LordRamachandra(birthday2nd April)WHOLordRamaWHAT wasbornWHERE inacitycalledAyodhyaWHENover5,000yearsago inaroyalfamily.WHYHisfatherwhowasKingDasharatha,HismotherQueenKaushalya and2step-mothers:Kaikeyi andSumitrahadprayedforchildrentothegods.
Hehad3brothersBharata,Shatrugna andLaxman
RamgrowsintoAdulthoodandgetsmarriedtoSita• Thereweremanyprinces
whowantedtomarrySitasoshehadmanyproposals.
• However,herfatherKingJanaka,hadmadeaconditionthatwhomevercanliftShiva’sheavybowandstringit,theycanmarrySita.
• No-onecouldliftit,butRambowedtothebowandliftedit,stringeditandbentituntilitbroke.
BecauseRambrokethebow,hewonSita’shandinmarriage.
• Ontheirreturnfrommarriage,KingDasharatha announcedthatRamwouldbehissuccessorandthenextking.
• But,QueenKaikeyi wasjealousandwantedhersonPrinceBharata tobekingeventhoughhewasyounger.SoshetoldthekingtosendRamintothejunglefor14years.
• HiswifeSita,andLaxman joinedhim.
RamissentintoExile
….Inthejungle
Ravan thedemonkingtrickedRamandLaxman toleavetheirlivingplaceandthenkidnappedSita whiletheyweregone.Whentheycameback,theysawthatshewasgone,butshehadleftatrailusingherjewellery.
ThetrailledtoanIslandcalledLanka(AlsoknownasSriLanka).Onthewaythere,theymetthemonkeygodHanumanwhosaidhewouldhelpthem.
GoingtoLanka
• HanumanwenttoLankabyflyingtheretofindSita.
• WhenhefoundSita,hetoldherRamiswaitingforyou
• Sita gavehimapearlfromherhairtogivetoRam
• WhenHanumangotbacktoIndia,hegothismonkeyarmytobuildastonebridgefromIndiatoLankasothatRamcouldcrossittosaveSita
RamfightsRavana
• Formanydays,Ran,LaxmanandthemonkeyarmyfoughtRavans demonarmy.
• TheypushedbackthedemonsuntilfinallyRamandRavan werefacingeachothe ronthebattlefield
RamfinallykillsRavan• Ravan wastoopowerful
tokillandonlyVibhishan,Ravan’sbrother,knewhowtokillRavan
• Vibhishan toldRamhowtokillhim.
• EverytimeRamfiredanarrowandcutRavan’sheadoffwithit,anewonegrewinitsplace
……Untilfinallyafter5days,RamfiredagoldenarrowintoRavan’s bellybottonwhichwashisweakpoint,whichkilledhim
RamrescuesSita• RambroughtSita backto
AyodhyaandthewholecityhadlitDiwas tocelebratethevictoryoflightoverdark
• AndthisiswhyHinduscelebrateDiwaliwithfireworks
JainsbelievethatRam..• …latergaveupallworldly
possessionsandbecameamonk
• Thisway,RamachievedMoksh whichmeansliberation,wherethesoulbecomesfreeofallmaterialandachieveseternalhappinessaftersheddingallKarma(Nirjara).
• ThesesoulsarecalledSiddhbhagavan
Aprayeraboutliberatedsoulsthat,likeRam,achievedMoksh