1 Ramayanam · 1.1 Ramayanam
1.1.2 Who is who in the Ramayanam
Most Ramayanam questions in EO Paper II are "who is whose" questions: the Ikshvaku and Videha royal families, Ravana's family, the vanaras and the sages; learn each person with one relation and one deed, and the epithets that hide their names.
- APPSC Paper I
- Standard level
- 12 min read
- Free
Core facts
Ayodhya (Ikshvaku dynasty, Suryavamsha).
- Founder Ikshvaku, son of Vaivasvata Manu. Famous ancestors: Sagara, Dilipa, Bhagiratha, Raghu, Aja, then Dasharatha.
- Dasharatha's queens and sons:
| Queen | Her father / home | Son(s) | Son's wife |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kausalya | Kosala (by tradition) | Rama | Sita |
| Kaikeyi | Ashvapati of Kekaya | Bharata | Mandavi |
| Sumitra | (not named) | Lakshmana, Shatrughna (twins) | Urmila, Shrutakirti |
- Birth stars: Rama: Chaitra Shuddha Navami, Punarvasu, Karkataka lagna. Bharata: Pushyami. Lakshmana and Shatrughna: Ashlesha. Vasishtha named all four.
- Family priest (kulaguru): Vasishtha. Minister and charioteer: Sumantra. Kaikeyi's maid: Manthara. Kaikeyi's brother: Yudhajit.
- Shanta: Dasharatha's daughter brought up by his friend Romapada (Lomapada), king of Anga; wife of Rishyashringa, son of sage Vibhandaka.
- Sons of the four brothers: Rama: Lava, Kusha. Lakshmana: Angada, Chandraketu. Bharata: Taksha, Pushkala. Shatrughna: Subahu, Shatrughati.
Mithila (Videha).
- Janaka (Siradhvaja), king of Mithila. His younger brother is Kushadhvaja, king of Sankashya.
- Janaka's daughters: Sita (found in a furrow while ploughing) and Urmila. Kushadhvaja's daughters: Mandavi and Shrutakirti.
- Janaka's priest: Shatananda, son of Gautama and Ahalya.
Lanka (rakshasas).
- Pulastya (a son of Brahma) → Vishrava → Ravana and his siblings. Ravana is Pulastya's grandson (Paulastya).
- Vishrava's wives: Kaikasi (daughter of rakshasa Sumali) bore Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Shurpanakha, Vibhishana; another wife (Devavarnini, called Ilavida in the Puranas) bore Kubera, Ravana's half-brother.
- Ravana's chief queen: Mandodari, daughter of Maya (Mayasura) and the apsara Hema. Their son: Indrajit (Meghanada); also Akshakumara.
- Vibhishana's wife: Sarama. Kumbhakarna's wife: Vajrajwala; sons Kumbha, Nikumbha.
- Tataka's sons: Maricha and Subahu. Khara ruled Janasthana with Dushana as his commander.
Vanaras and birds: born of the gods' portions (Bala Kanda).
| God | Born as | God | Born as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahma | Jambavan (bear king) | Indra | Vali |
| Surya | Sugriva | Vayu | Hanuman |
| Vishwakarma | Nala | Agni | Nila |
| Varuna | Sushena | Kubera | Gandhamadana |
| Ashvini Devatas | Mainda, Dvivida | Parjanya | Sharabha |
| Brihaspati | Tara (a male vanara) |
- Vali and Sugriva are brothers. Vali's wife Tara (daughter of Sushena), son Angada. Sugriva's wife Ruma.
- Hanuman: son of Anjana and Kesari, born of Vayu; minister of Sugriva.
- Jatayu and Sampati (the elder) are vultures, sons of Aruna. Jatayu was Dasharatha's friend.
Who killed whom.
| Killed | By | Killed | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tataka, Subahu | Rama | Akshakumara, Jambumali | Hanuman |
| Viradha, Kabandha | Rama, Lakshmana | Dhumraksha, Akampana | Hanuman |
| Khara, Dushana, Trishira | Rama | Devantaka, Trishira, Nikumbha | Hanuman |
| Maricha, Vali | Rama | Narantaka, Vajradamshtra | Angada |
| Prahasta, Mahodara | Nila | Kumbha | Sugriva |
| Makaraksha, Kumbhakarna | Rama | Atikaya, Indrajit | Lakshmana |
| Ravana | Rama | Lavanasura | Shatrughna |
Epithets (asked as "who is called…").
