rāma tvam paramātmasi saccidānandavigrahah II
idānīm tvām raghusrestha praṇāmāmi muhurmuhuh I (śuklayajurvēdīya muktikōpaniṣad 1.4,5 a)
- “Oh, Sri Rama! You are the Paramatma (the Supreme Being), of the nature Sat (eternal), Chid (consciousness) and Ananda (bliss)! I pay my obeisance in your lotus feet again and again.”
In the words of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana- Shri Rama is the sun of sun (Mahasurya), the god of god, the ruler of ruler, the supreme unchanging element, the eternal Maha-Vishnu and the Paratpar Brahman. Shri Ram is known as ‘Purushuttoma’ which means the supreme Purusha. Shri Rama is the embodiment of Dharma. Shri Ram is the king of the worlds. Shri Rama is the ultimate refuge for the destitutes and a protector of the distressed. Shri Rama is the idol of sacrifice, tolerance and amnesty.
The ethics of Ramayana has been a great contribution of Bharatvarsha to the world. Lord Rama has been revered across the oceans and socio-cultural boundaries since time immemorial. The people from Bharat to the Indonesia of today considered him as their supreme god. The ancient Vedic-Sanatana Dharma was the religion of the people in ancient times. There are various evidences to support this fact. A half-lion half-man deity was discovered in Stadel cave in Hohlenstein mountain in the Lone valley in Swabian Alb, Germany. An ancient Vishnu idol was found in Russia’s Volga region in 2007 which dates back to 7th and 10th century. Volga was one of the oldest populated regions of Russia. Ancient Vishnu idol found in Russian town – Times of India (indiatimes.com)
This strengthens the theory that the ancient Russia was known to Rishis of Bharatvarsha who might have done ‘yajnas’ on that land.
Ramayana has different conceptions and versions in different parts of the world. Ramayana is popularly known as Ramakien in Thailand and it is the national book of Thailand. The capital of early Thailand was called Ayutthaya, named after Rama’s capital of Ayodhya. The last ruling dynasty of Thailand is called Rama. In early times Ramayana was very popular in Thailand, many kings had Rama as suffix or prefix in their names.
Ramayana in Thailand
Yamayana is unofficially the national epic of Myanmar (Burma). It is popularly known as Yama Zatdaw in Myanmar. Rama is known as Yama in Myanmar. The Rama story is known in three forms to the people of Myanmar: –
Burmese Ramayana Dance
- Rama as an incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. In old Bagan the Varshnava Brahmans played an important role in court ceremonies, even as they did in later Myanmar kings’ times right up to the annexation of the Myanmar Kingdom in 1886. These Brahmans worshipped Rama; one can still see Rama as a Hindu deity being worshipped by the Hindus in the Ponna-zu quarter of Mandalay up to the present day. The Myanmar call this “original” Rama, (Vishnu) Rama or “Pashu Yama (Rama)”. This is probably Parasu Rama (also spelt Parashurama). (Source: Hla Thamein. Myanmar Ramayana . . . 1998 p. 13.)
- The Rama story as incorporated into the 550 Buddhist Jataka tales, where Rama is depicted as a future Buddha, a Bodhisat. The Myanmar term for this Buddhist Rama is “Alaung-daw Yama ( Rama )” or the,
Bodhisat Rama. This story is Jataka no. 461, the Dat-thaya-hta (Dasaratha) Jataka.
- The third Rama story is that of Valmiki and later recensions. The Myanmar probably received this enlarged version of the Ramayana not only from India, but also from Thailand and Laos from about the 16th century. The Myanmar call this Rama story “Pondaw Yama ( Rama )”. This version is also known as “Nan-dwin Yama ( Rama )”, or ” The Palace Rama,” as this version became the Royal court drama of the Myanmar king’s palace. (Source: Luce, G. H. Old Burma — Early Pagan. Vol. 1 . . . 1969. p. 222. See plates 149e and 149f.)
There is a poem in Cambodia which is named as Reamker also called Ramakerti which means ‘Glory of Rama’
The Reamker painted by Chet Chan
Ramayana is known as Hikayat Seri Rama in Malay. Hikayat means a translation of stories. Hikayat Seri Rama remains popular in Malaysia despite propagation of Islam lately.
Ramayana is written as Kakawin Ramayana in Indonesia, which is in the form of a kavya, poem. The Kakawin Ramayana is based on the original Sanskrit version of Ramayana but differs in some aspects as some Javanese characters are added to the narrative. There is an island in Indonesia called Bali, which is majorly populated by Hindus (more than 80%). Balinese Ramacavaca is another version of Ramayana famous in Bali. The traditions of Ramayana have been kept alive by the Wayang Puppet traditions and Balinese Kecak dance. Although, Indonesia is a Muslim majority country now, these traditions have been kept alive as these represent the rich culture and past of Java.
Kakawin Ramayana in Indonesia
Ramayana has 2 popular versions in Japan, ‘Hobutsushu’ and ‘Sambo Ekotoba’.
Lord Ram is known as Radiya Mangandiri in Philippines. Ramayana is known as Maharadia Lawana in Philippines. The famous Singkil dance performed in Philippines is inspired by Ramayana. Phra Lak Phra Ram is the national epic of Lao people, which is an adapted form of Ramayana. Laos gets its name from Lava, the son of Rama according to local beliefs. There are temples in Laos which depict the scenes of Ramayana.
Singkil dance performed in Philippines
Ramayana became popular in China through the Jataka tales. The earliest known telling of Ramayana is in the early Buddhist text of Liudu ji jing. The Ramayana was very famous in Tibet and it was unaltered by Buddhist texts. Ramayana was known to people of Tibet as an oral tradition. Vedic-Sanatana Dharma was the religion of people in the West Asia in early times before the advent of Christianity and Islam. There are many such archaeological remains in Iraq which resemble the story of Ramayana. One such is the rock carving in the Silemani province in Iraq. In popular belief this rock carving displays Lord Rama and Hanuman.
