|
While the timeless Vedic wisdom is the cosmic divine law of truth and ethics, and could only be tuned in by highly evolved minds—the purushashreshta Ishwaras – of our great Rishis (they re-see), the great Indian epic, Ramayana, had been written by another equally evolved mind of Sage Valmiki, for the benefit of the common man as a guide to his happy sattvik lifestyle.
Ramayana is the greatest epics of all times unsurpassed in its study of human emotions in all their ramifications! Valour, family bonds, uprightness, humility, compassion, pure devotion and altruism are judiciously matched with anger, jealousy, hatred, pride, intrigue, and cleverness in the narrative to give our mundane existence some meaning. While the negative feelings have been depicted in bad light through characters—both men and women, the positive ones are embodied in the heroes and heroines led by Sri Rama and Sitadevi—the true personifications of all that is good in the Universe.
Sri Rama’s unquestioned greatness, Bharatha’s uprightness, Lakshmana’s love for his elder brother, Anjaneya’s swamibhakti, the portrayal of the great “pathivrathaas” Sita and Mandodari have their match only in the portrayal of all that is ignoble in man in Ravana and the burning jealousy of Kaikeyi. The noble qualities of head and heart of Vibhishana and Shabari add spice to the narrative. The medium being poetry, it gave Sage Valmiki ample scope to pack a lot of thoughts into a readable-sized epic.
In short, Ramayana, the greatest epic of all times, has in its fold all that one needs to know. What is not in it is nowhere!
Dr. B.M. Hegde
Director,
Bhavan’s Mangalore Kendra
|
