When Maharsi Valmiki decided to author a historical epic to inspire everyone to follow moral uprighteousness, he was advised by Muni Narada to write about Sri Rama, the greatest monarch, son of King Dasaratha, born in the Raghu clan. Maharsi Valmiki was now prompted by the narration of the entire Rama’s theme assuring Adhyatmika advancement, prosperity for others and ultimate emancipation, to explore Rama's life-narration himself directly.  

The great epic famous as ‘Ramayana’ has its roots in the lineage of highly accomplished monarchs descending from Ikshvaku, as is widely known. The great Kingdom of Kosala is situated on the bank of the Sarayu River. It is a wealthy state, prosperous with plenty of food grains. The world-famous city of Ayodhya stood within the Kingdom, raised by Vaivasvata Manu, head of entire humanity. The fabulous town with a very well-defined and laid-out network of roads is twelve Yojanas long and three Yojanas wide. Adorned with widespread intelligently ramified highways, sprinkled daily with water and showered with heavenly flowers, it appeared like a celestial town. Ajanubahu

Sri Rama stands 7 feet tall and has a gorgeous/fabulous persona. He happened to be an Avatara of Visnu. His name Rama was prevalent even before the incarnation of Rama. रiम् – रमयते (Rama-Ramayate) means a state of being engrossed in Ananda i.e. Bliss. Ramyate is the origin of the name ‘Rama’ and Rama is the one who is ever immersed in Ananda and impels others to immerse in it. Ra means rays of enlightenment which together with Rama, constitutes the definition of complete and absolute existence. Also known as Ramacandra, Rama’s original name is only ‘Rama’. He belonged to the Surya dynasty, born at noon. As a child, He once obstinately cried for the moon and that begot Him the name Ramacandra. 

Rama was ever in perfect command of His entire existence including all subtle inner variables; wise and sagacious; physically well-sculptured with His long arms arriving at His knees and resplendent complexion; mighty with bow and quiver full of arrows; highly accomplished intellectually and conversant with Vedic knowledge; longingly cherished by the noble and righteous ones; endowed with Himalayan resoluteness, strength of Visnu, forbearance of Prithvi and wealth of Kubera. As Rama is a perfect being, He is aptly famous as Maryada Purushottama.

Sri Rama ‘Sri’ is one of the virtues of Isvara viz. success, energy, beauty, virtues, generosity, detachment, knowledge and opulence. When Rama returned victorious to Ayodhya with Sita after slaying Ravana and conquering Lanka revealing that He was indeed Isvara incarnate, He was called Sri Rama by residents of Ayodhya. In Valmiki Ramayana, Rama is referred to as Narapungava i.e. Supreme Man and not as Isvara. Similarly, Hanumana is referred to as Kapipungava i.e. Supreme Vanara. When Isvara incarnates, other deities too incarnate along with Him. So, when Sri Visnu incarnated as Sri Rama, other deities that incarnated along with Him were as under- –

Sri Rama was a multifaceted personality. There are so many aspects of Him to be explored in detail albeit herein, briefly mentioned.

Sri Rama as ideal son: Though Sri Rama obeyed His parents, He also preached to His elders. While departing for the forest, He told His parents not to grieve for Him. After He returned after completing 14 years in exile, He offered obeisance to Maa Kaikeyi, the very instigator of His exile and spoke to her adoringly as before. 

Sri Rama as ideal brother: The mutual love of Sri Rama and Lakshmana is an ideal illustration of fratricidal love. 

Sri Rama as ideal husband: Sri Rama had only one wife Sita and He was entirely devoted to Her. Even after abandoning her under public indictment, Sri Rama lived as an ascetic. While performing Yajna, He placed Her idol beside Him. He never thought about another wife despite that being a prevalent practice during those days. 

Sri Rama as an ideal friend: Sri Rama helped Sugriva, Vibhisana etc. during their tumultuous days.

Sri Rama as an ideal King: He ruled over His Kingdom as a measure of Guru-Seva i.e. service unto the Guru as He offered the entire Kingdom unto the holy feet of His Guru Vasistha. He believed, only Brahmanas are entitled to rule over the earth surrounded by oceans. Thereafter, Sri Rama ruled over His kingdom for 11,000 years on behalf of His Guru. That was precisely the reason why His rule became famous as Ram-Rajya, extremely prosperous resembling Satyayuga. He was very prompt in following Raja-Dharma what anointed Him as an ideal monarch.

Sri Rama as an ideal enemy: When Vibhisana refused to perform the last rites of his slain elder brother Ravana, Sri Rama told him, “Enmity ceases with death. If you do not perform his last rites, I will. He is my brother too”.

