Lord Rama — Maryada Purushottam and Ideal King

Introduction

Significance

Best Time to Perform

Required Samagri (Materials)

Preparation Steps

1. 1Clean the puja area thoroughly and sprinkle with Gangajal or clean water
2. 2Take a bath and wear clean, preferably traditional clothes (dhoti/kurta or saree)
3. 3Arrange the altar with Rama idol/picture at center, flanked by Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman
4. 4Place kalash with water, mango leaves, and coconut to the right of the deity
5. 5Light the ghee lamp and incense before beginning
6. 6Invoke Lord Ganesha first with 'Om Gan Ganapataye Namah' to remove obstacles
7. 7Mentally offer the puja to Lord Rama with sankalpa (intention) for self and family welfare
8. 8Keep Ramayana/Ramcharitmanas open at a relevant chapter (e.g., Rama's coronation or birth)

Step-by-Step Vidhi

1. 1Begin with Achamana: sip water three times from right palm while chanting 'Om Keshavaya Namah, Om Narayanaya Namah, Om Madhavaya Namah' to purify body and mind
2. 2Perform Pranayama: three rounds of alternate nostril breathing while meditating on Rama's form
3. 3Invoke the deity (Avahana): chant 'Om Ramaya Namah, Asmin Bimbe Shri Ramachandra Prabho Avahyami, Sthapayami, Pujaayami' while offering flowers at the feet
4. 4Offer seat (Asana): place flowers and say 'Om Ramaya Namah, Asanam Samarpayami'
5. 5Offer water for washing feet (Padya): pour water from spoon to deity's feet, 'Om Ramaya Namah, Padyam Samarpayami'
6. 6Offer water for washing hands (Arghya): 'Om Ramaya Namah, Arghyam Samarpayami'
7. 7Offer water for sipping (Achamana): 'Om Ramaya Namah, Achamaniyam Samarpayami'
8. 8Offer bath (Snana): sprinkle water, then panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar), then water again, 'Om Ramaya Namah, Snanam Samarpayami'
9. 9Offer clothes (Vastra): place a small piece of silk or cotton, 'Om Ramaya Namah, Vastram Samarpayami'
10. 10Offer sacred thread (Yajnopavita): 'Om Ramaya Namah, Yajnopavitam Samarpayami'
11. 11Apply sandalwood paste (Chandan): 'Om Ramaya Namah, Chandanam Samarpayami'
12. 12Offer kumkum and turmeric: 'Om Ramaya Namah, Kumkumam Samarpayami'
13. 13Offer flowers (Pushpa) with each name of Rama: 'Om Ramaya Namah, Pushpam Samarpayami' — ideally 108 flowers or tulsi leaves
14. 14Offer incense (Dhoop): wave incense clockwise, 'Om Ramaya Namah, Dhoopam Samarpayami'
15. 15Offer lamp (Deepa): wave ghee lamp clockwise, 'Om Ramaya Namah, Deepam Samarpayami'
16. 16Offer food (Naivedya): place fruits and sweets, 'Om Ramaya Namah, Naivedyam Samarpayami'
17. 17Offer betel leaf with nuts (Tambula): 'Om Ramaya Namah, Tambulam Samarpayami'
18. 18Perform Aarti with camphor: sing Rama Aarti while waving camphor lamp in clockwise circles
19. 19Do Pradakshina (circumambulation): walk around altar 3 or 7 times clockwise with folded hands
20. 20Offer Namaskara (prostration): full body prostration (Sashtanga) or folded hands with bowed head
21. 21Distribute Prasad to all present, partake with reverence
22. 22Conclude with reading Ramayana verses and chanting Rama Nama (108 or 1008 times)

Mantras

Do's

• ✓Bathe before puja and wear clean, modest clothing
• ✓Use tulsi leaves in every offering — they are most dear to Lord Rama
• ✓Chant Rama Nama with devotion and correct pronunciation
• ✓Read Ramayana daily, even a few verses, as part of sadhana
• ✓Maintain a vegetarian diet and sattvic lifestyle
• ✓Show respect to elders, parents, and teachers as Rama did
• ✓Practice truthfulness, compassion, and self-restraint in daily life
• ✓Visit Rama temples, especially on festivals and auspicious days
• ✓Serve devotees of Rama (Rama bhaktas) with humility
• ✓Keep a Rama yantra or Rama Nama written on paper in the puja area