| Name | Person | Name | Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dasharathi, Raghava, Kakutstha | Rama | Saumitri | Lakshmana |
| Janaki, Vaidehi, Maithili | Sita | Anjaneya, Maruti, Kesarinandana | Hanuman |
| Dashagriva, Dashakantha | Ravana | Meghanada | Indrajit |
| Gadheya, Kaushika | Vishwamitra | Devarshi | Narada |
| Adikavi, Prachetasa | Valmiki | Vaishravana | Kubera |
| Riksharaja | Jambavan | Vainateya, Garutman | Garuda |
Explained
Sages and their roles.
| Sage | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Vasishtha | Kulaguru; names the princes; crowns Rama |
| Vishwamitra | Takes Rama for his yagna; gives astras; leads him to Mithila |
| Rishyashringa | Son of Vibhandaka; leads the Putrakameshti; married to Shanta |
| Gautama / Ahalya | Ahalya freed from her husband's curse by Rama |
| Bharadvaja | Hosts Rama at Prayaga, going and returning |
| Atri / Anasuya | Anasuya gives Sita ornaments |
| Agastya (wife Lopamudra) | Gives weapons, sends Rama to Panchavati, teaches Aditya Hridayam |
| Matanga | Guru of Shabari; his curse keeps Vali off Rishyamuka |
| Valmiki | Shelters Sita; teaches Lava and Kusha |
| Parashurama | Son of Jamadagni; tests Rama with Vishnu's bow |
Vishwamitra's family and rise.
- Line: Kusha → Kushanabha → Gadhi → Vishwamitra. Hence Kaushika (of Kusha's line) and Gadheya (son of Gadhi). His elder sister Satyavati, wife of sage Richika, became the river Kaushiki.
- As a king he tried to seize Vasishtha's wish-cow Shabala; his army and even his Brahmastra failed before Vasishtha's Brahmadanda. He learnt that the power of tapas is greater than royal power.
- Through tapas he rose from Rajarshi to Brahmarshi. On the way he made a heaven for Trishanku, saved Shunahshepa at Ambarisha's yagna at Pushkara, and was distracted by Menaka. He became Brahmarshi only when Vasishtha too accepted him.
Helpers and others.
- Guha: Nishada chief of Shringaverapura, Rama's friend.
- Shabari: devotee who served her gurus at Matanga's ashram; she hosts Rama and enters the fire.
- Viradha: the gandharva Tumburu, cursed by Kubera. Kabandha: cursed by sage Sthulashira for arrogance, then given his headless form by Indra's vajra; he sends Rama to Sugriva.
- Swayamprabha: ascetic of the Rikshabila cave who feeds the search party.
- Mayavi: the rakshasa whose cave fight began the Vali-Sugriva quarrel. Dundubhi: the buffalo-demon whose carcass Rama kicked away.
- Kanchanamala: Vali's golden garland from Indra; the dying Vali gives it to Sugriva with the care of Angada.
- Trijata: rakshasi in the Ashoka vana whose dream foretells Ravana's fall.
- Sushena: vanara physician, Tara's father, who revives Lakshmana.
- Dadhimukha: Sugriva's maternal uncle, guard of Madhuvana.
- Suyajna receives Rama's ornaments; Bhadra reports the gossip about Sita; Matali is Indra's charioteer.
Rakshasa side.
- Tataka, wife of Sunda, and her son Maricha were turned into rakshasas by Agastya's curse.
- Kubera first ruled Lanka and owned the Pushpaka; Ravana drove him out.
- Prahasta was Ravana's commander-in-chief; his son Jambumali fell to Hanuman. Shuka and Sarana were Ravana's spies.
- Malyavan, brother of Sumali (Ravana's maternal grandfather), advised Ravana to return Sita.
- Vidyujjihva (1): Shurpanakha's husband, killed by Ravana himself. Vidyujjihva (2): the sorcerer who made the illusory head of Rama.
- Sarama, Vibhishana's wife, tells Sita the head is maya.
- Mandodari advised Ravana to return Sita (asked 2026: Ravana's wife, Mayasura's daughter).
- Khara and Dushana held Janasthana (asked 2023: "Rakshasa leaders in Janasthana").
Boons and curses by person.
- Kaikeyi: two boons from Dasharatha.
- Dasharatha: cursed by the blind parents of the boy he shot; he too would die grieving for a son.
- Ravana: Brahma's boon (safe from gods and others, not men); Chandrahasa from Shiva; named "Ravana" by Shiva after the Kailasa episode.
- Kumbhakarna: long sleep instead of Indra's seat. Vibhishana: a mind fixed on dharma.
- Hanuman: when Indra's vajra struck his jaw (hanu), the gods gave him boons; a curse made him forget his power until Jambavan reminded him.
- Indrajit: won his name by defeating Indra; his Nikumbhila yaga would make him unbeatable.
