Mediyaan YuvaSri Rama Navami – A Celebration of Maryada Purushottam Rama’s Birth Anniversary
Chaitra month of Hindu calendar ushers in yet another auspicious Hindu Festival – the Ram Navami on Thursday, the 30th March 2023. Sri Ramachandra or Sri Rama, is the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. He was born on this day as the eldest son to King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya in Ayodhya, an historic city in Uttar Pradesh. According to Hindu mythology Lord Rama descended the earth in divine human form to defeat the demon King Ravana of Sri Lanka and to annihilate evil for restoring faith.
As per Hindu panchangam (calendar), Lord Rama was born on Navami thithi during Shukla Paksha; hence, Hindus celebrate Lord Rama’s birth anniversary on this day as a holy festival. Sri Rama Navami falls on the ninth day of Chaitra or Vasantha Navratri celebrations either in March or April.
Lord Rama is considered as Maryada Purushottam because he adhered to Dharma and righteousness, no matter whatever tribulations he faced during his lifetime. As the King of Ayodhya, his life and actions represented the embodiment of unblemished virtues of faithfulness, truthfulness, and fidelity. Lord Rama is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism and his dharmic qualities inspire and guide every proud Hindu around the world.
In the epic ‘Ramayana’[1] written by Maharishi Valmiki, Rama’s life reflects the divinely humane qualities he possessed. He followed the path of Dharma at every stage of his life in spite of innumerable challenges and troubles faced by him. Lord Rama had three younger brothers – Bharatha, Lakshmana and Shatrugana. He married Sita, the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila. The essence of Sri Rama’s avatar revolves around how during the fourteen year vanavasam or exile from Ayodhya when his wife Sita was kidnapped by King Ravana with an evil design, Lord Rama rescues her by slaying King Ravana, who represented the evil in an epic battle with the support of his younger brother Lakshmanan, Hanuman and others.
Hindus celebrate Ram Navami by observing a day long fast; performing special pujas and homam or havan held in temples and in homes; and Hindus take out processions in praise of Lord Rama to celebrate his greatness. Recitation of the epic Ramayanam, singing bhajans in praise of Lord Rama and Ramanama Sangeerthanam are observed in both temples and in many households. In particular, chanting of Rama Nama mantra is considered powerful by Hindus as it has the ability to lessen suffering, calm one’s agitated mind and is a means to salvation.
One special mantra for Rama Navami that is recited is as follows:
Om Dasharathaye Vidmahe; Sitavallabhaya Dhimahi, Tanno Rama Prachodayat!!
We wish all the readers a veryHappy Sri Rama Navami! And let us strive to be righteous and virtuous inspired from Lord Rama’s life. To all the young Hindus and Indians, we hope that you would aspire to scale the heights of your personal and professional lives by following the footsteps of Lord Rama in terms of both character and conduct.
Happy Sri Rama Navami! Jai Shri Ram! Jai Siya Ram!