The Ramayana

The Hindu Trinity

There are 3 Main Gods in Hinduism:

• Brahma

• Vishnu

• Shiva

Brahma

• Responsible for creating the universe.

• Also responsible for the daily alteration of light and dark.

Vishnu

• The protector and preserver of creation.

• Merciful and full of goodness.

Shiva

• the destroyer of creation.

• based on a belief that all things with a beginning must have an end, Shiva destroys creation so that Brahma can create it again.

The Ramayana• Valmiki was a Hindu

sage and poet

• He lived around 500 BCE

• He wrote the Ramayana

• There are many

variations on the story

Main Characters

• Lord Rama

• Ravanna

• Sita

• Lakshmana

• Hanuman

• Bharata

Lord Rama

• Son of King Dasharatha

• One of four brothers

• Was very close to his brother, Lakshmana

• Married to Sita

• Rama was actually Vishnu in a human avatar.

Sita

• Wife of Rama

• Kindnapped by Ravanna

Ravanna• Sometimes called a demon.

• Sometimes called King of Lanka.

• Kidnaps Sita and takes her to his kingdom of Lanka (Modern day Sri Lanka)

Hanuman

• The Monkey God

• Helps Rama rescue Sita from Ravanna

Others

Bharata• The second son of Dasharata.• His mother Kaikeyi forced

Rama into exile.• Places Rama's sandals on the

throne to symbolize that Rama is the rightful King.

Lakshmana•Favourite brother of Rama•Went with Rama and Sita into the forest

when Rama was exiled for 14 years