Bhagawan Vishnu had incarnated on earth in the form of a human prince as the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kousalya. He walked as a human suppressing his divinity for the purpose of his mission. However, he was not any ordinary man, he enacted himself as a human. 

Hindus worship lord Rama NOT because of showcasing of any miracles or display of superheroic deeds. Although he is Supreme Being, yet Rama attracts everyone not by blowing his supremacy trumpet, rather he absorbs the minds of even great sages by his – principles, words and deeds!

Lord Shri Rama: The Great Teacher

Rama’s one footstep is ‘dharma’ and another footstep is ‘satyam’. He is venerable because he led everyone by example, he walked the talk, he displayed his teachings by verily performing them himself.

1. ‘ekapatnīvrata dharma’- The secret key to a happy householder life: He taught us that being devoted to one wife is the most satisfying key to peace and happiness. It was not wrong for Kings to have multiple wives, and in fact his own father viz. Dasharatha was wedded to multiple wives. Usually in any family, we would tend to see ‘like father like son’ cases. So, it wouldn’t have been unnatural or wrong if Rama had a dozen wives, after all he was an emperor. But he chose to stick to one wife. Action speaks louder than words. Without giving a lecture on ‘ekapatnīvrata dharma‘ he showed that path by practicing that himself. Typically, the humans have a great ability to dismiss any difficult task saying, “He was God so he could do, I’m a human, how can you expect me to do what God does?”. Lord Vishnu came in the form of a human and practicing one-wife-principle, he showed that if he could do so, even we should be able to do the same!
2. ‘indriya nigraha’ – The key to prosperity and welfare: The demoness Shurpanakha was capable of assuming any form at will. She approached Rama assuming the most enchanting form. In today’s world even the most disciplined soldiers who are hardened by rigorous practices to face any threat are falling prey of ‘honey traps’ and instead of upholding their nation’s welfare they end up revealing national defense secrets to enemy countries by becoming slaves of lust. Winning over senses is an excellent attribute and one who keeps his senses under control, can never face defeat in life. If lust was the most desirable attribute, Rama could have chosen Shurpanakha because she had the capability of assuming forms at will. She could have pleased Rama everyday by assuming different faces of different women. But Rama chose to not let his mind slip and that’s why he is the role model of Hindus. Contrastingly, we have Ravana who was also fo excellent ascetic merit, had extra ordinary sense control until he achieved his desired boons. After possessing the powers, he let his senses loose in such a way that they went out of control. He lived a lavish life abducting women from various abodes and fulfilled his sensual gratification. The one whose senses remain in control rises to an eternal stardom whereas one who succumbs to desires, falls into a trench of eternal infamy. If all men were like Rama and all women were like Sita, our national secrets would never get breached, no crimes would get committed, people could move freely even at nights and many more benefits we could have achieved. Let us learn discipline and winning over senses from Rama. 
3. ‘bhūtadaya’ – the compassion for all creatures: He had done the funeral rites of Jatayu the eagle, as like as one does rites to one’s own deceased father. What a great act of compassion it was! In this era where we humans sell cows to slaughter houses as soon as she no more yields milk or no more bears calves, to such people what better lesson of ‘compassion’ would be than the episode of doing funeral rites of Jatayu?
4. There is no shortcuts to righteousness: He could have befriended Vali and Vali would have achieved Rama’s task faster and sooner through shortcuts. But Rama knew there is no shortcuts to righteousness. Following the route of ‘adharma’ for gains is not the path approved by the wise. He chose Sugriva as his friend and followed the lengthy route of accomplishing his goals, because that path was filled with righteousness. In our lives too we encounter several Vali-s and Sugriva-s, but unfortunately most of the times our mind selects Vali-s for getting quicker results than Sugriva-s. In such testing cases, if we can remind ourselves of the ways of Rama, we can be righteous and that would lead us to eternal fame. Though many a times righteous paths may lead to temporary failures, but in the spiritual journey they would always lift us higher towards our supreme goal.
5. Behavior towards elders: He met several sages and listened to their words as a disciple. That levels of humility are amazingly beautiful to note. In today’s times, children do not respect elders, they don’t even listen to their parents. How should one behave in the company of elders is what one can learn from the deportment of Rama.
6. Display of large-heartedness: He gave shelter to even enemy camp’s prominent member Vibheeshana when he sought his refuge. Such levels of magnanimity can only come if one’s heart is totally cleansed. We hold grudges that not only last a  lifetime, but also we leave our trail in the family and our descendants also carry the grudges of the ancestors forward even in their lives. Such a waste of human life! We can learn how to have a large heart from Rama and also try to be like him. At least, we can attempt!
7. Forgiveness is the ornament of the powerful: When Ravana was dead, Rama said to Vibheeshana, “maraṇāntāni vairāṇi nirvṛttaṃ naḥ prayojanam. kriyatāmasya saṃskāro mamāpyeṣa yathā tava.”, meaning, “Hostilities end with death, I don’t have any enmity with Ravana now. He is as mine as he is yours, so go ahead and prepare for his grand funeral”. This level of sanity of the heart cannot be seen in today’s world. Today even if our enemy dies, we extend our enmity to his family members and to the upcoming generations too. And the fire of grudge keeps perpetually burning. What would one achieve with long term enmity? Everyone has to go alone out of this world. The easier we forget and forgive the happier the lives would be. For that we need to develop Rama kind of purity of heart.
   

So, Rama behaving as a normal human teaches us that if he could do, we also should be able to do. By imitating the footsteps of the great souls we can reach great heights. May Sita Rama be our guide in the path of Dharma!

~ “mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ“! ~