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Epic7 KandasAbout 24,000 verses7 KandasSanskrit, by ValmikiHundreds of retellings16 versions to read

Ramayana: Characters

रामायण

The journey of Rama: a prince exiled for fourteen years, a wife carried across the sea, a monkey who leapt the ocean, and a war fought to bring her home.

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Characters of the Ramayana

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VanaraHanumanहनुमानHanuman is the vanara devotee of Rama, revered for boundless strength, courage and selfless devotion. Son of the…RakshasaRavanaरावणRavana, the ten-headed king of Lanka, is the antagonist of the Ramayana. A great scholar and devotee of…RaghuvamshaRamaरामRama, prince of Ayodhya and seventh avatar of Vishnu, is the hero of the Ramayana. Exiled for fourteen…RaghuvamshaSitaसीताSita, found in a furrow by King Janaka of Mithila, married Rama when he broke Shiva's bow and…RaghuvamshaLakshmanaलक्ष्मणLakshmana, son of Dasharatha and Sumitra, is Rama's devoted younger brother who followed him into exile and guarded…RaghuvamshaBharataभरतBharata, son of Dasharatha and Kaikeyi, refused the throne his mother won for him. He went to Chitrakoot…RakshasaVibhishanaविभीषणVibhishana is the righteous younger brother of Ravana who urged him to return Sita. Driven out of Lanka,…BirdJatayuजटायुJatayu, the aged vulture king and son of Aruna, was an old friend of King Dasharatha. He fought…VanaraSugrivaसुग्रीवSugriva is the vanara king of Kishkindha who was driven out by his brother Vali. Rama killed Vali…RakshasaKumbhakarnaकुंभकर्णKumbhakarna is Ravana's giant brother, who asked Brahma for Indra's throne but, with Saraswati on his tongue, asked…DasharathaदशरथDasharatha was the righteous king of Ayodhya and father of Rama. Bound by a promise to his queen…KaikeyiकैकेयीKaikeyi was the favourite queen of Dasharatha and mother of Bharata, whose two boons — demanded under Manthara's…Kausalyaकौसल्याKausalya was the eldest queen of Dasharatha and mother of Rama, a figure of dignity and quiet strength…Shatrughnaशत्रुघ्नShatrughna was the youngest of Rama's brothers and twin of Lakshmana, the quiet, loyal prince who served Bharata,…Urmilaऊर्मिलाUrmila, daughter of Janaka and wife of Lakshmana, is remembered for Urmila's Sleep — bearing fourteen years of…MandodariमंदोदरीMandodari was the wise and virtuous queen of Lanka and wife of Ravana, who repeatedly counselled him to…Indrajitइंद्रजीत (मेघनाद)Indrajit (Meghnad), the son of Ravana, was the mightiest warrior of Lanka who defeated Indra himself, bound Rama…Shurpanakhaशूर्पणखाShurpanakha, the sister of Ravana, was humiliated and disfigured by Lakshmana in the forest after her advances to…ShabariशबरीShabari was a humble forest-tribe devotee who waited a lifetime to receive Rama, and offered him berries she…ValiवालीVali was the mighty vanara king of Kishkindha and elder brother of Sugriva. A misunderstanding turned the brothers…Vishnuविष्णुVishnu is the preserver of the universe and, with Brahma and Shiva, one of the Trimurti. He rests…