Epic Hindu Literature: Ramayana, Mahabharata and

Bhagavad Gita
Eventually, Hindus followed the impulse that had appeared among the
Sumerians: they wrote poetic stories that focused on the power of the gods.
These stories were written to create ideals for people to follow. The better
known of these are poems called the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Ramayana translates as the Story of Rama. It is believed to have been written

by a Brahmin named Valmiki, a man whose style of poetry was new and a
style to be copied thereafter. It is said to have appeared between 400 and 200
BCE. The story takes place centuries earlier, when Aryans were expanding
their influence over Dravidians in southern India, the Aryans engaging in
missionary endeavors supported by military power and a strategy of divide
and conquer. In its seven books and 24,000 verses the Ramayana praises the
heroism and virtues of Aryan warrior-princes: the Kshatriyas.
The Ramayana has as its main hero a prince called Rama, whose life
the Ramayana describes from birth to death. Rama and his brothers are
depicted as embodying the ideals of Aryan culture: men of loyalty and honor,
faithful and dutiful sons, affectionate brothers and loving husbands, men who
speak the truth, who are stern, who persevere but are ready and willing to
make sacrifices for the sake of virtue against the evils of greed, lust and
deceit.

Lord Rama, with brother, wife, and devotee.

The Mahabharata, meaning Great India, is said to have been written by a
Brahmin named Vyasa, between 400 and 100 BCE, but no one really knows.
Across centuries, priestly writers and editors with different attitudes in different
centuries were to add to the work, and the Mahabharata emerged three times
its original size. The Mahabharata was divided into eighteen books of verses
interspersed with passages of prose. It attempted to describe the period in
which Aryan tribes in northern India were uniting into kingdoms and when
these petty kingdoms were fighting to create empire. The work attempted to
be an encyclopedia about points of morality. One of its heroes is Krishna,
described as a royal personage descended from the gods – an eighth
incarnation of the god Vishnu. The Mahabharata's heroes are described as
yearning for power but, like the heroes of the Ramayana, devoted to truth and
having a strong sense of duty and affection for their parents.

New contributions to the Mahabharata gave greater focus to the gods Vishnu

and Shiva. A story incorporated into the Mahabharata became known as
the Bhagavad Gita (the Lord's Song), shortened by many to the Gita.
The Bhagavad Gita became Hinduism's most popular scripture and into
modern times it would be read by many for daily reference – a work that
Mahatma Gandhi would describe as an infallible guide to conduct. In
the Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu acquired a new incarnation: Krishna. Krishna was
originally a non-Aryan god in northwestern India. In the old Mahabharata he
was a secondary hero, a god who had appeared in human form. In
the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna became the Supreme Deity in human form.

The Gita is an account of the origins, course and aftermath of a great war

between royalty. In it a dialogue takes place between a prince, Arjuna, and the
charioteer alongside him as the two ride into battle at the head of Arjuna's
army. The charioteer is Krishna in disguise. Arjuna sees that his opponents
ahead of him are his relatives. He drops his bow and announces that he will
not give the signal to begin the battle. He asks whether power is so important
that he should fight his own kinsmen, and he states that the pain of killing his
kinsmen would be too much for him, that it would be better for him to die than
to kill just for power and its glory. Krishna is like the god of war of former
times: Indira. Krishna gives Arjuna a formula for accepting deaths in war, a
Hindu version close to the claim that those who die in battle will go to
paradise. He tells Arjuna that bodies are not really people, that people are
souls and that when the body is killed the soul lives on, that the soul is never
born and never dies. According to Krishna, if one dies in battle he goes to
heaven, or if he conquers he enjoys the earth. So, according to Krishna, one
should go into battle with "a firm resolve." Attitude was of the utmost
importance. "Let not the fruits of action be thy motive, nor be thy attachment to
inaction."

Krishna reminds Arjuna that he is a warrior and that to turn from battle is to
reject his karma, in other words, his duty or place in life. He makes the
irrefutable argument, an argument that leaves no room for questioning one's
own intentionality: that Arjuna should make war because it is his destiny to do
so. He states that it is best to fulfill one's destiny with detachment because
detachment leads to liberation and allows one to see the irrelevance of one's
own work. To give weight to his argument, Krishna reveals to Arjuna that he is
not just his charioteer, not just another military man who talks like he is divine
but that he is the god Krishna – a claim that Arjuna accepts. Some readers of
the Bhagavad Gita interpret this to mean that Arjuna does not need to step
from his chariot to find God and that humanity does not need to search for the
divine: that God is with a person and for a person.

