6 Facts You Must Know About Lord Rama

Rama is the Seventh Avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. He was a king of ancient India. His wife is Sita, who is the Avatar of Lakshmi.

He is the hero of the ancient Hindu epic poem, The Ramayana (from Sanskrit: The Journey of Rama). In this legend, Rama is born in Ayodhya. His father is King Dasharatha. His stepmother has him exiled from the kingdom, and Rama goes to live as an ascetic in the forests. He is also known as Maryada Puroshottam, which means he teaches humanity how to live life without sacrificing the happiness and interest of others. He is the perfect human form of "prabhu" or God. Ram is a popular God and revered across India and Nepal.

* Lord Rama, the Hindu god, is the hero of one of the most well known and cherished books of Indian culture: The Ramayana. This story has been passed down from generation to generation even before there was written word!

* Rama is the 7th incarnation of the God Vishnu, and next to Krishna, he is considered to be his most important avatar (manifestation of a deity).

* Rama is considered to be the ideal man and a perfect human; not only physically, but mentally and spiritually.

* Most Hindus believe that Rama lived 1.2 million years ago, in the Treta Yuga- though the text is dated 7th-4th BC.

* Rama’s principle devotee was Hanuman, a symbol of devotion and right action.

* For the sake of honoring his father, Rama accepted 14 years in exile with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana.