Saturday, March 19, 2011

The Holy Ramayana-What can it teach us ?

Ramayana has permeated throughout the warp and weft of Indian society from the time of Valmiki and has exterted its influence on alk- be they Brahmacharinis,Grihastidas or Sanyasins.
All the people who inhabit this sacred land,irrespective of their faith,have imbibed Ramayana and their is much to learn from Ramayana on good conduct.
Rama demonstrates how to be a good disciple,a good son,brother,husband,friend and enemy.Every role,in life, is clearly represented in Ramayana as a moden for right thought and action.Hence it is a practise handbook that offers practical guidence and effective instructions for everyone's life.Then again,cosider the relationship between husband and wife.Ramayana emphasises mutual love,loyalty and sacrifice in marital life.Absolute chastity on the part of the wife and of loyalty on the part of the husband and the greatness of the principle of monogamy are best illustrated in the life of Rama and Sita.Disregarding the dangers and difficulties of forest life,Sita insisted upon accompanying Rama to the forest.She did not try to prevail on Rama to fight for the throne.In the Ramayana,there is repeated reference to the power of destiny over the life of people.Lightening,sequence of events in a short span of a day in Ayodhya Kanda shows the power of destiny.A study of the epic should also help people to bear with equanimity of mind their sufferings.If,for exaple,a woman like Sita,daughter of a great king and daughter-in-law of another great king and wife of an exaplarily great Rama,should undergo unimaginable pain and anguish,should not common persons reconcile themselves to their lot ? This should teach us that we must not lose balance in good times or bad times.Sita,once,decides to commit suicide.But, finally says,one should live if one should enjoy life. Ramayana upholds the wisdom of harmonious pursuits of Purusharths or values of life-Dharma,Artha and Karma.Rama's attitude in the great war shows how righteousness is to be observed in war also and how enmity should be cried a halt with the enemy's death.Such is the menifold glory of the Ramayana.It's a work of eternal interest.In this sense it is equal to a practical treatise on Dharmashastra-a master guide to good life.Hence it should be read with reverence and devotion.Our ancestors summarized its moral in the words-'Live like Rama and not like Ravana.Follow the path of Dharma' <>

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