Don'ts

• ✗Do not offer tulsi leaves without washing them first
• ✗Do not touch the deity or puja items without washing hands
• ✗Do not consume prasad before offering it to the Lord
• ✗Do not perform puja in a distracted or angry state of mind
• ✗Do not skip Ganesha invocation at the beginning
• ✗Do not use stale or wilted flowers for worship
• ✗Do not blow out the lamp with mouth — use flowers or hand to extinguish
• ✗Do not place the Rama idol directly on the floor — use a clean asana
• ✗Do not argue, gossip, or speak harshly during puja or vrat days
• ✗Do not neglect Hanuman worship — He is the gateway to Rama's grace

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• •Pronouncing 'Rama' as 'Ram' (short 'a') instead of 'Rāma' (long 'ā') — the long vowel carries the full potency
• •Skipping the preliminary Ganesha and Guru invocations
• •Offering items with the left hand instead of right hand (or both hands)
• •Performing aarti in anti-clockwise direction
• •Reading Ramayana casually without reverence or understanding
• •Focusing only on external rituals while neglecting inner virtues Rama represents
• •Confusing Rama Navami date (Chaitra Shukla Navami) with other festivals
• •Using non-vegetarian or tamasic items in Rama worship
• •Neglecting Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman in Rama puja — they are inseparable from Him
• •Expecting immediate material results rather than spiritual transformation

Regional Variations

• •North India: Grand Rama Navami processions (Shobha Yatra) with tableaux; Ramlila performances during Navaratri; Ayodhya deepotsav on Diwali with millions of lamps
• •South India: Rama Navami celebrated as Kalyanotsavam (divine wedding of Rama-Sita) with elaborate rituals; Rameswaram and Bhadrachalam as major pilgrimage centers; Vishnu Sahasranama and Rama Sahasranama chanting
• •Maharashtra: Reading of Eknathi Bhagwat and Bhavarth Ramayana; community Ramayana parayanam in temples; offering of puran poli as naivedya
• •Gujarat: Rama Navami fairs at temples; garba-style devotional singing; special prasad of shrikhand and puri
• •Bengal: Rama worship integrated with Durga Puja (Rama invoked before Durga); Krittivasi Ramayana recitation; offering of khichuri and labra
• •Tamil Nadu: Rama Navami as part of Panguni Uthiram; Alwars' Divya Prabandham verses on Rama recited; special abhishekam at Ranganathaswamy temples
• •Telugu States: Bhadrachalam Rama temple as epicenter; 10-day Brahmotsavam; Talapaka Annamacharya keertanas on Rama sung
• •Odisha: Jagannath tradition identifies Jagannath as Rama-Krishna; Rama Navami celebrated with chariot festival motifs; Odia Ramayana (Balaram Das) recited

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Traditional Notes

• •Valmiki Ramayana (Sanskrit, ~500 BCE - 100 BCE) — the original authoritative epic in 7 Kandas, 24,000 verses
• •Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulsidas (Awadhi, 16th century) — the most widely read version in North India
• •Adhyatma Ramayana (embedded in Brahmanda Purana) — philosophical/Advaitic version emphasizing Rama as Brahman
• •Yoga Vasistha (attributed to Valmiki) — profound spiritual dialogue between Rama and Sage Vasistha
• •Kamba Ramayanam (Tamil, 12th century) — classical Tamil version by Kambar
• •Krittivasi Ramayan (Bengali, 15th century) — by Krittibas Ojha
• •Bhavarth Ramayana / Eknathi Bhagwat (Marathi, 16th century) — by Sant Eknath
• •Rama Raksha Stotra (attributed to Sage Budha Kaushika) — protective hymn with powerful phala-shruti
• •Hanuman Chalisa by Tulsidas — 40 verses praising Hanuman as gateway to Rama
• •Vishnu Sahasranama (Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva) — includes Rama as 394th name: 'Ramah'
• •Skanda Purana, Ayodhya Mahatmya — details of Ayodhya pilgrimage and Rama worship
• •Agni Purana, Chapter 72 — describes Rama puja vidhi and mantras

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