Why Do We Celebrate Ram Navami?
The birth day of Lord Shri Ram, popularly known as Ram Navami, is celebrated on the auspicious Navami(Ninth Day) of Shukla paksha of Chaitra month as per the Hindu calendar.
Today on the occasion of Ram Navami, let's pray together to get the blessings of the Lord Shri Ram.
But, Before I narrate the story behind celebrating Ram Navami, let me start with a prayer of Shri Lord Rama.
श्री राम वंदना श्लोक
लोकाभिरामं रणरंगधीरं राजीवनेत्रं रघुवंशनाथम्।
कारुण्यरूपं करुणाकरं तं श्रीरामचन्द्रं शरणं प्रपद्ये।।Shri Ram Vandana Shlok
Lokaabhi Ramam rana rangdheeram
Rajeev netram Raghuvansh naatham
Kaarunya roopam karunaa karantam
Shri Ram Chandram Sharanam prapadye II
Meaning of the Shloka
Lokaabhi Ramam — Most beautiful among all the human beings
rana rangdheeram — Who is calm in every moment of life
Rajeev netram — Who has lotus like eyes
Raghuvansh naatham — Lord of the Raghuvansh Dynasty
Kaarunya roopam — Who is kind and able to forgive
karunaa karantam — Abundant with kindness and forgiveness
Shri Ram Chandram Sharanam prapadye — I bow down to you, Lord Shri Ram, please take me into your shelter.
Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva
Once Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva, O! Lord, who is Lord Rama? Lord Shiva answered with a smile; Lord Rama is the seventh birth of Lord Vishnu.
On this earth, we pray to Lord Rama as a law obedient and a Lord who plays by the rules.
Goddess Parvati asked shockingly why Lord Vishnu had to take birth on the earth as a human being?
In answer to Goddess Parvati's questions, Lord Shiva explained the five reasons behind the birth of Lord Shri Rama.
First reason
Lord Vishnu's guards had to take birth as devils because of Sanat Kumar's curse. For their emancipation, Lord Vishnu took birth as Lord Rama.
Second Reason
Because of Jalandhara's wife Vrunda's curse, Lord Vishnu had to take birth as a human being.
Third Reason
Once Lord Vishnu laughed at Narad as Narad looked like a monkey. Narad got angry with Lord Vishnu & cursed him to take birth as a human being on earth. Because of Narad's curse, Lord Vishnu took birth as Lord Rama.
Fourth Reason
Lord Vishnu blessed Manu & Satrupa that he would take birth as their son once on this earth.
Fifth Reason
Saint's curse on King Pratabh Bhan, Ari Mardan, and Dharm Ruchi. Later, they took birth as Ravan, Kumbhkarna & Vibhisana.
Brahma blessed Ravan, Kumbhkarna & Vibhisana.
Once all the three brothers, Ravan, Kumbhkarna & Vibhisana, performed austerity to please Lord Brahma.
After several years of austerity, Lord Brahma appeared before all the three brothers to shower his blessings.
Three brothers asked blessings not to get killed by anybody except Humans or Monkeys.
Lord Brahma showered those blessings on all the three brothers and disappeared.
Tulsidas wrote in his book about Ravan's tortures and unethical rulings of his kingdom.
Because of devils' progression and tortures, Lord Shri Ram took birth to kill devils. Lord Rama came to protect all the Lords from devils and laid the foundation for safeguarding the virtues of Vedas.
Birth of Lord Shri Ram
King Dashrath was from the Suryavanshi(Sun dynasty) & famous emperor from Ayodhya.
The emperor won many battles from all corners, and his rulings were ethical and honest.
King Dashrath had three wives called, Kaushalya, Kaikai & Sumitra.
Even after many years of marriage, King Dashrath didn't have a child. Thoughts of his kingdom and his successor made him worried about the future of Ayodhya.
Dashrath called on his family Guru Vashisth and told him about his worry.
Guru Vashisth suggested doing "Putra Kamesthi Yajna" for getting blessed to have a son. Guru Vashisth also recommended performing "Putra Kamesthi Yajna" in observation under Guru Shringi.
On Dashrath's proposal, Guru Shringi agreed to perform "Putra Kameshti Yajna" on an auspicious day.
On an auspicious day, Guru Shringi accomplished "Putra Kameshthi Yajna", and Emperor Dashrath's three wives got pregnant.
Queen Kaushalya gave birth to Lord Rama, Kaikai gave birth to Bharat, and Sumitra gave birth to Laxman & Shatrughna.
On an auspicious ninth day of Shukla Paksha in Chaitra month, Lord Rama took birth to bless us all.
We celebrate Ram Navami and perform fast on this auspicious day.