Rama (Rāma), the hero of Ramayana, is described in the Jain scriptures as one of sixty-three illustrious persons, known as Salakapurusa.
While living in exile his wife Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, King of Lanka.
Rama becomes a Jain muni and his soul attains moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death).
He had four princes: Padma (Rama), Narayana (Lakshmana), Bharata and Shatrughna.
Rama had around eight thousand wives among whom Sita was the principal consort (whereas in the Valmiki Ramayana, Sita was Rama's only wife), and Lakshmana had around sixteen thousand wives in which Prithvisundari was his principal consort (in the Hindu epic, he had only one wife, Urmila).
Vimalsuri's version is one of the most important and influential Jain stories of Rama.
In his version, Kaikeyi is shown to be a generous and affectionate mother who wanted to stop Bharata from becoming a monk.
[9] Ravana was also called Dasamukha (ten-headed one) because when he was young, his mother gave him a necklace made of nine pearls.
The story of Rama in Jainism is found in Ravisena's Padmapurana[13] (Lorebook of the Lotus) is termed as one of the most artistic Jain Ramayana by Dundas.
[14] He belonged to the Digambara sect of Jainism and hence removes almost every Svetambara elements that was present in the tale.
[15] This narration ends when Bhamandala, after knowing that Sita is his sister, turns into a Jain ascetic.
Rama was from Kaushalya, Lakshmana from Sumitra, Bharata and Satrughna from Kaikeyi.
[17] The minister who was responsible for this took her in a pearl-box, placed her near a plough and told Janaka of Mithila that the girl is born from the trench.
[18] Surpanakha complained about this to her brothers Khara and Dusana who were killed by Rama on their quest for revenge.
[19] In Harisena's Kathakosa, there is an incident where Rama asks Sita to give the famous Agnipariksha.