Lord Ram: The Original Superhero (Maryadha Purushottam) & Ayodhya (The Invincible City)

Originally written 5th April 2017, updated on 22nd Jan 2024 (Ram Janma Bhoomi Prathista day)

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Ayodhya for Hindus is like Bethlehem for Christians and Mecca for Muslims. It's the birth place of Lord Ram (an avatar of God Vishnu). and Today - Monday Jan 22nd it's getting it's due, with a grand inauguration of a Ram temple. Let me explain.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was a Russian Orthodox Cathedral in center of Warsaw, Poland, then a part of the Russian Empire. It took 18 years to build between 1894 to 1912 and it was the tallest building in Warsaw, when completed. It was demolished in 1926, by the Polish authorities less than 15 years after its construction. Do you know why? The negative connotations in Poland associated with Russian imperial policy towards Poland, and belief it was built purposely to hurt Polish national feelings, was cited as the major motive by the proponents of the demolition. The Polish people did not even wait 15 years to demolish another Christian church (same religion). And in India, an invader Babur from Uzbekistan, brings his army and comes to Ayodhya, a holy place for Hindus - demolished a temple and built a mosque there. And the Indian Muslims did not even worship there. The Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul is similarly built over a Roman Orthodox Christian church. And for 550 years, in India, it stood there as a symbol of Islamic civilization domination over a country which has 80% Hindu population. And India has put up with a so called mosque built by another oppressor for over 500 years and allowed the courts to rule it in favor of reconstruction of a temple, after a thorough archeological survey. There cannot be a better example of Tolerance, rule of law, democracy in action. Kudos to PM Modi to right this injustice, like what Patel did at Somnath.

Lord Ram lived life among the masses as a human being with all of life struggles and success. Ayodha as a city is important for all indic religions, be it Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism. Gautama Buddha’s Phena Sutta (The Foam) is said to have been composed in Ayodhya. In Jainism, Ayodhya has been considered an eternal pilgrimage ('shaswat teerth') and many Tirthankaras were born in Ayodhya only. In Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev went on pilgrimage to see Shri Ram Janam Bhoomi Mandir in 1520–11 CE. But to define Lord Ram as a religious figure for Hindus or only Indians and Indic religious is a very limited view, in my opinion.

Lord Ram is a cultural figure, a hero who symbolised victory of good over evil, compassion over brute strength, as an ideal human being for all of humanity, irrespective for race, language, nationality or religion. Heros are heros period. We don't identify them by their religion. We celebrate Alexander, Ashoka, Akbar for their feats as righteous rulers and greate warriors and not as Christian, Buddhist or Muslim emperors.

For the uninitiated what makes Ram a great hero? Why is Ramayana (Story of Rama) celebrated not just in India, but across all of Asia? Many characteristics of super heros, like honesty, righteousness, family values, courage, valor, strength, fortitude, perseverence and compassion, were found in Lord Ram.

He is referred as an ideal human being (Maryada Purushottam) why? Imagine His life, previous day he was told he would be crowned, next day asked to go to the forest for 14 years, lost his dear wife in the forest, with the help of vaanaraas and Hanuman he won over Ravana, gave him second chance for fight, found Sita, then she was to be sent to forest again because happened to hear common peoples' comment about Sita Ma, had to fight with his own sons not knowing that are his own, --- all these times he never deterred from 16 qualities that sage Naradha narrated to Valmiki, all these which make him Maryada Purushottam. When we pray to Him we hope to get bestowed with atleast some of His qualities. See picture below of 16 qualities of Rama being celebrated.

Lord Rama predates the Lord Buddha by 4000 plus years as avatar of Vishnu. One of the oldest epics in world history is Ramayana or the story of Lord Ram. You can see the influence not only in Indian sub-continent, but right across South East Asia. Names of Rama include Ramavijaya (Javanese), Phreah Ream (Khmer), Phra Ram (Lao and Thai), Megat Seri Rama (Malay), Raja Bantugan (Maranao). Ramakien is Ramayana in Thailand. Thai kings are called RAMA 1 2 3 etc. Their capital is called Ayutta (ayodhya). Neither is RAMAYANA forgotten in Indonesia where the religion is Islam. Buddhist Jataka stories in both China and Japan, have elements of Ramayana. I have a lovely RAM and Sita painting from Ball in My place.

One day Lord Shiva in Kailash was very happy and smiling to himself. When his wife goddess Parvati asked him why, he said "even just thinking about Rama makes me happy" He goes on to give this beautiful shloka to his wife, Goddess Parvati "SRI RAMA RAMA RAMETI, RAME RAAME MANORAME, SAHASRA NAMA TAT TULYAM, RAMA NAMA VARANANE" and explained its meaning thus "By meditating on "Rama Rama Rama" (the Name of Rama), my Mind gets absorbed in the Divine Consciousness of Rama, which is Transcendental. Rama is the sweetest word in the universe. And if one recites the Rama Mantra above, just 2 lines, three times, it gives the same effect as reciting the whole of Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra (1000 names of Vishnu)"

Lord Rama is considered in Hindu mythology as the Ideal Man in every way. Ideal Son Brother Husband Father Student Warrior King. Rama, though an avatar of Lord Vishnu, had lived as a human, going through struggles and overcoming them one by one in the right way. He did not know he was God or neither used his powers as God. Hence he is worshipped as God, the most ideal one. It’s believed when someone is in the state of distress, When you tell the name of Ram, not only Rama comes to your rescue, but the great Hanuman comes immediately there too.

Did you know Mahatma Gandhi was a Ram Bhakt and his dream was Ram Rajya or a fair and peaceful country. His last words when he was assassinated was “Hey Ram”. And every devotee of Sai Baba greets others with the sloka “Om Sai Ram”. It’s the merger of three powerful sounds “Om” the primordial sound of bliss by Sages, “Sai” which means Mother/Father (or Parents) and “Ram” meaning the perfect man or God. I will end with another sloka on Rama.

"ramaya ramabhadraya ramachandraya vedhase, raghunathaya nathaya sitayah pataye namah” Meaning: "I salute Shri Rama who is protector of all, benevolent and cool as moon. He is the lord of Raghuvamsa dynasty and is the Lord of Sita" It's also the dear names used by people who came in his life starting with his Father Dasaradha calls RAMA, Kausalya calls RAMABADHRA, Kaikeyi calls RAMACHANDRA, Vasishta calls VEDASE, Rishis call RAGHUNATHA, Sita calls NATHA and people of Ayodhya call SEETHAPATHI.

It's great to see this civilisational event being celebrated across the globe. On the day of consecration, the event will be broadcast live in over 300 locations in USA, beambed live in Times Square New York. Similar festivities in UK, France, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and even in conservative west asian countries.

Jai Shri Ram!!