Sri Rama Navami marks the appearance day of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, on earth. The Lord Himself is the Hero in the Valmiki Ramayana that has 24,000 verses. .
FASTING
It is advised that the devotees may fast for Sri Rama Navami from before sunrise (say, 5 AM) and till the sun set (say, 7 PM). You should not take any food during this period. However, you can take plenty of water to manage your body during this 12-14 hours.
(Why Rama killed Bali (Vali) from behind a tree against dharma? READ HERE!)
SCIENTIFIC CALCULATION OF THE BIRTH DATE OF LORD RAMA
| Institute for Scientific Research on Vedas (I-SERVE), using the Planetarium Software, has ascertained the birth of Lord Rama as 10th January 5114 BC in Ayodhya. As per the Indian calendar the time of the birth is in-between 12 noon and 1 pm, Shukla Paksha in Chaitra month. |
The planetarium software is also used by NASA and Nehru planetarium to find out the position of various planets and stars in the universe.
The scientist of I-SERVE claimed that they zeroed down on Lord Rama`s birth date by studying planetary positions as described by Valmiki in the Ramayana.
The scientists also said that new scientific tools and techniques like planetarium software, computers, space imagery, underwater explorations, and Radio Carbon Dating can clearly validate the existence of characters and events which are described in Ramayana.
It is just not about the date of birth of Lord Rama, scientists have also proofs which can substantiate not only the existence of Lord Rama as described in Ramayana but also of the incident of the clash of Lord Rama and ‘Khardushan’ during the 13th year of Rama’s exile.
(Also read This Story: LORD RAMA AND THE BOATMAN)
HOW LONG LORD RAMA REMAINED ON EARTH?
Lord Rama lived 11,053 years on earth to perform the tasks of His avatar while Lord Krishna lived 125 years lifespan during His descendence on earth.
Lord Rama ruled Ayodhya 11,000 years, while Lord Krishna ruled Dwaraka 100 years.
BRIEF HISTORY OF LORD RAMA DURING HIS AVATAR ON EARTH:
(1) Rama was born as the son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, ruler of the Kingdom of Kosala (now in Uttar Pradesh) and this day is observed as Sri Rama Navami.
(2) Rama is Maryatha Purushottama that means the Perfect Personality of Self-Control or Lord of Virtue. He is the best of upholders of Dharma and the Supreme God in the form of an exemplary human. Sita devi, His consort is an avatar of Lakshmi.
(GLORIES OF LORD RAMA (RAMACANDRA) FROM SCRIPTURES! READ HERE!)
(3) Rama and his brothers Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrughan were the chaturvyuha expansions of Vishnu (Vasudeva, Sankharshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha).
(4) Rama abandons his claim to Ayodhya’s throne to serve an exile of fourteen years in the forest. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana decide to join him and all three spend the fourteen years in exile together.
(5) While in exile, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka.
(6) After a long and arduous search, Rama fights a colossal war against Ravana’s armies. In a war of powerful and magical beings, greatly destructive weaponry, and huge battles, Rama slays Ravana in battle and liberates his wife.
(7) Having completed his exile, Rama returns to be crowned king in Ayodhya and eventually becomes emperor.
(8) He rules with happiness, peace, duty, prosperity, and justice, a period known as RAMA RAJYA.
(Why Rama had Single wife, but Krishna had 16,108 wives? READ HERE!)
(9) In the Vishnu Sahasra Nama (1000 Names of Vishnu), Rama is the 394th name of Vishnu.
(10) MEANING OF THE NAME RAMA: Rama has two meanings: (i) The Supreme Personality who is the eternally blissful spiritual Self in whom yogis delight and (ii) the One who out of His own will assumed the enchanting form of Rama, the son of Dasaratha. In brief, Rama means, BLISSFUL, CHARMING PERSONALITY. In Sanskrit, the word RAMA means CHARMING. (Also read the story of the Rama Ekadasi HERE!)
SOME OF THE POPULAR NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS OF RAMA
(1) Rama – charming
(2) Ramachandra – Rama with a moon
(3) Raghava – of the lineage of RAGHU
(4) Raghunandana – scion of RAGHU
(5) Siyaavara – husband of Sita
(6) Ayodhyapati – king of Ayodhya
(7) Dasharathaputra – son of Dasharatha
(8) Maryada-Purushottama – best ideal man
(Did Krishna and Rama plan with greed to bring entire India and the people under their rule? READ HERE!)
RAMA AND HANUMAN – INSEPARABLE
(i) Rama’s only allies in the struggle to find Sita are the Vanaras of Kishkindha. Rama’s natural piety and compassion, his sense of justice and duty as well as his courage despite great personal suffering after Sita’s kidnapping inspire devotion from the Vanaras and Sugriva, but especially Hanuman, Sugriva’s minister.
(ii) Devoted to Rama, Hanuman exerts himself greatly over the search for Sita. Hanuman is the first to discover that Sita was taken to Lanka and volunteers to use his divine gifts in a dangerous reconnaissance of Lanka, where he is to verify Sita’s presence.
(iii) Hanuman hands Rama’s ring to Sita as a mark of Rama’s love and his imminent intention of rescuing her.
(iv) Though captured, he candidly delivers Rama’s message to Ravana to immediately release Sita and when his tail is burned, he flies and sets Lanka on fire.
(v) When Lakshmana is struck down and near death and Rama overcome with love and concern for his brother, Hanuman flies to the Himalayas on the urgent mission to fetch the sanjeevani medicinal herbs, bringing the entire mountain to Lanka so that no time is lost in saving Lakshmana.
(Can a person be a devotee of Lord Krishna and Rama at the same time? READ HERE!)
RAMA’s CORONATION (PATTABISHEKAM) DAY
Rama’s appearance day is celebrated as Sri Rama Navami (on Chaitra Shukla Navami, Punarvasu Nakshatra- fourth Pada).
There is a version that Diwali is celebrated as a festival to commemorate the successful victorious return of Lord Rama after killing of the demon Ravana to Ayodhya with Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman, Sugriva, Jambavan, Angada etc., which coincided with the end of his exile period.
Then Lord Rama’s Coronation (Pattabhisekham) ceremony took place on the following day at the same Muhurtha kept for Rama’s Coronation that is given by Dasharatha and Vasistha before Rama’s 14 years of Exile, Paduka Pattabhisekham (happened before Rama completing his exile time done by Rama’s brother Bharatha, when then Ayodhya was ruled by his Paduka or shoes till the end of 14 years exile time period of Rama returning Ayodhya).
Lord Rama ruled Bharatvarsha through his virtues that is popularly known as period of Rama Rajya that lasted for 11,000 years.
Rama Rajya means the embodiment Of Dharma Or Dharma has taken a form of Ramachandra.
(Hanuman (Maruti) or Rama -Whom to worship for Protection? READ HERE!)
Let Lord Sri Rama bless all the devotees in this site on the eve of Sri Rama Navami. We too should learn the patience, perseverance, adherence to dharma, discipline, humbleness and sathya, from the life of Lord as Rama on earth. I think, no other stories describe the above aspects better than Ramayana.
Jai Shree Ram!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
(Why RAVANA DEHAN is celebrated on Vijaya dasami by burning a Gyani Ravana? READ HERE)