Was Shri Rama revered as the incarnation of Vishnu during Mahabharata period?

 

Ramayana was written much earlier to Mahabharata.

Shri Rama was mentioned in Mahabharata and Bhagavadgita, which is also a part of Mahabharata. He was referred to as the Greatest warrior by Shri Krishna.

In the 10th Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna said as follows:

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्। झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी।।10.31।।

"Among the purifiers (or the speeders) I am the wind; Rama among the warriors am I; among the fishes I am the shark; among the streams I am the Ganga."

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In the 272-289 Sections of Vana Parva of Mahabharata, the story of Shri Rama was narrated to Yuddhistara by Sage Markandeya.

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When Bhima meets his brother Shri Hanuman, the latter states that Vishnu took the human form of Shri Rama (viṣṇur mānuṣarūpeṇa) and moved in the forest alongwith his wife and brother.

28 atha dāśarathir vīro rāmo nāma mahābalaḥ
viṣṇur mānuṣarūpeṇa ca cāravasu dhām imām

29 sa pituḥ priyam anvicchan saha bhāryaḥ sahānujaḥ
sadhanur dhanvināṃ śreṣṭho daṇḍakāraṇyam āśritaḥ

And it came to pass that the mighty son of Dasaratha the heroic Rama, who is Vishnu's self in the shape of a human being, took his birth in this world. And in company with his queen and brother, taking his bow, that foremost of bowmen with the view of compassing his father's welfare, began to reside in the Dandaka forest.

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However, when Jayadratha, after getting humiliated by Pandavas, prays to Lord Shiva for a boon that he be able to defeat in battle all the five sons of Pandu on their chariots, Lord Shiva refuses stating that it is not possible. However, he gives Jayadratha a boon that except Arjuna, he shall be able to only check them (once) on the field of battle!

While stating so, he eulogises Shri Krishna and narrates the past incarnations of Vishnu, as follows:

VarAha

When the world was thus reduced to one vast sea of water, with only the heavens above, the Lord, like a fire-fly at night-time during the rainy season, moved about hither and thither in search of stable ground, with the view of rehabilitating his creation, and became desirous of raising the Earth submerged in water. What shape shall I take to rescue the Earth from this flood?--So thinking and contemplating with divine insight, he bethought himself of the shape of a wild boar fond of sporting in water. And assuming the shape of a sacrificial boar shining with effulgence and instinct with the Vedas and ten Yojanas in length, with pointed tusks and a complexion like dark clouds, and with a body huge as a mountain, and roaring like a conglomeration of clouds, the Lord plunged into the waters, and lifted up the Earth with one of his tusks, and replaced it in its proper sphere.

Nrisimha

At another time, the mighty Lord, assuming a wonderful form with a body half lion, half man, and squeezing his hands, repaired to the court of the ruler of the Daityas. That progenitor of the Daityas, the son of Diti, who was the enemy of the (gods), beholding the Lord's peculiar form, burst out into passion and his eyes became inflamed with rage. And Hiranya-Kasipu, the war-like son of Diti and the enemy of the gods, adorned with garlands and looking like a mass of dark clouds, taking up his trident in hand and roaring like the clouds, rushed on that being half lion, half man. Then that powerful king of wild beasts, half man, half lion, taking a leap in the air, instantly rent the Daitya in twain by means of his sharp claws.

vAmana

And the adorable lotus-eyed Lord of great effulgence, having thus slain the Daitya king for the well-being of all creatures, again took his birth in the womb of Aditi as son of Kasyapa. And at the expiration of a thousand years she was delivered of that superhuman conception. And then was born that Being, of the hue of rain-charged clouds with bright eyes and of dwarfish stature.

He had the ascetic's staff and water-pot in hand, and was marked with the emblem of a curl of hair on the breast. And that adorable Being wore matted locks and the sacrificial thread, and he was stout and handsome and resplendent with lustre. And that Being, arriving at the sacrificial enclosure of Vali, king of the Danavas, entered the sacrificial assembly with the aid of Vrihaspati. And beholding that dwarf-bodied Being, Vali was well-pleased and said unto him, 'I am glad to see thee, O Brahmana! Say what is it that thou wantest from me!'

Thus addressed by Vali, the dwarf-god replied with a smile, saying, 'So be it! Do thou, lord of the Danavas, give me three paces of ground!' And Vali contented to give what that Brahmana of infinite power had asked. And while measuring with his paces the space he sought. Hari assumed a wonderful and extraordinary form. And with only three paces he instantly covered this illimitable world. And then that everlasting God, Vishnu, gave it away unto Indra. This history which has just been related to thee, is celebrated as the 'Incarnation of the Dwarf'.

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Thus, it can seen that Shri Rama was not included in the list of incarnations of Vishnu, as stated by Lord Shiva.

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Courtesy: Late Shri Guturu Sheshendra Sarma's book "Shodashi - Ramayana Rahasyamulu (Telugu)