While reading the original text of the Valmiki Ramayana, there are certain episodes where the characters of Ramayana elaborate or indicate towards the divine nature of Rama, which gives us glimpses into his true identity. Although Rama never proclaims his own divinity and even alludes to himself as a human being, it is most certain that this cannot be the basis to deny his divinity for a similar episode is also depicted with Hanuman where he, oblivious of his divine nature is reminded of the same by Jambavan. This is in contrast to Mahabharata where Lord Krishna himself proclaims his nature as the Supreme Lord in two instances, namely his visit to the court of Dhritarashtra as an envoy at the attempt of final reconciliation before the Mahabharata war (Udyoga Parva) and the Gita (Bhishma Parva).
The famous episode of visit of Rama to the hermitage of Shabari hints at his divinity. It must be remembered that Shabari in the Valmiki Ramayan is not a tribal woman as believed today in modern discourse, but an accomplished ascetic (Siddha) of the ashram of Rishi Matanga. Rishi Matanga instructed her to continue her penance and wait for Lord Rama to come to the hermitage where, after his service will she attain liberation. The conversation goes as (Aranyakanda Sarga 74),
अद्य प्राप्ता तपस्सिद्धिस्तव संदर्शनान्मया अद्य मे सफलं तप्तं गुरवश्च सुपूजिताः।।
On seeing you now my penance has attained fulfilment, my services to my preceptors have borne fruit.
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म स्वर्गश्चैव भविष्यति। त्वयि देववरे राम पूजिते पुरुषर्षभ।।
O best of men, O highest of the gods my birth has become fruitful today with your worship, (you have made) even attainment of heaven quite certain.
The word used for Rama here is ‘Devavare’ or the highest/best among the Devas (Gods). This, coupled with the fact that the mere sight of Rama, fulfilled the penance of such a great ascetic as Shabari is evidence enough of the divinity of Rama in the Ramayana of Valmiki.
The next elaboration of the divinity of Rama, where the explicit identification of Rama as an avatar of Vishnu is claimed, occurs in the Yuddhakand Saga 114. The context of this elaboration is the lamentation of Mandodari after her husband, Ravana has been slain in the war by Rama. Mandodari, during her lamentation begins introspecting and questioning as to how a mortal being could have defeated her husband, whom even Indra feared to even look towards in battle, forget getting into combat with (वासवस्यतुकाशक्तिस्त्वांद्रष्टुमपिसंयुगे). Then Mandodari elaborates on who Rama really is, in a beautiful set of verses.
व्यक्तमेषमहायोगीपरमात्मासनातनः । अनादिमध्यनिधनोमहतंपरमोमहान् ।। तमसःपरमोधाताशङ्खचक्रगदाधरः ।
श्रीवत्सवक्षानित्यश्रीरजय्यश्शाश्वतोध्रुवः ।। मानुषंरूपमास्थायविष्णुस्सत्यपराक्रमः । सर्वैःपरिवृतोदेवैर्वानरत्वमुपागतैः ।।
सर्वलोकेश्वर्श्रीमान्लोकानांहितकाम्यया । सराक्षसरपरीवारंहतवांस्त्वांमहाद्युतिः ।।
“It is evident that this Rama is a great yogi, eternal, who has no beginning, middle or end. He is supreme, greater than great and stands beyond darkness, a sustainer. He holds conch, discus, and mace in hand. He has symbols of Srivatsa on his chest. He is ever rich, invincible, everlasting, steady supreme soul and of truthful valour. He is prosperous, a mass of brilliance, Lord Vishnu and the Lord of all worlds, a wellwisher of all. He has come in mortal form, in the form of Vanaras also, and by all gods. He vanquished you along with Rakshasas is evident.”
Thus, Mandodari recites the glory of Lord Rama as the very personification of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu.
