ETHICS IN KILLING WITHOUT ENMITY
Different perception
on moral standards, Sita spoke with great diffidence on the propriety of Rama
in killing the demons in the forest. Killing those who have not done any wrong
to Rama is reprehensible. This may be called ethical absolutism. It is
universally accepted that to kill those who have not done any harm to the
killer is a deviation from moral law. Sita points out to Rama that there are
three sins which one is prone to do, viz. telling lies, worse or
still is adultery and violence without hatred. You never told lies, much less
are you associated with adultery. But violence to others is the sin you are
committing now.
Sita points our
shrewdly, “I do not like that you should kill these innocent demons who inhabit
the Dandaka forest and who are not hostile to you. If you are armed, your mind
gets infatuated and you are playing with fire. You can follow the dharma of a
Kshatriya within your territory but not here.” She stresses that dharma should
be followed as dharma yields wealth. Dharma gives happiness. Anything can be
secured by dharma. Having posed this ethical question she concludes that
ultimately Rama himself has to take his decisions because she was, by nature,
only inquisitive, and not his moral preceptor.
Rama reacts to this
ethical question of Sita gently. Rama’s arrival to Dandaka has raised hopes in
different sections of the ascetics of the forest that he will liberate them
from the tyranny of the demons. They implore him, as the ruler of the land, to
save them from the menace of the demons. Although he has been sent into exile
he has duties to discharge in the forest. Rama explains to Sita that he has a
moral obligation to save the sages as he has promised them to do
that. On hearing their woes Rama vows to do that. That he should save the
harmless and noble sages is a moral, natural as he is always ready to rid the
world of evil beings. In his judgement even if they did not solicit his succour
he would have acted against the demons, more so now when they had appealed to
him. He declares, “I may give up my life; I may give up you and
Lakshmana. Having given word to sages, especially the Brahmans, I will now go
back.’’
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