Home | Rel-Dictionary | Avataar

Previous | Next

7th Avataar in 10 Main Avataar and 20th Avataar in 24 Avataar

Raam Avataar (Raam Incarnation) is the 7th Avataar of Vishnu Bhagavaan. It happened in Tretaa Yug. He came with His four parts - He Himself, Lakshman (incarnation of Aadi Shesh), Bharat (incarnation of Vishnu's Sudarshna Chakra), and Shatrughn.

Bharat also has a temple in India. The Koodalmaanikyam Temple in Iringalakuda, Trissur district in the state of Kerala is the only temple of Bharat in India. It holds the Deity Bharat as a sage, not as a prince. There are four ponds that are located in and around the temple. The largest of the four are Kuttan Kulam, located outside the compound on the Eastern side, and Kulipini Teertham, located inside the compound.

There was a king named Dasharath in Tretaa Yug. he had three chief queens - Kaushalyaa, Sumitraa and Kaikeyee. He got very old but had no son. He got worried that who will take care of his kingdom, so he went to his Kul Guru Vashishth Jee and told his problem. Vashishth Jee advised him to do Putra Kaameshti Yagya. He organized that Yagya and when the Poornaahuti was offered in the Yagya, Agni Dev appeared from the Havan Kund with a pot of Charu (Kheer) in his hand. he handed over that Charu to the King and asked him to give it to his three queens. Dasharath distributed that Charu among his three queens. When the time they gave birth to four princes - Kaushalyaa gave birth to Raam; Kaikeyee gave birth to Bharat; and Sumitraa gave birth to Lakshman and Shatrughn. All were very happy. Time passed and the four princes grew up.

As Raam was not even 16 years old, one day Vishwaamitra Jee came and took Raam and Lakshman to protect His Yagya from Raakshas. They went with him and Raam killed Taadakaa Raakshasee and Subaahu and threw Maareech in the sea and Vishwaamitra Jee completed his Yagya without any problem. At the same time Raajaa Janak of Mithilaa invited Vishwaamitra to attend the Swayamvar of his daughter Seetaa. Vishwaamitra went there along with Raam and Lakshman. There Raam broke the old Shiv bow and married Seetaa. All other brothers were also married to Seetaa's sisters - Lakshman to Urmilaa, Bharat to Maandavee and Shatrughn to Shrutkeerti. Raam broke the proud of Parashuraam also there. Everybody got home.

Dasharath declared that Raam should be the King and the preparations were made. Mantharaa, the maid of Kaikeyee noticed the preparations and got jealous. She instigated kaikeyee to ask for her two Var which were due on Dasharath for a long time. Kaikeyee first did not think proper, but then agreed and asked the King to give them to her - first was Bharat's coronation and exile to Raam for 14 hyears. Dasharath had to agree and Raam went to forest. Lakshman and Seetaa also accompanied Him. On the way they met Kevat Guh, then Rishi and in the last came to Dandak Van, Panchvatee. In Panchvatee, they meet Shoorpanakhaa who proposes to Raam, but seeing her bad behavior He orders Lakshman to cut her nose and ears. Lakshman does that. She calls her brothers Khar and Dooshan but Raam kills both of them. Shoorpanakhaa goes to Raavan and tells him everything. He understands everything that He (Raam) is the one who will give him Moksh. He could not sleep the whole night. He continued to think how to get Moksh.

Next day he went to Maareech and threatened him to go to Raam's place as a golden deer and tantalize Seetaa so that She send Raam to kill him. Then he will take Raam very far from their place and when Raam will kill him he will cry taking the names of "Seetaa and Lakshman" in Raam's voice. Seetaa will think that Raam is in trouble, so She will send Lakshman for His help. During that time I will abduct Seetaa from there. If He will not go there, Raavan will kill him. Maareech thought, "It is better to be killed by Raam than this Raavan". So he went there as directed and Raavan abducted Seetaa in the absence of Lakshman. He kept Her safely in Ashok Vaatikaa.

When Raam returned, He found Lakshman on the way and he understood that He would not find Seetaa in His Aashram. It was true. They started looking for Her. Raam killed Viraadh and Kabandh Raakshas who told Him to meet Sugreev in Kishkindhaa Puree. They met Shabaree and she also directed them to Sugreev. When they were close to Kishkindhaa, Sugreev spotted them and sent Hanumaaan to find out about them as he was very scared of his brother Baali who had exiled him form his kingdom. Hanumaan identified them as his Prabhu, brought them to Sugreev and made them friends. Raam kills Baali to regain Sugreev's kingdom. Sugreev send his Vaanar army in search of Seetaa - Hanumaan to south. Sampaati locates Seetaa, Jaambvaan reminds Hanumaan about his powers and Hanumaan comes back after seeing Seetaa and burning Raavan's Lankaa. Raam prepares for invasion on Raavan.

Vibheeshan, Raavan's brother, defects Raavan and joins Raam. Raam builds bridge on sea, send Angad as His messenger to Raavan and invades Lankaa. Once Meghnaad hits Shakti to Lakshman and Hanumaan has to bring Sanjeevanee herb to treat him. On the way he kills Kaalnemi Raakshas. Another time Raavan ties Raam and Lakshman in Naag Paash, so Hanumaan calls Garud Jee and he eats those Sarp, thus saves Raam and Lakshman. Once Ahiraavan takes them to Paataal Lok to offer as sacrifice to Devee, but Hanumaan saves them. Lakshman kills meghnaad, Raam kills Kumbhkarn and Raavan.

Vibheeshan is coronated as the King of Lankaa. Seetaa comes back from Lankaa. All come back to Ayodhyaa and Raam is coronated as the King of Ayodhyaa.

* There are three Raam - Parashuraam, Shree Raam, and Balaraam. 
--Parashuraam is he who always carries a Parashu (Pharasaa or axe), that is why he is called Parashuraam.
--Shree Raam is He who came with His wife Lakshmee or Shree, that is why he is called Shree Raam. It is identified as the incarnation with bow and arrow.
--Balaraam was very mighty that is why he is called Balaraam. He is identified with Hal (Plow) in his hand. That is why he is called Haladhar also.

Home | Rel-Dictionary | Avataar

Previous | Next