Both the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas are based on the life of Lord Ram. But there is a difference between the authors and the time of writing both the epics. While Ramayana was written by Sage Valmiki in Treta Yuga, Ramcharitmanas was written by Tulsidas in Kaliyuga.
Ramayana:
Ramayana was written by Sage Valmiki, who was a contemporary of Lord Rama. It was written in the Sanskrit Language in the Treta Yuga. Ramayana is composed of seven chapters – Balakandam, Ayodhyakandam, Aranyakandam, Kishkinda kandam, Sundara kandam, Yuddha kandam and Uttara kandam.
Slokas format was used to write Ramayana.
As per Ramayana, King Dasaratha had 350 wives, out of which the 3 main wives were Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi.
Lord Hanuman was a Human who belonged to the Vanara Tribe.
King Janaka did not organise any Swayamavara for Sita. When Rama visited Janaka along with Sage Vishwamitra, Rama was shown the Bow of Shiva, which was effortlessly lifted by Lord Rama. Hence Goddess Sita was married to Lord Rama.
As per Valmiki’s Ramayana, the real Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, and then Sita was asked to prove her purity to the world by Agni Pariksha.
Ravana faced Rama twice on the battlefield. In the first battle, Ravana was badly defeated on the battlefield, but he was allowed to retreat by Rama. In the second battle, Rama once again defeated Ravana and killed him on the battlefield.
Rama was depicted as a human with exceptional conduct and virtues. Hence Rama was called Maryada Purshottam.
In Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rama drowned his mortal body in the River Sarayu after the loss of his wife Goddess Sita who had vanished into mother Earth and the drowning of his brother Lakshmana in the River Sarayu.
Picture courtesy: Indian Express
Ramcharitmanas:
Ramcharitmanas was written by Tulsidas in Awadhi Language. It was written Kaliyuga.
It is composed of seven chapters with just one difference that Tulsidas changed Yuddha kandam to Lanka Kand. Chaupais format was used to write Ramcharitmanas.
As per Ramcharitmanas, King Dasaratha had only 3 wives. Lord Hanuman is depicted as a Monkey.
King Janaka had organized a Swayamvar for the marriage of Sita. To win the hand of Sita, Rama had to break the bow of Lord Shiva. No other kings were able to even lift the bow, Lord Rama not only lifted the Bow of Lord Shiva effortlessly but also broke it by pulling the strings. Thus Lord Rama was married to Goddess Sita.
As per Tulsidas Ramayana, Ravana did not kidnap real Sita, rather the person kidnapped by Ravana was a clone of real Sita. On the contrary, the real Sita was handed over to Lord Agni by Lord Rama before the kidnapping took place. Thus, Agniparksha was simply an act to exchange real Sita with the Clone of Sita.
Ravana fought with Rama only once on the battlefield, it was at the end of the War. Ravana was killed by Rama in the only battle that took place between the two of them
In Ramcharitmanas, Rama was depicted as an avatar or an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The actions of Rama were described as the right way to establish Dharma in the world by removing evil.
In Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas does not mention anything about the death of Lakshmana or the disappearance of Sita. Ramayana ends with the birth of Lava and Kush, the twin sons of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita.
Picture courtesy: Divine Rudraksha