He adhered to all norms of Dharma and He was adored as Maryada Purusottama. He taught Dharma too, to His subjects. Following His teachings, the connection between Nivrattimargis i.e. those who ceased to participate in worldly affairs and Pravrattimargis i.e. those still active in worldly life, was never severed and it led to bliss for every person. He was an incarnation of Dharma, rather than Dharma itself in His human manifest. Thus, Ramarajya is regarded as an ideal way of governance to date. 

Sri Rama could strike any target with a single arrow on the first attempt. He was the greatest marksman ever known.

Sri Rama was generous to the core. When Sugriva asked Sri Rama, “When Vibhisana surrendered, you gifted the Kingdom of Lanka to him. What will you do if Ravana too surrenders?” Sri Rama replied, “I will gift him Ayodhya, then proceed to live in the jungles along with my brothers.” He was ever Sthitiprajna i.e. equanimous which revealed His highest order of spiritual advancement. Neither His coronation nor banishment to jungles ever perturbed Him a bit. However, He displayed emotions like human beings as He had assumed incarnation in human form albeit superficially. That established His greatness beyond any iota of doubt.

Rama-Rajya refers to the spiritual advancement of a very high order. Due to Sri Rama's influence, every citizen of Ayodhya was entirely Sattvika like Him. It was a spell of Satyayuga in His era and that led to the complete absence of conflict, pain, and agony throughout the Kingdom of Ayodhya. Thus, it was the influence of His being Sattvika that transformed everyone in Ayodhya into being Sattvika that led to the legend of Rama-Rajya. Rama Rajya had its roots in the rule of King Dasaratha.

Inhabitants of Ayodhya were now destined to be joyous, healthy, blissed with contentment and virtuous while Ayodhya, was bereft of famine and fear of any variety. No one ever bereaved the demise of one's progeny and devoted wives, of their spouses as widows. Fear from fire, fever and wind would be non-existent and no one would die of drowning in water. No one would starve in cities and states of Ayodhya spilling over with wealth, grains and bereft of fear of thievery. All-pervading bliss in Ayodhya matched that of Satyayuga. 

Rama laid the foundation of royal dynasties far more prosperous than ever by propitiating Devas with horses and plenty of gold, erudite Brahmanas with scores of cows and an abundance of wealth. He inspired members of four Varnas to pursue their respective Sva-Dharma in this world as Sva-Dharma is supreme Karma, impossible to be abandoned and pursuit of Sva-Dharma alone assures ultimate emancipation from shackles of Prakrti. After nurturing the Kingdom of Ayodhya for eleven thousand years, Rama ascended to Brahmaloka, the highest plane of existence. He was gifted a rare gem by Rsi Agastya that blessed Him with powers of Indra, Varuna, Yama and Kubera and that strengthened Him to rule over extra-ordinarily. 

Bharata conquered Gandharvas on the eastern front and ruled over that. Satrughna slew Asura Lavana and founded the city of Mathura. Rama’s narrative is as sacred as Vedic exposition, consecrates every mind and obliterates all regressive Karmas. A perusal of this Rama’s narrative ensures longevity and adoration in Heaven along with their progeny and kin. A perusal of Rama’s narrative by a Brahmana assures erudition in eloquence, Ksatriya is assured of ruling over a Kingdom, Vaisya is assured of augmentation in wealth and Sudra, the leadership of his community.

As many as three hundred versions of Ramayana are known to exist with the oldest version being the Samskrita one attributed to Maharsi Valmiki. Ramayana voyaged beyond our shores, then indigenised or translated in harmony with local cultural ethos. The epic expanded to many Asian countries like Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam and China. A year-long exhibition on ‘Ramayana Revisited – Tale of Love And Adventure' at Peranakan Museum in Singapore ignited exploration of the role that the epic exerted as a cultural unifier, particularly for the Asian region. 

Prominent versions of Ramayana that have emerged outside Bharata are –

Phommachak in Kingdom of Lan Na. 

In Laos, the epic is popular as Myongsing Ramayana, Phra Lak Phra Lam and Guay Duorahbi.

In Myanmar, two variants Thagyin and Maha Rama, composed during the 18^th and 19^th centuries respectively, are popular. 

Vietnam's famous dance-drama Lakhon Bassac depicts their variants of the epic. 

