| Aikṣvāka |
“descendant of Ikṣvāku,” patronymic used mainly of Daśaratha and Rāma |
| Anasūyā |
wife of the sage Atri, famous for her devotion and chastity |
| apsarases
|
celestial maidens or nymphs, known for their beauty |
| asuras
|
class of demons, the brothers of the gods |
| Aśvapati |
father of Kaikeyī and maternal grandfather of Bharata |
| Aśvins |
twin deities of the vedic pantheon renowned for their beauty |
| Ayodhyā |
capital city of the Ikṣvākus |
| Bhāgīrathī |
epithet of the Ganges |
| Bharadvāja |
sage who renders hospitality to Rāma and to Bharata |
| Bharata |
Daśaratha’s second son, by Kaikeyī |
| Brahmā |
creator divinity of the Hindu “trinity,” regarded as the “Grandfather” of all living creatures |
| Bṛhaspati |
family-priest of Indra |
| Citrakūṭa |
mountain where Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa live during their exile |
| dānavas
|
class of demons descended from Danu |
| Daṇḍaka |
forest where Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa spent the greater part of their exile |
| Daśaratha |
Rāma’s father and king of Ayodhyā |
| Dāśarathi |
“descendant of Daśaratha,” patronymic used of Daśaratha’s four sons, especially Rāma |
| gandharvas
|
class of semi-divine beings known for their musical abilities; gandharva women are noted for their beauty
|
| Ganges |
a famous and holy river |
| Guha |
king of the Niṣādas and lord of Śṛṅgaverapura; he was an ally of Rāma, and assisted him during his exile |
| Ikṣvāku |
family name of the royal house of Ayodhyā |
| Indra |
king of the gods |
| Jābāli |
a minister of King Daśaratha |
| Jāhnavī |
epithet of the Ganges |
| Janaka |
king of Mithilā and father of Sītā |
| Jānakī |
“daughter of Janaka,” patronymic used of Sītā |
| Kaikeyī |
younger wife of Daśaratha and mother of Bharata |
| Kailāsa |
mountain peak in the Himalayas |
| Kākutstha |
“descendant of Kakutstha,” patronymic used of princes of the Ikṣvāku dynasty, especially Rāma and his brothers |
| Kālindī |
epithet of the Yamunā |
| Kaśyapa |
son of Marīci and father of gods and demons |
| Kausalyā |
senior wife of Daśaratha and mother of Rāma |
| Kekaya |
name of the father of Kaikeyī, and of the country of her birth in northwest India |
| Khara |
a brother of Rāvaṇa |
| kinnaras
|
mythical creatures with the head of a horse and a human body; kinnara women are famed for their beauty
|
| Kosala |
kingdom of the Ikṣvākus |
| Kubera |
god of wealth. son of Viśravas and half-brother of Rāvaṇa |
| Lakṣmaṇa |
son of Daśaratha and Sumitrā, and Rāma’s constant companion |
| Maithilī |
woman of Mithilā, epithet of Sītā |
| Mandākinī |
river flowing near Mount Citrakūṭa in Rāma’s place of exile |
| Mantharā |
hunchbacked slave-woman of Kaikeyī |
| Manu |
traditionally considered the father of the human race; the legendary founder of the Ikṣvāku dynasty |
| Maruts |
companions of Indra |
| Mithilā |
Janaka’s capital city |
| Nandigrāma |
village where Bharata lived during Rāma’s exile |
| Nārāyaṇa |
epithet of Viṣṇu |
| Niṣādas |
forest-dwelling hunters and fishermen, ruled by Guha |
| Prajāpati |
“lord of creatures,” epithet of Brahmā |
| Rāghava |
“descendant of Raghu,” patronymic used especially of Rāma and his brothers |
| Raghu |
son of Kakutstha and ancestor of Rāma; also used like “Rāghava” |
| Rājagṛha |
capital city of the Kekayas |
| rākṣasa |
class of violent and bloodthirsty demons, ruled by Rāvaṇa |
| Rāma |
eldest son of Daśaratha and Kausalyā, and hero of the Rāmāyaṇa |
| Rāvaṇa |
main antagonist of the Rāmāyaṇa, the ten-headed overlord of the rākṣasas
|
| Śacī’s lord |
epithet of Indra, Sacī being Indra’s wife |
| Sagara |
an Ikṣvāku king, ancestor of Rāma |
| Śakra |
epithet of Indra |
| Sarayū |
river flowing on the outskirts of Ayodhyā |
| Śatrughna |
son of Daśaratha and Sumitrā, and Bharata’s constant companion |
| Saumitri |
“son of Sumitrā;” metronymic used of Lakṣmaṇa |
| Sītā |
daughter of Janaka, wife of Rāma, and heroine of the Rāmāyaṇa |
| Śrī |
goddess of royalty and consort of Viṣṇu |
| Śṛṅgaverapura |
town on the Ganges, ruled by the Niṣāda king, Guha |
| Sumantra |
charioteer and adviser to King Daśaratha |
| Sumitrā |
youngest wife of Daśaratha and mother of Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna |
| Suparṇa |
epithet of Garuḍa, Viṣṇu’s mount |
| Tamasā |
river near the Ganges |
| Vaidehī |
“woman of Videha,” epithet of Sītā |
| Vaiśravaṇa |
“son of Viśravas,” patronymic used of Kubera |
| Vaivasvata |
“son of Vivasvān,” patronymic used of Yama |
| Vāmadeva |
a minister of King Daśaratha |
| Varuṇa |
lord of the ocean |
| Vāsava |
epithet of Indra |
| Vasiṣṭha |
Daśaratha’s family preceptor |
| Videha |
country of Sītā’s birth |
| Viṣṇu |
one of the three main gods of the Hindu “trinity,” along with Brahmā and Śiva |
| Yama |
god of death |
| Yamunā |
a famous and holy river |
| Yudhājit |
son of the king of the Kekayas, brother of Kaikeyī and maternal uncle of Bharata |
