The Ramayana

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The Ramayana

• The Treasure of India

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The Ramayana of Valmiki

• Sanskrit epic poem by Valmiki
• Oldest literary version of tale (ca. 550 BC)
• Blends historical saga, nature myth, morality
  tale, and religious mythology.
• Rama is associated with the line of Iksvaku kings
  who ruled the kingdom of Kosala in the Ganges
  Valley of north India in the sixth and fifth
  centuries B.C.

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The Story

• The gods persuade Visnu, the great god whose
  function it is to preserve dharma in the
  universe, to incarnate himself as a man to
  destroy the demon king, Ravana.
• Visnu is born as Rama, the son of Dasaratha, king
  of Kosala, and his queen Kausalya.

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• Sons born at the same time to Dasarathas other
  wives, Kaikeyi and Sumitra, also bear some of
  Visnus divine essence, although none are as
  powerful and righteous as Rama.
• Kaikeyi bore Barutha
• Sumitra bore twins Laksmana and Satrughna

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The Royal Family
Dasaratha (king of Kosala) married
Kausalya (first wife)
Sumitra (second wife)
Kaikeyi (third wife)
Lakshmana and Satrughna (twin sons)
Rama (son) married Sita
Bharata (son) becomes ruler
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Book 2

• This is the story we are concerned with
• King Dasaratha proclaims Rama as his
  heir-apparent.
• Queen Kaikeyi is goaded by her hunchback servant
  to jealousy on behalf of her son Barutha and
  forces the king to disinherit and banish Rama,
  naming her own son heir.
• Two boons

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• Rama accepts his exile and is accompanied into
  the forest by his wife Sita and his brother
  Laksmana.
• The unfolding of the story and the various ways
  the characters react to Ramas exile show the
  nature of the values of the Indian peopleand the
  sacredness of dharma.

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Dharma

• Rama is, to the Indian culture, the shining
  example of a man fulfilling his sacred duty, or
  dharma.
• Through his interaction with his family members,
  Rama himself teaches the ways of right action
  according to dharma, the principle on which the
  hierarchical relationship of the Indian family
  and society are based.

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The Indian Epic

• The Ramayana can truly be seen as Indias great
  epic.
• An epic is defined as, A long narrative poem in
  elevated style presenting characters of high
  position in adventures forming an organic whole
  through their relation to a central heroic figure
  and through their development of episodes
  important to the history of a nation or race.
• Holman, C. Hugh. A Handbook to Literature. Pg.
  172

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Qualities Most Epics Share

• The hero is of imposing stature, or national or
  international importance, and of great historical
  or legendary significance.
• The setting is vast, covering great nations, the
  world, or the universe.
• The action consists of deeds of great valor or
  requiring superhuman courage
• Supernatural forcesangels, demons, or
  godsinterest themselves in the action
• A style of sustained elevation is used
• The poet maintains a measure of objectivity.

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Why Epics Matter

• The epic is important because the culture that
  produced the epic defines itself in the text,
  describing and promoting values central to the
  culture.
• The idea of dharma, the defining principle of
  cosmic and social order in Hinduism, is the focus
  of the Ramayana.

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RamaThe Epic Hero

• For the Indian culture, Ramas heroism does not
  just lie in his valorous deeds, but also in his
  attitude.
• What are some of the terms used to define this
  hero? How do these terms show us Ramas
  attitude? What other parts from the text teach
  us about Ramas attitude?

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Just a few descriptions.

• 581 But still, of all of them, it was mighty
  Rama who brought his father the greatest joy.
  For he surpassed his brothers in virtue just as
  the self-existent Brahma surpasses all other
  beings.
• 581 He scrupulously did all that his mothers
  required of him and attended to his gurus
  requirements with strict punctuality.
• 581 Rama was always even-tempered and
  kind-spoken. Even if he were to be harshly
  addressed, he would not answer back.
• 581 He would be satisfied with a single act of
  kindness, whatever its motive, and would ignore a
  hundred injuries, so great was his self-control.

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Shared Values, Enduring Relevance

• An epic text can only have such power and
  influence in a society in which traditional
  cultural values continue to be endorsed and
  shared by a majority of people, regardless of
  other differences. Indian society is one such
  culture.

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Discussion Questions

• What is an epic?
• A text wherein the culture that produced it
  defines itself in an imaginative text of large
  proportions, embodying central values. (War and
  Peace, Gone with the Wind.)
• Refers to substance as well as scale.
• What is the cultural value being defined?
• The Hero is essential to the epic. What
  qualities does Rama personify?

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• Why does this ancient story continue to be
  relevant to Indians of such diverse backgrounds
  today?
• An epic text can only have such power and
  influence in a society where traditional cultural
  values continue to be endorsed and shared by a
  majority of people, regardless of differences.
• Shared male and female behavior and roles
• Models of family
• What is the hierarchy?
• What statement is made of polygamy?
• Social and state hierarchies
• Astrology, religious ritual, priestly ritual,
  private worship

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• What is Ramas dharma? What makes him the hero
  of this tale? What ethics and emotions set him
  apart from the others.
• How is he different from his brothers? What is
  his one concern? (598)
• Give some specific examples (self-control,
  obedience, etc.)
• How is Sita different from other women?
• How different is Ramas dharma from western
  values? Explain. Are there any other characters
  that we can more easily identify with?

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• What does avatar mean? Who is incarnated in
  Rama? How are the virtues of the incarnation
  made evident in Rama? (600?)
• Based on the character of the hunchback, how is
  ugliness portrayed character-wise?

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• On page 590, do you find anything odd or out of
  character about Kaikeyis actions in battle?
• On page 602, Rama is given conflicting duties.
  Does he choose correctly according to his own
  dharma?
• What caste does Rama belong to? Or does he?
• What is the role of demons in Hinduism?
• How is the forest portrayed?
• On page 610, Laksmana gathers arms for their
  venture in the forest. Why does this not
  conflict with this ascetic life?