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