In Indonesia, the epic was composed in the 10^th century as Kakawin Ramayana influencing Wayang Kulit, a puppet theatre group. Some variants include Arjuna Pramada elaborating meeting of Sri Krishna, Arjuna with Sri Rama and Lakshmana. According to the Pramada, Arjuna shot an arrow towards Alengka i.e. Lanka creating the bridge instantly. 

Ramayana is mentioned in the Malay Peninsula as Hikayat Maharaja Wana and Hikayat Seri Rama, composed in the 16^th century. In this variant, Wana i.e. Ravana and Siti Dewi i.e. Sita are biological father and daughter. Hanuman Kera Putih i.e. Hanumana is depicted as the son of Seri Rama i.e. Sri Rama, born to Him in his former life as Dewa Berembun i.e. Visnu. Malays also believe that Hanumana constructed the causeway to Langkapuri i.e. Lanka single-handedly and managed to dissuade fish princess, Puteri Ikan from destroying it by marrying her. Interestingly, Hanumana's marriage with the mermaid is also mentioned in Thai and Khmer variants of the epic. 

Siddhi Ramayana by Mahakavi Siddhidas Mahaju Amatya and Bhanubhaktako Ramayana by Bhanubhakta Acharya in Nepal, 

Maharadia Lawana & Darangen of Mindanao in Philippines,

Langka Sip Hor in Tai Lü language.

Ramakein i.e. Ramayana in Thailand was composed in 1798 wherein the abduction of Nang Sida i.e. Sita by Thotsakan i.e. Ravana is described as an act of love and his fall from grace is dubbed tragic.

Depiction of various episodes of Reamker i.e. Ramayana in Cambodia on carved reliefs at Angkor Watt Temple, Banteay Srei and Baphuon during the 10^th century have been studied in detail.

Ramaenna or Ramaensho in Japan wherein the character of Hanumana was ignored. Suwa Engi No Koto by Koga Saburo Yorikata in the 14^th century is the version wherein the youngest son is exiled by his brothers. Bontenkoku wherein Tamawaka i.e. Sri Rama, is a flute player who escapes with his abducted wife Himegini i.e. Sita while her captor King Baramon i.e. Ravana is away for hunting. Other Ramayana-derived stories in Japan including Kifune No Honji, Onzoshi Shimawatari and Bukkigun, have also demonstrated a deep convergence between the characters of Sri Rama and Ravana.

The earliest Ramayana in China existed in the Buddhist text, Liudu Ji Jing which led to the creation of the fictional King’s character, Sun Wukong i.e. Hanumana, in a 16^th century novel Xiyou Ji. Characters of Dasaratha, Sri Rama and Laksmana are also there in a 5^th-century Chinese text, Shishewang Yuan. Dai ethnic group of south-western Yunnan province know the epic as Lanka Xihe i.e. Ten Heads of Lanka.

 The epic also spread to Tibet and Mongolia through Buddhism with a variation that it was Bharata and not Lakshmana who accompanies Sri Rama in exile.

Events of Ramayana have been found painted in ancient Italian houses discovered in archaeological excavations. Painting depicting Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra, queens of King Dasaratha sharing a divine fertility potion to beget illustrious sons has been identified. Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana walking through jungles in the order described in Ramayana is a scene existing in ancient Italian homes. Italian archaeologists are bewildered at the prospect of Hinduism being practised in Europe and Italy in that era. 

Scholars like Nicholas Roerich in European Russia began to read Ramayana during the 19^th century in Petersburg. He visited Ceylon with images of palaces and pagodas in his mind “But, after all, only in fragments do Colombo and Ceylon recall the ancient Lanka of Hanumana, Rama, Ravana and other giants,” he wrote in his memoirs. The epic was translated into Russian in 1948 by Alexander Baranikov, an eminent Indologist.  It is now available in the country both as children's Classic also in addition to complete text. Pechnikovs Ramayana too exists, authored by Natalia Guseva, an eminent Indologist. It was also recorded as a play. Russia's Deputy Minister of Culture even proposed to film a movie on Ramayana with a mixed cast of actors.

The legend of Dasaratha also exists in ancient Egyptian lore. All these establish that European and African countries followed Vedic Dharma in ancient times. 

Ramayana is a grand epic of the Vedic world and the greatest cultural contribution to the world, imparts highly refined instruction in every aspect of life, in a way highest order of human conduct, having transcended religious and cultural boundaries. It is so righteously declared in Ramayana, “As long as rivers and mountains continue to exist in the world, the saga of Ramayana shall remain.” Ironically, the epic enjoys far wider acceptance across various countries in the world that drifted away from Hinduism centuries ago than the country of its origin and mandatory introduction into school syllabi is dubbed a “communal” act.