Lord Rama appeared in the dynasty of the Sun god, as the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya of Ayodha. He was heir to the throne of greater India and had three younger brothers, Bharata (son of Rama's stepmother Kaikeyi), and the twins Lakshman and Shatrughna. Under the tutelage of His family guru Vishvamitra, Rama studied martial arts and defeated several demons. In a contest of heroes to win the hand of the beautiful Princess Sita in marriage, Rama was victorious. He was able to lift, string and break the mighty bow of Lord Shiva, which other contestants could not even move. Sita gladly accepted Rama as her husband and there was a magnificent wedding. All was well in Ayodhya and Rama was about to be crowned king at his father's retirement, when...
A jealous hunchback maidservant named Mantara convinced her mistress, Queen Kaikeyi, Dasharatha's favorite wife (Rama's stepmother), to make good on a promise the King had given her years earlier. It had come to pass, that Kaikeyi had rescued the injured Dasharatha from a battlefield and nursed him back to health. At that time, Dasharatha had promised Kaikeyi a boon; anything she asked, he would oblige. Mantara convinced Kaikeyi that now, on the eve before Rama's coronation, was the time to cash in on that promise. Ask the king to exile Rama to the forest for fourteen years and elect her son Bharata to the throne instead.
King Dasharatha was heart-broken. He pleaded with Kaikeyi, who would not budge. The king, duty-bound, had to fulfill her demands. Rama accepted the order of His father and moved to the forest, along with His younger brother Lakshman, and wife Sita. The citizens of Ayodhya were dumbfounded. They felt as if the lights of their hearts had been extinguished. King Dasharatha passed away from grief. Kaikeyi and Mantara, needless to say, became objects of contentment. Bharata refused to accept the throne and decided to wait out the 14-year exile until his beloved elder brother's return. At Rama's request, however, he ruled Ayodhya in His absence, but installed Rama's shoes on the throne.
During their stay in the forest, Rama, Sita and Lakshman encountered many adventures, and many demons. Once, a she-demon tried to woo the handsome Rama and assault Sita. When the attack became physical, Lord Rama cut off her nose and ears. She was Shurpanakha, sister of the demon King Ravana. Hearing of his sister's mutilation, Ravana sought revenge. He sent a magical golden deer to tempt Sita, who asked Rama to catch it for her. Ravana took advantage of Rama's absence and kidnapped Sita. When the brothers discovered that Sita was missing, they searched for her throughout the forest. An old eagle named Jatayu informed them that Ravana was the culprit.
Rama and Lakshman journeyed south towards Lanka, Ravana's capital. Along the way, they befriended Sugriva and Hanuman, leaders of the monkey armies. With the monkeys' help, Rama and Lakshman constructed a bridge across the ocean from India's southernmost tip to the island of Lanka, and attacked Ravana and the demon soldiers. After a ferocious battle, Rama personally fought and killed the ten-headed demon king Ravana.
The Lord rescued Sita and carried her in a flower airplane back to Ayodhya, where the couple were joyfully received by all and enthroned as king and queen. That joyful day is celebrated to this day as Diwali, the festival of lights.
The sacred text Srimad-Bhagavatam describes that, as ruler of the world, Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, performed sacrifices, gave charity to the brahmanas [saintly people], and enlightened them from within the cores of their hearts. During His reign everyone was religious and happy. The forests, rivers, mountains and seas were favorably supplying the necessities of life for all beings. All bodily and mental suffering, disease, old age, bereavement, lamentation, distress, fear and fatigue were absent. There was even no death for those who did not want it.
Lord Rama taught the world by the example of His life. He took a vow to accept only one wife and have no connection with any other women. He was dutiful, honorable, charitable and virtuous.
(Adapted from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 9, Chapters 10-11.)
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