INTRODUCING THE THEME

INTRODUCING THE THEME

The Ramayana, the earliest poetic work in India, calls itself an ‘adikavya’ the first poetic compositions. It refers to itself also as an itihasa or history of events that happened in a particular place. In other words, it is supposed to be a historical record of some events. It is also called akhyana work containing old tales on a set theme. It is in all likelihood, based on earlier tale already in circulation. In the epic Ramayana Rama is glorified in the epic as an ideal hero. He is taken to be the greatest ethical hero who has surpassed all other heroes of ancient Indian poetry. He represents the best ethical ideals and Valmiki has immortalized this character by portraying him as an uncompromising champion of ethical values which ancient Indian tradition stood for. Aside from Rama’s character, the whole epic represents many other high ethical values. Thus the impact of ethical thoughts in the Ramanaya on Indian literary tradition is so high that there seems to be no other work which can stand equal to it in ancient Indian literature. Approximately for over two and a half millennia the Ramayana had its sway over described in it. The epic declares that it was written with the purpose of propagating the cultural values of the Vedas. While the ethos of the epic is derived from Vedic tradition, it should be noted that unlike the Mahabharata where ethics is more taught than practiced, the Ramayana shows ethics as more practiced in the conduct of several characters, than described. Rama stands as the supreme character whose great qualities are detailed at the beginning of the epic itself. He has therefore been raised to the status of divinity and is occasionally described as an avatar of Vishnu. Consequently, traditional critics relate other character too divinities and the epic is treated by them as a mythological work. Modern critics consider the characters as human beings in as much as they contain human characters. We find occasional references to ethical goals talked about in the epic in some other works. For instance, the glory of the Ramayana is sung exclusively in an adhyaya of Skandapurana in which it is held that the Ramayana is a means of attainment of human Goals, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. The ethical message of the epic, according to earlier literacy critics, is that one should emulate Rama and not Ravana. According to one of the critics Valmiki gives instructions to the reader with an aesthetic heart that he should behave Rama and not like Ravana. Rama is depicted in the epic as an embodiment of righteousness while Ravana is one of licentiousness and the conflict between them therefore is one between Darma and Adharma, good and evil. The Ramayana is the story of a variety of characters, gods and men, princes and sages, monkeys and demons. Valmiki characterizes many characters having super-human powers with a mythological flair. But each one’s ethical standards are as high as those of virtuous person, no matter which species the character belongs to. For instance, Jatayu, the chief of eagles, attacks Ravana with exceptional courage. Though he is physically weak due to old age he fights with great moral courage against Ravana to rescue Sita from him. The eagle knows that Ravana is well armed but still he fights. The virtues of Hanuman, a monkey are far superior to those of many human beings and the regard of Vibhisana, a demon, for Rama is exceptionally high. The demoniac character of Ravana is native to his nature as a demon but the greed and arrogance of Kaikeyi are part of her character though she is a human being. Virtue therefore is not exclusive to human beings, or vices not exclusive to non-human characters. In other words, Valmiki’s characterization is not focused on human beings alone. The morality of characters is judged by their role and not by the species. Unlike the Mahabharata where ethics is taught with a normative strain by wise men like Bhisma and Vidura, such parts are seldom seen in the Ramayana. The traditional conviction is that Rama is an avatar of Visnu who descended on the earth to establish Dharma or moral law. Nevertherless wise men like Vishvamitra and Vasistha are seen in close association with him and Laksmana, guiding them whenever necessary. They are portrayed as sages, employing gentle methods of teaching.Their ethical teachings come out of their rich spiritual experience which enables them to live a life of high morals. 

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