Rama (Rāma) is the hero of Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa, king of Ayodhyā, and one of the most important manifestations of Vishnu. Born as the eldest son of King Daśaratha and Queen Kauśalyā, Rama is prepared to inherit the throne but instead accepts fourteen years of exile to preserve his father’s promise.
His wife, Sītā, and brother, Lakṣmaṇa, accompany him into the forest. When the demon king Rāvaṇa abducts Sītā, Rama allies with Sugrīva, Hanuman, and the vānaras, eventually crossing to Laṅkā, defeating Rāvaṇa, and returning to Ayodhyā.
Rama is traditionally celebrated as Maryādā Puruṣottama, the exemplary person who upholds moral and social responsibility even under painful circumstances. The Rāmāyaṇa does not present dharma as easy; Rama’s life repeatedly places duties into conflict. His enduring importance comes from this central question: how should a person act when doing what right demands is a sacrifice?
