Ramjanam Bhumi-Ayodhya : Past To Present(Hardbound, Dr. Amit Rai Jain)
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Ayodhya was the capital of the Kosala kingdom according to the Ramayana. It was also known as "Kosala". The Adi Purana has mentioned that Ayodhya is famous as su-ko?ala "because of its prosperity and good skill". "Ayodhya" literally means a recurrently shaped source of the Sanskrit verb yudh, "to fight, to wage a battle". "Yodhya' is the future passive participle, meaning "to be fought"; the initial 'a' is the negative prefix; therefore, the whole meaning comes out to be "not to be fought" or, more idiomatically in English, "invincible". The Atharvaveda also attests to this meaning 'unconquerable city of gods'. Adi Purana, the 9th century Jain poem also mentions that Ayodhya "does not exist by name alone but by the merit" of being unconquerable by opponents or enemies. Satyopakhyana interprets the word slightly differently, stating that it means "that which cannot be conquered by sins" (instead of enemies).Ayodhya has a special place in the hearts of many Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ram was born there and it's the setting for "The Ramayana," the great epic that tells the story of Ram's inspiring life. Ram is worshiped as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe. In addition, the Garuda Purana (a Hindu scripture) lists Ayodhya as one of the sapta puri (seven holiest cities) that can provide moksha (liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth). It's also the place where five of Jainism's tirthankars (religious teachers) were born. This makes the town an important pilgrimage destination.