As the Yuddhakanda proceeded further, the famous episode of Sita’s trial by fire (Agnipariksha) is narrated emotively by Valmiki. As Sita entered the fire, the onlookers as well as the entire universe went into a state of grief. The devatas were also afflicted and came running to the site of the Agnipariksha, led by Brahma. Then Brahma, who is aware of the identity of Rama addresses him with glorious epithets of divinity and begins his address as:
कर्तासर्वस्यलोकस्यश्रेष्ठोज्ञानवतांप्रभुः । उपेक्षसेकथंसीतांपतन्तींहव्यवाहने ।।
“You are the creator of the entire world, knowledgeable and the foremost Lord of the host of gods”
अन्तेचादौ च लोकानांदृश्यसे च परन्तप||
“O Tormentor of enemies! You are at the beginning and at the end of the world.”
To this, Rama remarks as if ignorant of his identity (which is a subject of debate, whether he was himself aware of his divine nature although, I believe from references that he surely was), “I am Dasharatha’s son, a human and thinking to be Rama. Tell me O divine creator, from where and whence I am here.”
Then Brahma begins his submission which is nothing less than a Stuti (Prayer) to Rama.
भवान्नारायणोदेवःश्रीमांश्चक्रायुधःप्रभुः ।। एकशृङ्गोवराहस्त्वंभूतभव्यसपत्नजित् ।
अक्षरंब्रह्मसत्यं च मध्येचान्ते च राघव ।।लोकानांत्वंपरोधर्मोविष्वक्सेनश्चतुर्भुजः ।
शार्ङ्गधन्वाहृषीकेशःपुरुषःपुरुषोत्तमः ।। अजितःखङ्गदृग्विष्णुःकृष्णश्चैवमहाबलः ।
सेनानीर्ग्रामणीश्चत्वंत्वंबुद्धिस्त्वंक्षमादमः ।।प्रभवश्चाप्ययश्चत्वमुपेन्द्रोमधुसूदनः ।
इन्द्रकर्मामहेन्द्रस्त्वंपद्मनाभोरणान्तकृत् ।। शरण्यंशरणं च त्वामाहुर्दिव्यामहर्षयः ।
सहस्रशृङ्गोवेदात्माशरशीर्षोमहर्षभः ।। त्वंत्रयाणांहिलोकानामादिकर्तास्वयम्प्रभुः ।
सिद्धानामपिसाध्यानामाश्रयश्चासिपूर्वजः ।। त्वम्यज्ञस्त्वंवषटकारस्त्वमोङ्कारःपरात्परः ।।
प्रभवंनिधनंवातेनोविदुःकोभवानिति । दृश्यसेसर्वभूतेषुगोषु च ब्राह्मणेषु च ।।
दिक्षुसर्वासुगगनेपर्वतेषुनदीषु च । सहस्रचरण्श्रीमान् शतशीर्षस्सहस्रदृक् ।।
त्वंधारयसिभूतानिपृथिवीं च सपर्वताम् । अन्तेपृथिव्याःसलिलेदृश्यसेत्वंमहोरगः ।।
त्रीन्लोकान्धारयन् राम देवगन्धर्वदानवान् । अहंतेहृदयंरामजिह्वादेवीसरस्वती ।।
देवारोमाणिगात्रेषुब्रह्मणानिर्मिताःप्रभो । निमेषस्तेस्मृतारात्रिरुन्मेषोदिवसस्तथा ।।
संस्कारास्त्वभवन्वेदानैतदस्तित्वयाविना । जगत्सर्वंशरीरंतेस्थैर्यंतेवसुथातलम् ।।
अग्निःकोपःप्रसादस्तेसोम्श्रीवत्सलक्षणः । त्वयालोकास्त्रयःक्रान्ताःपुरास्वैर्विक्रमैस्त्रिभिः ।।
महेन्ध्रश्चकृतोराजाबलिंबद्ध्वासुदारुणम् । सीतालक्ष्मीर्भवान् विष्णुर्देवःकृष्णःप्रजापतिः ।।
वधार्थंरावणस्येहप्रविष्टोमानुषींतनुम् ।तदिदंनस्त्वयाकार्यंकृतंधर्मभृतांवर ।।
निहतोरावणोरामप्रहृष्टोदिवमाक्रम । अमोघंदेववीर्यंते न तेमोघाःपराक्रमाः ।।
अमोघंदर्शनंरामअमोघस्तवसंस्तवः । अमोघास्तेभविष्यन्तिभक्तिमन्तोनराभुवि ।।
येत्वांदेवंध्रुवंभक्ताःपुराणंपुरुषोत्तमम् ।प्राप्नुवन्तिसदाकामनिहलोकेपरत्र च ।।
इममार्षंस्तवंदिव्यमितिहासंपुरातनम् ।। येनराःकीर्तयिष्यन्तिनास्तितेषांपराभवः ।
“You are the divine self, glorious Narayana himself, wielder of discus. You are having a single tusk and a divine boar, knower of past and present. You are the imperishable Brahma in the midst or end, abiding in truth. You are dharma, all pervading four shouldered Vishnu in the world. You are the wielder of Sarang bow, subduer of enemies, a supreme person, never faced defeat, wielder of sword, Vishnu, Krishna also and mighty. You are the Karthikeya, the commander of army, village headman. You are the intellect, forbearance. You are the origin and end also. You are Vamana and destroyer of demon Madhu. You are spoken of as the creator of Indra, Mahendra himself, Padmanabha, who puts an end to combat. You are a wonderful great sage and refuge of seekers. You are the self of