Difference Between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas – Ramayana vs Ramcharitmanas
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
The difference between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas is the time they were authored. The authors of both works were different too. However, Rama is the main protagonist in both. His life story and his lessons to the world are what they convey. Ramayana is an epic by sage Valmiki whereas the great poet Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas.
Difference Between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas PDF
One belonged to the Treta Yuga, and the other to Kali Yuga. According to the Gregorian calendar, Valmiki wrote Ramayana between 500 BCE and 100 BCE. Ramcharitmanas was written more recently in 1633. This article will highlight the difference between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas and their distinctive meanings in detail.
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Difference Between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas
An interesting difference between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas is that Ramcharitmanas introduced Laxman Rekha, which was never mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana. Though Ramcharitmanas is a story of Rama retold from the original Ramayana, Tulsidas takes several creative liberties.
Ramayana vs Ramcharitmanas
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Difference Between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas |
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Ramayana |
Ramcharitmanas |
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Ramayana is an original work depicting the life of Rama. There have been many versions of the story after that. |
Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas is one of the most popular reproductions of the Ramayana. |
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Ramayana is a set of 24,000 slokas. Valmiki wrote Ramayana in Sanskrit. |
Tulsidas wrote Ramcharitmanas as a set of poems. He wrote it in the local language, Awadhi. |
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The famous lore of the Lakshmana Rekha did not exist in the Valmiki Ramayana. |
Tulsidas introduced the Lakshmana Rekha, and it became a critical piece of the story. |
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In portraying the protagonist, Valmiki depicted Rama as a normal human being. |
It was Tulsidas who made Rama the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. |
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Valmiki’s Ramayana ends with Rama ending his life. |
Ramcharitmanas ends with the birth of Lav and Khush, the twins. |
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In Valmiki’s Ramayana, Hanuman is a human belonging to the Vanara tribe. |
Tulsidas, in Ramcharitmanas, portrays Hanuman as a monkey with divine powers. |
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Ramayana shows that King Dasaratha had 350 wives though the story focuses only on Kunti, Kaikeyi, and Sumithra. |
Ramcharitmanas show Dasaratha having only three wives. |
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Many beautiful renditions of Sita’s Swayamwar exist. However, the original Valmiki Ramayana does not mention it. According to Ramayana, King Janak showed the magical bow to his visitors. When Sage Viswamitra visited him, he suggested Ram try lifting it. He did and married Sita. |
Tulsidas describes an elaborate Sita Swayamwar in the Ramcharitmanas. |
Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas
Ramayana was composed in Sanskrit, whereas Ramcharitmanas was composed in the Awadhi dialect. Both consist of the folk stories of Lord Rama. The essential difference between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas is that the Yudh Kanda mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana was mentioned in the Ramcharitmans is called as the Lanka Kanda.
What is Valmiki Ramayana?
Valmiki Ramayana is the Sanskrit version of Ramayana written by Valmiki. It is known that this epic has been translated into 300 different languages. This book consists of 2400 shlokas which are divided into 7 Kandas.
- It was composed between 500 and 100 BC.
- Ramcharitmanas is a reproduction of Valmiki Ramayana.
The seven Kandas in Valmiki Ramayana are:
- Bala Kanda,
- Ayodhya Kanda,
- Aranya Kanda,
- Kishkindha Kanda,
- Sundara Kanda,
- Yuddha Kanda, and
- Uttara Kanda
What is Ramcharitmanas?
Ramcharitmanas is a collection of shloka written in praise of Lord Rama. The shlokas written in this are depicted as the narration to Goddess Parvati by Lord Shiva. Goswami Tulsidas wrote it in local dialect to make it understandable and accessible to the local people.
- Like Ramayana, Ramcharitmans is written into 7 Kandas. Ramcharitmanas had a more significant impact on how the modern world associates Rama and his story.
- There are several variations between the two stories. However, the plot of the story is similar in both works.
Conclusion:
Key Difference Between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas
The key Difference Between Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas is that Ramayana was composed by Sage Valmiki in the Sanskrit Language, whereas Ramcharitmanas was composed by Tulsidas in Awadhi Language.
