Ramayana vignettes: Quintessence of Ramayana

The  month of   Karkkitakom  is generally  a period  of setbacks when  miseries and diseases drive us to despair .It is believed that the recital of Ramayana provides  us  a new energy  to overcome these hardships  by   lustrating   our  thoughts.It  also inspires us  to invoke  weal and  and zeal  before  idolising    them in our thoughts as well as  in   our   homes.Ramayana  glorifies the diligence of  action , truth and righteousness.

The text creates  an awareness  on  ethics and  high  principles. A confluence of Epic, Ethical jurisprudence,Social dogmas   and   zealous faith  is the quintessence  of Ramayana.

The characters portrayed in the epic are   noble  and upright. Even the land of Ayodhya has its own   significance as it symbolises hope and  sacrifice. It  stands  out  among the seven Holy Cities of our land  as the sanctum sanctorum of contentment and  refinement.

Sreerama is a complete man who   sacrifices  his birthright  for the sake of duty. Bharata  is not enamored by the glamour of  the royal throne  offered to him in a golden platter.

So also Lakshmana who as a manifestation of loyalty and affection , discards all royal comforts to serve his brother.  In  the  contemporary  society , where  people kill each other for  money, woman    and power, we   can’t  even think  of  men  like Rama , Bharata or Lakshmana    outvying  one another   to sacrifice for the sake of devotion , dedication and duty.

Rama was a leader in every sense.He gave priority to the opinions of his subjects.This is evident from his attitude on his return to Ayodhya after 14 years of life in exile.He is not at all in a hurry to sit on the  Royal  throne . At the same time, he yields before  the compulsion  and  the   request   of the  preceptors , his brothers and the subjects of the  land  before   ascending   the throne   of  Ayodhya.

Can  someone   point out a leader who  is not enamoured by power in today’s  world of corruption ?.Through Rama Valmiki exemplifies that the Land belongs to the people. King is only a sentinel .He is bound to protect his subjects without any selfish motive.Let us hope that one day, we too will see a Rama who will protect us from all evil.

(Sreekumari Ramachandran is a novelist, short-story writer, former member of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy)