Sri Ram Navami

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna incarnated Himself as Sri Rama in the month of Chaitra (Mar-Apr), on the ninth day of the growing moon (Chaitra Masa Shukla Paksha Navami Tithi). The Supreme Lord appeared as the son of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya. Dasharatha was a king in the dynasty of Maharaja Ikshvaku (also known as Raghu vamsha). He had three wives: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra, but had no children. On the advice of Maharishi Vashishtha, the king performed Putra Kameshti Yajna and as a result the three wives conceived sons. Kaushalya gave birth to Rama and Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharata. Sumitra gave birth to the twins: Lakshmana and Shatrugna. The life and activities of Rama are explained in detail by the great sage Valmiki in the book Ramayana. A summarized version of the Ramayana as narrated by Shukadeva Goswami to Parikshit Maharaja is included in the ninth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana).