Since the beginning of time, Lord Vishnu has manifested on earth to uphold dharma. In this series of articles, we will take you through His various incarnations as a reminder of the force of Preserver.
The seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu was, as Lord Ram, an epitome of perfection – the perfect son, the perfect king, the perfect warrior, the perfect man.
Born to King Dashrath and QueenKaushalya, Shri Ram took birth to put an end to the chaos created by asurs and rakshasas under the aegis of Mighty Ravan. In the process of fulfilling this purpose, he set forth the examples of perfect conduct for generations to follow. His was the journey of dharma.
It is the duty of the Kshatriya (the warrior clan) to protect the yagyas. Likewise Shri Ram, along with brother Lakshman, left the riches and comforts of the royal palace, to protect the yagya of Rishi Vishvamitra. To honour the word of his father and to grant the wish of mother Kaikeyi, Shri Ram renounced his kingdom and went on a 14-year exile with brother Lakshman. To reciprocate the love and devotion of Shabri, he had the berries tasted by her. To protect his wife, he waged war on the mighty Ravan. Though the enemy, Lord Ram gave due respect to the reservoir of gyan Ravan was, and asked his younger brother to seek his tutelage in his end time.
Lord Ram’s life was a life of austerity. Throughout his stay on earth, he was immersed in the task of protecting dharma, dedicating every instant of his life to the benefit of humanity. One does not find any incident where he did something for himself in the Ramayana. He was born for a purpose; he fulfilled it and went back. That is an avatar.
