Is the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata true story or an epic?

These are true stories consciously or consciously mixed with mythological stuff during many years.

There are evidences given in these stories itself regarding precise position of stars and constellations during that period which helped in the prediction of time of the wars and proved that these are true stories.

the stories are epic but are based on true stories and are slightly modified

Like in the case of Ramayana there was a prince who fought with the king of lanka (shri lanka now) to win his wife back and in the case of Mahabharata there were two sets of armies who faught for kurukshetra info confirms that

They are pure imagination and mythology.

Any true event has a record of subsequent history whereas to Ramayan and Mahabharath, there is an abrupt end. There is no subsequent heir to the dynasties, with any proven track record. All the personalities disappear all of a sudden, without their whereabouts and traces.

The time mentioned does not match with any recorded event. The places mentioned in those stories were named after and located recently. We have record of such places to the fact that either they did not exist or were only forests and hills at the time the stories supposed to have happened.

Take other religions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, they have full records from prior to the inception of their respective religions till today, giving the complete details of heirs and followers.

However, as stories, the Ramayan and Mahabharath were so interesting and popular that later people started admiring, adoring and worshipping the characters involved. This could be seen even from today's heroes of films who are worshipped as gods.

It is all upto you. It does not matter if they really existed or not. We emulate the ideals with which Rama lived. We learn from what Krishna taught us in Bhagavad gita. The application of those teachings are worth emulating and adopting even in todays modern life. Truth is eternal. If you want people to be good to you, first you should live like Rama who respected every one even those whom the community labelled as the lowest of the low. We should strive to live as Krishna taught us to fight against injustice and establish righteousness - even if we die in fighting for the cause. The evidence is that these principles apply even today. Just by devotion to God, if a person becomes noble, Religion has done its job.

I think it is a mixture of history and story.The writers give importance to the message not to the facts.

One may think Sankaracharya is a myth. He did Parakaya pravesha( Use other body as ones own)

He levitated.

This may be happened in the case of Krishna and Rama

If we start calling superman and batman as Ithihasa ( means history ) now, in future a religion will be created with those 1800 paged divine history books.

Hihihi

Undoubtedly they had original true basic stories. But there may exaggerations,additions and deletions due to time.

Many parts have been proved... so I dont know what to say, but I think its true...

Especially Mahabharat- there are no extraordinary miracles that might make you think its made up....

you can accept it which ever way you want. What is important s the teachings contained in them.

may be