Rama sects?

[Riverwolf]

Can someone outline the sects that worship Rama? I'm starting to consider having him be my Ishtadeva, but I haven't decided yet.

[Kumar_Das]

In North India, the Vaishnavites worship both Rama and Krishna. In the past there used to be Ramaism as a sect on its own. But after the Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna was the main focus of worship as Swayam Bhagavan.

In South India they worship Vishnu as the original main deity among the Vaishnavas, if I'm not wrong.

[Ramakrishna]

Namaste Riverwolf,

You would likely be part of the Vaishnava denomination. There is a specific sect within the Vaishnava denomination that worships Lord Rama as the supreme deity known as Ramananda. The followers of Ramananda are known as Ramanandis or Ramavats. This website provides good information about that sect: http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encycloped...vot/ramav.html

Jai Sri Krishna

[Darji]

DANG! I just typed up a long, long post on this and I was automatically signed out and when I tried to post i lost it all! <cry>


Jay Siyaram RW
Short version of the lost post, read the Ramayana by Valmiki or the Ramacharitmanas by Tulsidas (viewed as a reincarnation of Valmiki by Ramanandi's) you can find it here at Gita press http://www.gitapress.org/Download_Eng_pdf.htm

This version was recommended to me by the Ramanandi parivar in England that I am know in contact with. To get started, the easiest way is to do japayoga to Lord Rama. I started chanting the Shri Rama and in one day I was was connected with the Ramanandi parivar. I am just starting with them so I can not give you any more info at this moment. Just get yourself a tulsi mala, chant your mantra to the Lord and start reading the Ramayana and you will find the path.

[Riverwolf]

Are there any free English versions of Adhyatma Ramayana?