Arjuna expresses his support for family values, and he is a defender of

tradition. He complains of lawlessness corrupting women, and when women
are corrupted, he says, a mixing of caste ensues.

Krishna became the most loved of the Hindu gods, a god viewed as a teacher,
a personal god much like Yahweh, a god who not only believes in war but a
god of love who gives those who worshiped him a gift of grace. A loving god
could be found here and there in the old Vedic hymns of the Aryans, but this
new focus on a loving god and the satisfaction it brought to the people of India
was a challenge to Hindu priests, for it offered salvation without the need for
ritual sacrifices. In the Bhagavad Gita (1:41), Krishna says: "Give me your
heart. Love me and worship me always. Bow to me only, and you will find me.
This I promise."

According to Krishna, as expressed in the Gita (2:37), one could accumulate

possessions and not lose blessedness so long as one remained indifferent
about success and failure. One can attain salvation so long as one restrains
one's passions in whatever one does. One should be fearless, steadfast
generous and patient. One should be compassionate toward other creatures.
One should be without greed, hypocrisy, arrogance, overweening pride, wrath
or harshness in speech. And one should "study the Holy Word, austerities and
uprightness." (16:1-2)

The Gita (2.22) describes the soul as shedding a worn-out body like an old

worn-out garment and putting on a new body as one would a new garment.
The soul is immortal and the body is subject to birth and death.
The Gita extends the metaphor to reincarnation, to Karma as described in the
Upanishads. Where a soul went depended on how well a person had behaved
in his previous life. Good actions in the former life led to a soul to take on a
new higher form of life. The soul of the doer of evil led a soul to take the body
of a lower form of life. Hinduism epic literature described what was good
behavior, and in a new work, the Laws of Manu, defined more clearly what
was bad.

he Ramayana Summary
Born during an age when the demon Ravana terrorized the world, Rama is the virtuous, wise,
and powerful prince of Ayohya. As a young man, he is able to accomplish what no other man has
ever done: he lifts and strings the bow of Siva, and by so doing her earns the right to marry the
beautiful Sita.
Just when he is about to ascend the throne of Ayodhya, his father Dasaratha is forced to exile
him for fourteen years to the forest due to a vow made long ago. Unruffled, Rama accepts his
exile; his wife Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana accompany him. In the forest, the
princely brothers kill many demons and visit many wise men and women.
The evil demon Ravana hears of Sita's beauty, and kidnaps her. He has fallen in love with her
and tries to seduce her, but she rebuffs his advances for nearly ten months.

