SRI RAM AND HIS BELIEFS

Bow and Arrows

  • Sri Ram is considered by Hindus as a perfect man and his wife Sita as an ambodiment of a perfect woman.
  • Many Hindus believe that Sri Ram is an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
    • Avatar comes from Av (down) & Tra (to passover) which means 'to descend down'. Some scholars say that it means descent of a man who is in special relationship with GOD.
    • Vishnu means 'The Sustainer' which is another name of All Mighty GOD according to Hindu Scriptures [Concept of God in Hinduism].
    • Therefore Sri Ram was a man sent by All Mighty God (as per the concept of Avatar)
  • But many Hindus also believe that Sri Ram is All Mighty GOD, descended to earth in the form of a man.
  • In fact Sri Ram did not claim divinity as per scripture. He did not say that he is Almighty GOD. On the contrary, he said the following

    1. "Atmaanam kaarushyamanye Ramam Dasharathaatmajam" (I am just an ordinary human being, I am Dasharatha's son) [Ramayanam, Sundarakanda]

  • When Sri Ram was asleep, his guru (teacher) Vishwamithra woke him up with the following song

    1. "Kausalya supraja Rama purva sandhya pravarthate, uthishta narashardhula, Karthavyam daiva maanhikam" (Oh Rama! Kausalya's endearing son! it is time of dawn. wake up! oh tiger among men! worshipping All Mighty GOD is the objective of your life) [Ramayanam, Balakanda]

  • We also find that when Sri Ram was in a battle field, he remembered All Mighty GOD before shooting an arrow.

Other Hindu Scruptures about the Nature of All Mighty GOD

  • The following verses describe All Mighty GOD as one who is not embodied or one who has no body.

    1. "sa paryagac chukram akaayam avranam asnaviram shuddham apapa-viddham kavir manishi paribhuh svayambhur yathatathyato 'rthan vyadadhac chashvatibhyah samabhyaha" (Such a person must know in fact the Greatest of all (All Mighty GOD), WHO is unembodied [or bodyless], omniscient, beyond reproach, without veins, pure and uncontaminate, the self-sufficient Philosopher WHO is awarding everyone's desire since time immemorial.) [Yajurveda 40:8]

    2. "avyaktam vyaktim aapannam manyante maam abuddhayah param bhaavam ajaananto mamaavyayam anuttamam" (Unable to comprehend MY imperishable, exalted and supreme state of being; the spiritually deficient regard ME, the unmanifested as coming into existence. [in a bodily form]) [Bhagavad Gita 7:24]

  • Therefore to assume that All Mighty GOD has taken a body goes against Hindu Scriptures.

Conclusion

  • We can come to the following conclusion that, Sri Ram did not claim divinity but he himself believed and worshiped All Mighty GOD according to Hindu scriptures.