Sages & Others
Rama
राम
Prince of Ayodhya
Who was Rama?
Rama (राम): Prince of Ayodhya, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Eldest son of Dasharatha of the Ikshvaku line, whose story Markandeya tells the exiled Yudhishthira as proof that better men have borne worse.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | राम |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Prince of Ayodhya |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | dutiful, exacting, grieving, unbending |
| Notable relationships | Husband: Sita, Brother: Lakshmana, Enemy: Ravana, Master: Hanuman |
| Featured in | 7 stories |
About Rama
Eldest son of Dasharatha of the Ikshvaku line, whose story Markandeya tells the exiled Yudhishthira as proof that better men have borne worse. Robbed of Sita by Ravana, he made his compact with the exiled monkey king Sugriva over a scrap of her cloth, shot Vali from cover to seat his ally on the throne of Kishkindha, and burned Lanka with his arrows. At the end he told Sita before the whole army that she was free to go where she liked, and only the testimony of Wind, Fire, Water and Brahma gave her back to him.
In Their Words
What had to be done is done, daughter of Videha. Thou art free; go where thou wilt.
Rama
Traits
- dutiful
- exacting
- grieving
- unbending
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Rama
4 further tales on this site name Rama, in canonical reading order.
- The Court of Sages at the Dvaita LakeAn exile that filled up with brahmanas instead of soldiers
- The Grove of Ashoka TreesA captive refuses, and a rakshasi tells her dream
- The Sleeper WokenRavana spends his brothers one after another
- The Head That Would Not Let GoWhy the ford on the Sarasvati is called Kapalamochana
Character Arc
- The Empty AsylumSita gone, and a vulture dying on the forest road
- The Compact at PampaA scrap of cloth traded for a monkey king's throne
- The Elements SpeakWind, Fire and Water answering for his wife
Key Relationships
Places in Rama's Story
Drawn from the stories Rama appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.