The ancient rock carving of Shri Rama and Hanuman in Iraq
Egypt gets its name from Ajapati, which is derived from Aja, Shri Rama’s grandfather. The rulers of ancient Egypt, the dynasty of Ramesis, with the Sanskrit words ‘Rama Eisus’, meaning ‘Rama-the God’ means that the rulers were the descendants of Shri Rama. Many queens had similar names to Mata Sita like the Queen, Sitamen.
Triad of Egyptians: Amun (Rama), Mut/Mat (Sita?) and Khonsu (Lakshmana) are believed to be Lord Rama, Mata Sita and Lord Lakshmana. In ancient Egypt, Amun was associated with sun God ‘Ra’, often called as Amun-Ra (demonstrating Rama born in Sun dynasty). Amun-Ra is a blue complexioned God. In ancient Egyptian civilization, Khonsu is described as ‘the Great Snake who fertilizes the Cosmic Egg for the creation of the world’. According to Valmiki Ramayana and popular beliefs, Lord Lakhsmana is the manifestation of Ananta-Sesha (the Great Serpent) who holds the entire Cosmos.
The triad of Egyptian Gods
Dasharatha, was the father of Lord Rama. 3300 years ago, Dasharatha was a king who ruled Syria and Iraq. The Arya kingdom of Mittani comprised what is today of Syria, parts of Turkey and Iraq between 1300-1500 BC. The Arya rulers of Mittani worshipped Vedic Gods such as Mitra, Varuna, Indra and Nasatya, etc.
The Simha Dwara (Lion Gates) at Hattusa, the capital of the Hittie Empire still describes the connection between Bharat and the ancient Hittie Empire of Turkey (now). There was also a queen named Gassuliya (misnomer of Kaushalya, the mother of Shri Ram).
Lion Doors at Hattusa, the capital of Hittie Empire
The Ramayana and Rama strengthen the ties between Bharat and Nepal. The traditional relation between Bharat and Nepal is said to be of ‘Beti and Roti’ because of marriages across both the lands and ancient trade routes. Bharat and Nepal were never considered as two different pieces of land. Till date, Bharat and Nepal share porous borders. Janakpurdham, known as Janakpur is named after the late king of Videha, in Mithila region – Janaka. Janaka means father in Sanskrit. According to the Valmiki Ramayana, the Svayamvara of Mata Sita was held in the palace of King Janaka in Janakpur. Janakpur is believed to be the capital of early Mithila region. Mata Sita is considered as the daughter of Janakpur.
Mata Janaki Temple in Janakpur
Nepal Lord Rama and his heroics have their trail till Sri Lanka in the South. There are more than 50 Ramayana sites in Sri Lanka. Ram Setu was once the only link between Rameshwaram, Bharat and Mannar, Sri Lanka. Sita Eliya is a town in Sri Lanka which has a temple known as Seetha Amman Kovil. This temple is situated in the Ashok Vatika as mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana. This place has the clear footsteps of Hanuman and Ravana’s elephant.
Seetha Amman Kovil Hanuman
Lord Rama and Ramayana finds its traces till the distant land of Korea. There is an ancient record of Korea, known as Samguk Yusa, which mentions that Queen Heo or Huh, wife of legendary king Suro, who founded the Garak kingdom, was born as princess Suriratna of Ayodhya. About two-thirds of the population of Korea are claimed to the descendants of the Garak clan. A beautiful memorial of the Korean Queen Heo Hwang-ok is located in Ram Katha Park, near the ghats, on Sarayu River, in the city of Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh.
Lord Rama is rivered as Maryada Purushottam (the one who holds truth and right behaviour).
na Rāmasadęśō rājā prthivyām nītimānabhūt II
subhītyatā tu yannītyā vānarairapi swollen l
(śukranītih 5.44b,45a)
- What a charm Shri Rama has, His captivating look and charm made millions of monkeys being controlled, and clung around him, even without any effort!
The charm of Shri Rama made the whole world bow in his respect and accept him as the god of god.
William Finch, the English merchant who visited Ayodhya (1608-11), has written in his travel account: “Rama was born in the human form to see the tamasha (theatrics) of the world”.
Lord Rama is believed to be born in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, so was a flourishing Rama temple in Ayodhya in early times which was destroyed by the mleccha Babar. Despite the demolition of the temple, the place was revered by the Hindus as a sacred place.
It is a popular saying that any structure which is built against the will of gods don’t last longer, so was the illegally build structure demolished by the devotees of Lord Rama on 6th December 1992. The legal and cultural fight of more than 500 years ended finally with the supreme court of India awarding the case in the favour of Shri Rama. The judgement of the supreme court was accepted by all the communities with joy. The magnificent temple of Lord Rama will be inaugurated on 22nd January 2024. Prime Minister of Bharat, Shri Narendra Modi will do the Pran-Pratistha of the idol of ‘Bal Roop’ of Shri Rama. The Pran-Pratishtha will be performed according to Vedic rituals in the presence of over 2 lakhs devotees who have been specially invited by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. These devotees hails from diverse backgrounds such as politicians, actors/actresses, sports personalities, Rishis and most importantly the families of those involved in the Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan.
The Ram Janambhoomi Temple will be the religious destination for the devotees of Lord Rama across the world. The sacred temple will help Bharatvarsha foster its ancient ties across the Hindu sphere.
Shri Ram is known as both Shri Ramachandra (who is pleasing like the moon) as well as Ramabhadra (who is of gentle, auspicious, noble character).
Raam Raam Jaya Raajaa Raam |
Raam Raam Jaya Siitaa Raam |
