10 July 2015 - QA 2

Did Lord Ram and Devi Sita really exist?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, I know that they did exist. It was seven and a half thousand years ago. Recently, scientists through some of their research have confirmed that it (Ramayana) really did happen.

You know, any story which is a lie cannot stay for a very long time. At one point of time, the entire world was very influenced by Ramayana. Not just in India, but in the entire Far East including Japan, South America, North America and in Europe there are places named after Rama. If you do a research, you will know that this was not just fiction but a happening long time ago.
This is why it is called itihasa (history). There are two things in the Vedic literature. One is Puranas, which is a story (fiction), and the other is itihasa (history). Iti means so and hasa means a happening. So, both the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharatha are itihasa.