The Ramayana ("Journey of Rama") is one of the two great Hindu epics, along with the Mahabharata. It is around 24,000 verses long and was traditionally said to be written by the sage Valmiki.

The Story

Prince Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, is in line to be king of Ayodhya. Through a palace plot he is exiled to the forest for fourteen years, where he is joined by his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. The ten-headed demon king Ravana kidnaps Sita and takes her to his island kingdom of Lanka. The monkey-god Hanuman finds her and Rama leads an army of monkeys and bears across a bridge to Lanka, where he defeats Ravana in a great battle. Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya, and the people light oil lamps to welcome them - the origin of Diwali.

Why It Matters

It shows Rama as the perfect ruler, husband and son - a role model for living dharma.
Sita is held up as the ideal wife - though some modern Hindus question her treatment in the story (after the rescue she is asked to prove her purity by walking through fire).
Hanuman is the model of selfless devotion.

Smriti and Shruti

Hindu scriptures are divided into two types: shruti ("heard" - the very oldest, e.g. the Vedas) and smriti ("remembered" - later, more accessible texts). The Ramayana is smriti, meaning it is a remembered tradition rather than direct revelation. This makes it loved across India in many versions, in different languages and even on television.

Y8 Hinduism

The Ramayana