Sage Viśvāmitra indicated that Lord Rāma is the Supreme Brahman Himself.

The sage thought as follows, “By dint of worshipping many spiritual masters, through the power of yoga I have directly realized in trance the nature of spiritual and material reality. You are merely a follower of karma-kāṇḍa. I am an ascetic, whereas you are overcome by anger. I have attained a sāttvika nature while you are of rājasika nature. As a person whose only wealth is asceticism, I am like a child under the protection of Rāma.¹ [1] On the other hand, you consider Rāma a child in need of your protection. I am aware of the steps involved in spiritual progress, whereas you are merely aware of the steps involved in material progress. I perform sacrifices with the desire for liberation while you perform sacrifices with the desire for sons. I am interested in dharma and mokṣa, while you are interested in artha and kāma.” With all this in mind, Viśvāmitra said, “I am aware that Rāma is the Supreme Soul.”²

But authorities have stated that even the Veda is not fully aware of the glory of the Supreme Person and that He is very far away even from the reach of Brahmā, Śiva and the four Kumāras.[2] Then how can Viśvāmitra know Lord Rāma’s glory? Mahātmānam (“Supreme Soul”) indicates the answer to this question. The sage knows that Lord Rāma’s glory is indeed infinite.

The Veda teaches us—vedāham etaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntam: “I know this great person, the Supreme Lord.” In this Vedic statement, etam indicates that the Supreme Lord is easily accessible to all and puruṣam indicates that He is powerful. Viśvāmitra indicates these two features of the Lord by stating rāmaṁ satya-parākramam. Indeed, these two features of the Lord—His supremacy and His easy accessibility—are unique to Him just as the special cāmara fans and umbrella of a king signify his royalty. In accordance with the saying, “The age of powerful personages is not taken into consideration,” even in His boyhood, Lord Rāma is filled with unbounded glorious power.[3]

Mahātmānam, literally “the great soul,” indicates that Lord Rāma is the ātmā of the jīvātmās, for the Śruti describes Him as the ātmā of the ātmās thus:

ya ātmani tiṣṭhann ātmano ’ntaro yam ātmā na veda yasyātmā śarīraṁ ya ātmānam antaro yamayati sa ta ātmāntaryāmy amṛtaḥ.

“He who dwells in the ātmā and with the ātmā, whom the ātmā does not know, whose body the ātmā is and who rules it from within, is (its) ātmā, (its) inner ruler, the immortal.” (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.7.22)

This is similar to the scriptural description of the Lord as the true entity among true entities.[4]

Ātmā can also mean “body” as noted in the Amara-kośa.[5] Thus, mahātmānam indicates that Lord Rāma has a nonmaterial auspicious body, for the Smṛti describes that His form is non-material.[6] Mahātmānam can also indicate that Śrī Rāma possesses a great nature, for He will state: abhayaṁ sarva-bhūtebhyo dadāmy etad vrataṁ mama, “It is my vow that I provide protection from all creatures.” (6.18.33) Rāmaṁ mahātmānam also indicates that He is endowed with a great nature on account of His descent to this world.[7]

Satya-parākramam indicates that His prowess is of a singular kind.³ Rāmāyaṇa 2.2.37 states nāvijitya nivartate: “[Having gone to a place for conquest], He would never return without having conquered it.” Satya-parākramam can also indicate that His prowess is spiritual. Even when He doesn’t endeavor to attack His enemies, they are afraid of Him.

Viśvāmitra is not speaking all this just to get his purpose accomplished. Vasiṣṭha, the guru of Daśaratha’s dynasty, is most reliable. He was a former opponent of Viśvāmitra. Even he knows the true glory of Lord Rāma. As the dear son of Brahmā, Vasiṣṭha is filled with great prowess and realized knowledge perfected through yogic meditation. As it will become clear later on, it is Vasiṣṭha who had certified that Viśvāmitra had become a brahmarṣi. He has certainly taught Daśaratha by his personal example, to uphold truthfulness and obey Vedic dharma on the basis of scripture.[8]

Even if Daśaratha were to consider that Śrī Vasisṭha might be partial to him, he should consider the understanding of other austere sages who have no relationship whatsoever with the royalty. They know the mystery of the Supreme Lord’s incarnation from the scriptures—tasya dhīrāḥ parijānanti yonim: “His birth in this world is fully understood by sober authorities.” These are famous ācāryas such as Pulastya and Agastya. Personalities such as Vāmadeva and Agastya live for more than a kalpa. They were dear associates of Daśaratha. Only those who are exclusively surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Nārāyaṇa, situated in austerity while being indifferent to their bodily needs and tolerating their bodily miseries, comprehend Him. Daśaratha could individually and privately inquire from each of them, take their permission and then hand over Śrī Rāmacandra to Viśvāmitra. Tapasi sthitāḥ also indicates that such sages were situated in the culture of spiritual knowledge and full-fledged surrender unto the Supreme Lord.[9]

NOTE. Unless one is free from material attachment, fear and anger, unless one is absorbed in the thought of the Supreme Lord in full-fledged surrender unto Him, one cannot attain knowledge of Him by which one can attain transcendental love for Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead states this clearly in Bhagavad-gītā 4.10:

vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ
bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ

“Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.”