Vedas with its thousand branches and hundred divisions. You are the beginning of the three worlds and end. You are the selfshining. You are the Siddha among the achievers and their refuge as well as their protector. You are the form of sacrifice ritual you are worshipped by Vasat. You are the syllable OM. Only the highest of the higher know you. You are without a beginning or end. Who you are is not known to Vedas also. You are seen in cows and brahmanas. You exist in all quarters, in the sky, mountains and rivers. You are endowed with thousand feet, glorious, with hundred heads and hundred eyes, you sustain all beings, mountains and earth. Rama, at the dissolution of the earth you are seen to live on water and sustain a huge serpent. You are supporting the three worlds, the Devas, Gandharvas and Danavas. Rama, all gods constitute your heart, Devi Saraswathi is your tongue, the gods created by Brahma are the hair on your limbs. When you close your eyelids, it becomes night and when you open it becomes day. Your perfection in action are the Vedas. Without you, there is nothing. The total world represents your body, your firmness represents the earth, your anger is fire, your grace is nobility, a sign of Srivatsa. Before you took the form of Trivikrama, and took three strides, occupied the three worlds and bound the dreadful king Bali you made Mahendra as king of heaven. Sita is goddess Lakshmi while you are Vishnu. You are Krishna. You are the Lord of created beings. In order to put an end to Ravana, you entered the mortal body on earth.Rama you are the supreme and upholder of dharma. The purpose for which you are born has been accomplished. Ravana is killed. You return to your abode happily. O God! Your valour is wonderful, your prowess never goes in vain. Your sight is a blessing, and your praise is unfailing and not gone in vain.Those mortals who are devoted to you, the supreme god, will be very successful. You are eternal, supreme being. Your devotees in this world and other world will always attain the desired results. O Mortal! This wonderful ancient history, whoever chants sings will not experience difficulty, will attain fame and will never face insult.”
The particularly important aspects in this address by Brahma is the identification of Rama with Krishna as one and the same and further identification of Rama with Vishnu. They are all then identified with the Virata Purusha and the Supreme God (Parabrahman). Hence it forms perhaps the oldest indication towards the Dasavatar (ten incarnations) of Vishnu in the Hindu textual tradition. Another important note is that of the reference to Ramayana as ‘Ithaca Puratana’ or Ancient History. Hence one must remember that Ramayana is not to be mentioned wrongly as mythology but as ‘Ancient History’, as Valmiki himself remarks.
This illustration by Brahma is also corroborated in Mahabharata, Vana Parva (XCIX) narration. In the narration, Prabhu Rama gives the Vishwaroop Darshan to Parashurama as Krishna showed to Arjuna. All the Devatas, Rishis, Brahmanas and the entire world inside his divine body, Vishnu himself is Rama. The illustration is an evidence of the development of the Bhakti cult of Rama and his worship as the supreme lord by the time of composition of the Mahabharata. Thus the worship of Rama, probably began in the age of Mahabharata and not later during the era of Tulsidas.
I bow down before the Supreme Lord, the name of whom is alone sufficient for liberation, Prabhu Rama.
रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते||
