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Rama

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, divine hero of the Ramayana, exemplifying virtue, duty, and righteous kingship.

Detailed Definition
Rama, exiled prince and ideal king, rescues his wife Sita from Ravana with Hanuman’s help. He embodies dharma, righteousness, and marital fidelity. Poets reference him to explore duty, exile, and the moral complexities of leadership in both devotional and ethical contexts.
Example
Example in poetry:
Rama appears in devotional poetry: "Rama’s bow sings truth— / his arrow finds Ravana’s heart, / restoring dharma’s balance"; In epic verse, he symbolizes ideal kingship: "Exiled but upright, / Rama walks forest paths / with Sita and Lakshmana"; Poets reference him in meditations on duty: "Love waits, but duty calls— / Rama chooses exile over throne, / and earns both"; He embodies righteousness: "No rage, no deceit— / Rama’s victory is clean, / because his cause is just"; In modern poetry, he represents moral clarity: "In a world of gray choices, / Rama walks in white— / a hard path, but pure"; Contemporary poets explore his complexity: "Rama banished Sita— / even heroes cast shadows, / and gods make mistakes"
Additional Notes
Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu and hero of the Ramayana, embodies dharma (righteousness), ideal kingship, and marital fidelity. His 14-year exile, battle with Ravana to rescue Sita, and eventual return to Ayodhya form one of Hinduism’s central narratives. In poetry, Rama symbolizes moral clarity, duty over desire, and the challenges of leadership. When referencing Rama, note the complexity of his choices (e.g., banishing Sita) that reveal the tensions within idealized roles. Related concepts include maryada purushottama (the perfect man), bhakti devotion, and the Ramcharitmanas; he contrasts with Krishna’s playful divinity, representing structured virtue over divine play (lila).
Also Known As
The Prince of Ayodhya The Seventh Avatar of Vishnu The Ideal Man Ramah
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