AP angle
- Telugu forms used in the Telugu paper: Dasharathudu, Sitamma, Lakshmanudu, Hanumanthudu, Vibhishanudu, Ravanudu. Know both forms of each name.
- Lepakshi (Sri Sathya Sai district): local tradition says Jatayu fell here and Rama said "Le pakshi" (rise, bird).
- Vontimitta (YSR Kadapa): local tradition says Jambavan installed the image of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana.
- Bhadrachalam (now Telangana) is named after Bhadra, on whose head (the hill) Rama is said to stand.
Common traps
- ✗ "Kushadhvaja was Janaka's son." ✓ He was Janaka's younger brother.
- ✗ "Mandavi and Shrutakirti were Janaka's daughters." ✓ Kushadhvaja's; Janaka's were Sita and Urmila.
- ✗ "Bharata was Sumitra's son." ✓ Kaikeyi's; Sumitra bore Lakshmana and Shatrughna.
- ✗ "Shanta was the wife of one of Dasharatha's sons." ✓ She was Dasharatha's daughter, wife of Rishyashringa.
- ✗ "Mandodari was Ravana's sister." ✓ His wife, daughter of Maya; his sister was Shurpanakha.
- ✗ "Ravana was the son of Pulastya." ✓ Son of Vishrava, grandson of Pulastya.
- ✗ "Kubera was a son of Kaikasi." ✓ He was Vishrava's son by another wife.
- ✗ "Jatayu was the elder brother." ✓ Sampati was elder.
- ✗ "Vali was the son of Surya." ✓ Vali was Indra's; Sugriva was Surya's.
- ✗ "Tara was Sugriva's wife." ✓ Vali's wife (Sushena's daughter); Sugriva's wife was Ruma.
- ✗ "Narantaka was killed by Hanuman." ✓ By Angada; Hanuman killed Devantaka.
- ✗ "Vainateya is Hanuman." ✓ Vainateya is Garuda; Saumitri is Lakshmana, Gadheya Vishwamitra.
Quick revision
- Kausalya–Rama, Kaikeyi–Bharata, Sumitra–Lakshmana and Shatrughna; Vasishtha named them.
- Rama Punarvasu, Bharata Pushyami, Lakshmana and Shatrughna Ashlesha.
- Sita, Urmila: Janaka's; Mandavi, Shrutakirti: Kushadhvaja's (Janaka's younger brother).
- Shanta (Romapada of Anga) married Rishyashringa, son of Vibhandaka.
- Kusha → Kushanabha → Gadhi → Vishwamitra; Satyavati became the Kaushiki.
- Pulastya → Vishrava + Kaikasi (Sumali's daughter) → Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, Shurpanakha; Kubera half-brother.
- Mandodari (Maya's daughter); Sarama (Vibhishana); Vajrajwala (Kumbhakarna); Malyavan, Sumali's brother.
- Portions: Brahma–Jambavan, Indra–Vali, Surya–Sugriva, Vayu–Hanuman, Vishwakarma–Nala, Agni–Nila, Ashvins–Mainda, Dvivida.
- Tara–Vali–Angada; Sushena Tara's father; Ruma–Sugriva; Sampati elder, Jatayu younger.
- Lakshmana: Atikaya, Indrajit; Nila: Prahasta; Angada: Narantaka; Sugriva: Kumbha.
Go deeper: Deeper (beyond what APPSC Paper I usually asks)
Deeper Advanced
- Why Lakshmana and Shatrughna are twins. Sumitra received two portions of the payasa.
- Sita's birth. Found in a furrow, so she is Ayonija and Bhumija; Janaka set his Shiva bow as her bride-price (Viryashulka).
- Shanta's parentage. Valmiki calls her Romapada's daughter; the course book and later retellings make her Dasharatha's daughter adopted by Romapada.
- Kin with the same name. Subahu: Tataka's son and Shatrughna's son. Angada: Vali's son and Lakshmana's son. Trishira: Khara's general and a son of Ravana. Tara: Vali's wife and a male vanara born of Brihaspati.
- Ravana's sons. Valmiki gives Atikaya, Devantaka, Narantaka and Trishira to another wife, Dhanyamalini; the course book's chart puts them under Mandodari.
- Trijata as Vibhishana's daughter is later tradition; Valmiki calls her an old rakshasi.
- The Vali question. Indra's garland protects Vali in Valmiki; that it gave him half his opponent's strength is a later idea.
- Leaping the ocean (course book). Gaja 10 yojanas, Gavaksha 20, Sharabha 30, Rishabha 40, Gandhamadana 50, Mainda 60, Dvivida 70, Sushena 80, Jambavan 90; Angada could reach 100 but doubted his return.
Practise this topic. Questions on Characters and relationships, with answers explained.
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