DashavataraAvatar of Vishnu#7 of 10

Rama

राम

The Perfect King — Maryada Purushottam

Attributes

Color

Blue (Shyama)

Day

Tuesday

Direction

South

Symbol

Bow (Kodanda)

Weapon

Kodanda (bow) and Sharanga (divine bow of Vishnu)

Vahana

None (walks in exile)

Consort

Sita (Lakshmi)

Appearance

Treta Yuga

Iconography

Depicted standing with his consort Sita, brother Lakshmana, and the devoted Hanuman kneeling at his feet. He holds his divine bow Kodanda, has blue skin (like Vishnu), wears a yellow dhoti, and a crown with a tilak on his forehead. Often shown in the Tribhanga posture (three-bend stance).

The Story

Lord Rama was born to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya and Queen Kaushalya, as the seventh avatar of Vishnu. Born to defeat the demon king Ravana, Rama's life exemplifies the ideal man (Maryada Purushottam) — the perfect son, brother, husband, king, and warrior. On the day of his coronation, his father Dasharatha — bound by an earlier promise to his wife Kaikeyi — was forced to exile Rama for 14 years and crown her son Bharata instead. Rama accepted the exile without complaint, accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. During the exile, Ravana — the demon king of Lanka — abducted Sita and took her to his kingdom. With the help of the vanara (monkey) king Sugriva, his mighty devotee Hanuman, and the vanara army, Rama built a bridge across the ocean to Lanka, defeated Ravana in a great war, and rescued Sita. Returning to Ayodhya after the exile, Rama was crowned king — beginning the ideal Ram Rajya (the kingdom of perfect dharma). His life and deeds are recorded in the Ramayana by Sage Valmiki and retold in Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas.

Significance

Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu, the most worshipped deity in Hindu tradition. He is the embodiment of dharma — choosing righteousness over personal happiness, duty over comfort, and truth over convenience. His life teaches: a son's duty to his father (accepting exile), a husband's devotion to his wife (rescuing Sita), a brother's love (Lakshmana's sacrifice), a king's responsibility (Ram Rajya), and a warrior's justice (defeating Ravana). Rama is called Maryada Purushottam — the supreme among men who upholds boundaries (maryada). His worship is central to the Vaishnava tradition, and his name "Rama" is considered the most powerful mantra for Kali Yuga — combining the power of "Om" and all other names of God. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of Hinduism (along with the Mahabharata).