USA Hindu Religious Story: "Rama and the Demon King"

This children's book is a retelling of the classic Hindu epic, the "Ramayana."

Rama is a popular god in Hinduism. He is the seventh avatar, or physical form, of the god Vishnu, the God of Preservation. Rama is usually shown as a king carrying a bow and arrow.

Rama's story is told in many books. A complete version of the story appears in the epic the Ramayana. The Ramayana tells the story of the kidnapping of Rama's wife Sita. by the 10-headed demon Ravana. Ravana is shown on the cover of this book. A popular deity, Hanuman the Monkey King, slays many demons to help free Sita and return her to her husband and kingdom.

Hinduism is the oldest living religion, about 4,000 – 5,000 years old. Hindu people believe that Brahman is the creator, preserver and transformer of existence. Gods that are part of Brahman include Vishnu, the preserver god, and Shiva, the god of destruction. Hinduism came from India. No one person founded the religion. There are many Hindu holy books. Hindus honor their deities through worship. Hindus tell stories of the ways that the gods interact with each other and with humans. Hindus believe in rebirth after death (reincarnation); their goal is to escape the movement of the soul into another body and to become one with Brahman.
Source:
MLA: "Rama."World Book Online InfoFinder. World Book, 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013.