Rama Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Iconography and physical characteristics== [[File:Ram with companions.jpg|thumb|Rama with Lakshmana (left), Sita (right) and Hanuman at his feet. [[Thanjavur painting|Tanjore painting]], mid 19th century]] Rama iconography shares elements of avatars of Vishnu, but has several distinctive elements. He has two hands, holds a ''bana'' (arrow) in his right hand, while he holds the ''dhanus'' (bow) in his left.<ref name=raoramaicon/> The most recommended icon for him is that he be shown standing in ''[[tribhanga]]'' pose (thrice bent "S" shape). He is shown black, blue or dark color, typically wearing reddish color clothes. Rama is often accompanied with his brother [[Lakshmana]] on his left side while his consort [[Sita]] always on his right, both of golden-yellow complexion. His monkey companion [[Hanuman]] stands nearby with folded arms. The group can be accompanied with Rama's brothers Bharata and Shatrughna too.<ref name=raoramaicon>{{cite book|author=T. A. Gopinatha Rao|title=Elements of Hindu iconography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJD-KresBwIC|year=1993|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0878-2|pages=189–195|access-date=10 April 2017|archive-date=11 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111033003/https://books.google.com/books?id=MJD-KresBwIC|url-status=live}}</ref> The Ramayana describes Rama as a charming, well built person of a dark complexion (''varṇam śyāmam'') and long arms (''ājānabāhu'', meaning a person whose middle finger reaches beyond their knee).{{Sfn|Valmiki Ramayan|p=[[Ramayan#Kishkindha Kanda|kishkindha kanda]]}} In the [[Sundara Kanda]] section of the epic, [[Hanuman]] describes Rama to [[Sita]] when she is held captive in [[Lanka]] to prove to her that he is indeed a messenger from Rama: {{blockquote|He has broad shoulders, mighty arms, a conch-shaped neck, a charming countenance, and coppery eyes; he has his clavicle concealed and is known by the people as Rama. He has a voice (deep) like the sound of a kettledrum and glossy skin, is full of glory, square-built, and of well-proportioned limbs and is endowed with a dark-brown complexion.<ref>{{harvnb|Valmiki Ramayan|p=1235 (Volume 2 of Śrīmad Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: With Sanskrit Text and English Translation)}}</ref>}} {{Clear}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page