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Ramayana 

Ramcharitmanas

Written by

Ramayana was written by Sage Valmiki, a contemporary of Lord Rama. 

Ramcharitmanas was written by Indian Bhakti Poet Tulsidas, a contemporary of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

Language

Ramayana is written in Sanskrit Language

Ramcharitmanas is written in Awadhi Language.

Yuga

Ramayana was written in Treta-Yuga.

Ramcharitmanas was written in Kali-Yuga.

Chapters

It is composed of 7 seven chapters → Balakandam, Ayodhya Kandam, Aranyakandam, Kishkinda Kandam, Sundara Kandam, Yuddha Kandam, Uttara Kandam.

It is also composed of seven chapters → Balakandam, Ayodhya Kandam, Aranyakandam, Kishkinda Kandam, Sundara Kandam, Lanka Kand, Uttara Kandam.

Format Used

Ramayana was written in ‘Shlokas’ format.

Ramcharitmanas was written in ‘Chaupais’ format.

Views on King Dasaratha

According to Ramayana, King Dasaratha had 350 wives, including three most important ones → Kaikeyi, Kausalya and Sumitra.

According to Ramcharitmanas, he had only three wives → Kaikeyi, Kausalya and Sumitra.

Views on Lord Hanuman

According to Ramayana, Hanuman was a human who was part of the Vanara tribe.

According to Ramcharitmanas, he was not a human but was a monkey.

Views on King Janak

According to Ramayana, there was no Swayamavara organized by King Janak for Sita. But when Sage Vishwamitra took Lord Rama to Janaka’s palace, Rama had easily lifted the bow of Shiva. Thats why, he was married to Goddess Sita.

According to Ramcharitmanas, a Swayamavara was organized by King Janaka for Goddess Sita, wherein, Lord Rama had to break the bow of Shiva to win Sita’s hand. While no other person was able to even lift the bow, Lord Rama successfully lifted it & also broke its strings. Thats why, he was married to Goddess Sita.

Views on Goddess Sita

According to Ramayana, the original Goddess Sita was kidnapped by Ravana.

According to Ramcharitmanas, Ravana was not able to kidnap the original Lord Sita, but the one Ravana kidnapped was a clone of Lord Sita. As the original incarnation of her was handed over to Lord Agni by Lord Ram even before the kidnapping incident took place.

Views on the ‘Purity’ Test

According to Ramayana, Lord Rama had asked Goddess Sita to prove her purity through the ‘Agni Pariksha’.

According to Ramcharitmanas, the act of ‘Agni Pariksha’ was simply done to exchange the real Goddess Sita with the clone of Sita who was kidnapped by Ravana.

Views on the battle between Lord Rama and Ravana

According to Ramayana, Lord Rama had to face Ravana twice in the battlefield. In the initial battle, Ravana badly lost, but was given a second chance by Lord Rama. But in the second battle too, Lord Rama badly defeated Ravana and finally killed him.

According to Ramacharitmanas, there was only one battle between Lord Rama and Ravana. In this battle, Lord Rama badly defeated Ravana and finally killed him.

Views on Lord Rama

According to Ramayana, Lord Rama was portrayed as a human who had exceptional virtue, memory & intelligence and hence he was given the title ‘Maryada Purshottam’.

According to Ramcharitmanas, Lord Rama was portrayed as an incarnation or an ‘Avataar’ of Lord Vishnu. Thus, his actions were justified as the correct way to re-establish the values of Dharma in the entire world through his win over the ‘Evil’ Ravana.

Views on Sita/Lakshamana’s death

According to Ramayana, when Goddess Sita went into the Earth and when Lakshamana went into River Sarayu, Lord Rama himself had put his mortal remains into River Sarayu.

According to Ramcharitmanas, there is no information on either the death of Lakshamana or the vanishing of Goddess Sita. This book has its ending with the birth of Luv and Khush, who are said to be the twin sons of Goddess Sita and Lord Rama.