Was Ram Really Historical? | 2,000 Years of Evidence Before Valmiki Ramayana

In this video, we follow the earliest surviving written traditions and historical references connected with Ram, starting with the Dasaratha Jātaka preserved in Sri Lanka and moving through Buddhist texts, Chinese Buddhist literature, the Newar tradition, Al-Biruni, Ramcharitmanas, and the Valmiki Ramayana tradition. We look at some fascinating questions: • What does the Dasaratha Jātaka actually say about Ram, Sita and Lakshman? • Why is there no Ravana in the Dasaratha Jātaka? • Why is Ram portrayed as a Bodhisattva and non-violent character in the earliest Buddhist tradition? • What is the 5th-century Chinese Story of King Dasaratha?