The Ramayana
Epic History · ~500-100 BCE
The epic journey of Prince Rama. A story about the ideal way to live.
The Ramayana is the story of Prince Rama and is one of the two great epics of Hinduism. It was written by the sage Valmiki in Sanskrit, and at about 24,000 verses, it is shorter than the Mahabharata but arguably even more beloved. The story follows Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, who is exiled to the forest for fourteen years because of a promise his father made to one of his wives. Rama goes willingly, accompanied by his devoted wife Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana. While in the forest, the demon king Ravana kidnaps Sita and takes her to his island kingdom of Lanka. Rama allies with Hanuman (the mighty monkey devotee) and Sugriva's monkey army, builds a bridge across the ocean, and wages an epic battle to rescue Sita and defeat Ravana. Where the Mahabharata deals in moral gray areas and complicated choices, the Ramayana presents ideals. Rama is the ideal king and son. Sita is the ideal of courage and dignity under suffering. Lakshmana is the ideal brother. Hanuman is the ideal devotee. Bharata, Rama's other brother, refuses to sit on the throne and places Rama's sandals on it instead, ruling only as a caretaker. Telugu culture has an especially deep bond with the Ramayana. The Bhadrachalam temple on the banks of the Godavari is one of the most important Rama temples in India, and its Sri Rama Navami celebrations (the re-enactment of Rama and Sita's wedding) are broadcast live across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana every year. The poet Bammera Pothana and later composers like Tyagaraja wrote some of the most beautiful Telugu devotional works about Rama. Many Telugu families read the Sundarakanda (the chapter about Hanuman's journey to Lanka) during special pujas, believing it brings protection and removes obstacles. Children in Telugu households grow up hearing Ramayana stories from grandparents long before they ever read the text.
"Even as a mirror reflects all objects held before it, the heart of Rama reflects the distress of every living being."