rama’s appearance.
Lord Rama was present on the Earth in ancient times, and is considered the seventh main incarnation of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. He is also known as the ideal monarch. The Ramayana tells the life story of Rama– how he won the hand and heart of Sita devi, how they were banished for 14 years to the forest, how she was captured by the evil demon Ravana, and how Rama rescued her and defeated Ravana with the help of a powerful monkey army.
Here is an excerpt from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, another ancient Indian text, describing the good qualities of Lord Rama:
…during the reign of Lord Ramacandra the forests, the rivers, the hills and mountains, the states, the seven islands and the seven seas were all favorable in supplying the necessities of life for all living beings.
When Lord Ramacandra…was the king of this world, all bodily and mental suffering, disease, old age, bereavement, lamentation, fear and fatigue were completely absent. There was even no death for those who did not want it.
Lord Ramacandra took a vow to accept only one wife and have no connection with any other women. He was a saintly king, and everything in his character was good, untinged by qualities like anger. He taught good behavior for everyone, especially for householders…Thus he taught the general public by his personal activities.
If you want a great adventure story, try Krishna Dharma’s version of the Ramayana.