Desperate to win her back, Rama and Lakshmana form an alliance with the monkey
king Sugriva, and invade Lanka with an army of monkeys. After many violent battles, Rama
defeats Ravana and wins back Sita. He is concerned that she has been unfaithful during her long
captivity, and so Sita undergoes a trial by fire to prove her chastity. Rama takes her back, and
they return to rule Ayodhya for many wonderful years.
In another version of the tale, Rama hears his people gossiping about Sita's imagined
indiscretions, and he banishes her to the forest, where she gives birth to Rama's twin sons. Sita
and the children confront him years later; he tries to explain his harsh actions to Sita, but she
vanishes into the earth to escape him.
The Ramayana Character List
Rama
The son of King Dasaratha and Queen Kausalya, Rama is the prince of Ayodya. He is an avatara
of Vishnu, the Blue God and the sustainer of worlds. He is also a virtuous, strong, and just man
in his own right. He is married to Sita, whom he loves deeply. He has a strong bond with his
brother Lakshmana as well.
Sita
Sita's father, King Janak, found her lying in a furrow on sanctified ground and decided to raise
her as his daughter. She marries Rama, and loves him so much that she follows him into exile.
She is famed for her virtue and beauty, and is regarded as an avatara of the goddess Lakshmi,
Vishnu's consort.
Ravana
Ravana is a rakshasa who performed penance for the God Siva for many years, and in return
received a great blessing from the God: he cannot be killed by any God, demon, or other divine
being. His arrogance combined, with great intelligence and power, has led him to rule over much
of the earth, spreading terrible evil everywhere he goes.
Lakshmana
Son of King Dasaratha, and brother of Rama. He is deeply devoted to his brother, whom he
follows through many dangerous adventures and quests. He is married to Sita's younger sister,
Urmila.
King Dasaratha
King of Ayodhya, father of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. Of all his three sons, he
loves Rama most deeply, and tries to shelter the boy from any danger. He is a good king: kind,
just and well-liked by his people.
Viswamitra
Viswamitra is a great sage and wise man who was once a king. Through long meditation, he
gained a number of magical powers. He takes Rama on a quest to defeat a demon and to lift the
bow of Siva, the first step in the future king's great journey.
Ganga
Ganga is a goddess, the daughter of Himavan. Because of her incomparable beauty, she was
given to the Devas, and she became the Milky Way. Later, Siva brought her down to earth and
she became the river Ganges.
Siva
Siva is part of the great trinity in Hindusim, along with Vishnu and Brahma. He is a great ascetic,
and often sits in meditation. He is able to tame the power of other gods, devas, and supernatural
beings, and he often grants blessings and wishes to those who sit in dedication meditation
('tapasya'). His wife is Parvati.
Lava
Along with Kusha, one of the youths to whom Valmiki taught the Ramayana that he received
from Narada. He is one of the sons of Rama, but he does not know this.
Kusha
Along with Lava, one of the youths to whom Valmiki taught the Ramayana that he received
from Narada. He is one of the sons of Rama, but he does not know this.
Vasishta
Guru to King Dasaratha, he offers religious advice to the king and the royal family.
Rishyaringa
A great rishi; he presides over the sacrifice that King Dasaratha offers in order to get a son. He is
sometimes depicted as a combination of a deer and a man.
Tataka
A beautiful woman who was transformed into a demon (rakshasi) when she tried to seduce the
rishi Agastya. As a demon, she drinks the blood of living creatures and kills anything she can
see. In one of his first great acts, Rama breaks her curse by slaying her.
Kaikeyi
The third and youngest wife of King Dasaratha, and mother of Bharata. She is famed for her
beauty. After she saved the life of Dasaratha in battle, he offered to grant anything she would ask
of him. She later calls in this favor to have Bharata crowned king and Rama sent into the forest,
inspired by the worlds of her maid, Manthara.
Sumitra
Second wife of Dasaratha. She is the mother of Lakshmana and Shatrughna.
Kausalya
The first wife of Dasaratha and mother of Rama. She is the oldest wife, and very kind and wise.
She does not have a close relationship with her husband, but she loves her son Rama very
deeply.
Manthara
An old maid of Kaikeyi's. She is a wicked woman, and gives Kaikeyi the idea to ask Dasaratha to
exile Rama and crown Bharata king instead.
Guha
King of the hunters, he rules near the wilderness in Shringiberapura. He is fiercely loyal to
Rama.
Kausalya
Wife of Dasaratha, mother of Rama. She is wise and kind, but she is not close with her husband;
the greatest joy in her life is Rama.
Bharata
Son of King Dasaratha and Queen Kaikeyi, he is half-brother to Rama, Lakshmana, and
Shatrughna. He is devoted to his brother Rama, and he tries desperately to undo the damage
committed by his mother Kaikeyi.
Shatrughna
Son of King Dasaratha and Queen Sumitra (she drank two sips from the sacred cup, and
consequently had twins). His twin brother is Lakshmana, and his half-brothers are Rama and
Bharata. He follows his brother Bharata everywhere.
Sumantra
Chief counselor of Dasaratha. He is the one who unwillingly brings Rama into exile.
Surpanakha
The sister of Ravana, she is a powerful rakshasi. She attempts to seduce Rama and kill Sita, but
the princely brothers attack her. She tries to muster the rakshasa army against Rama.
Maricha
A rakshasa, uncle of Ravana. Rama defeated him with a purifying magical weapon, and he
renounced his evil ways to become a rishi.
Khara
A rakshasa, cousin to Ravana. He rules the area of Janasthana, near the forest of Rama's exile.
He is very powerful, and likes to kill rishis and despoil sacred rituals.
Jatayu
A powerful golden eagle who speaks in the voice of a human being. He was loyal to King
Dasaratha, and pledges his service to Rama. He dies defending Sita from Ravana.
Kabandha
A terrible rakshasa who has the form of a body with no legs or head -- only arms and a gaping
mouth. He was transformed into this ugly shape by Indra; formerly, he was a celestial archer. He
tells the brothers to seek Sugriva, the prince of vanaras.
Sugriva
The rightful king of the vanaras, a race of magical monkeys. He was usurped by his brother Vali,
and pledges his service to Rama and Lakshmana if they can restore him to his throne.
Hanuman
Advisor to Sugriva. He is the son of the wind god Vayu and a vanari woman.
Angada
A vanara youth, son of Vali and nephew of Sugriva. He is brave and intelligent.
Vibheeshana
Young brother of Ravana. Though he is a rakshasa, he is wise and good. When Ravana refuses to
listen to his counsel, he joins Rama's army.
Sampati
A great golden eagle, brother of Jatayu. His wings were burned when he flew too close to the
son.
Jambavan
King of the Riksharaj (magical bears). He is an ally of Sugriva and Rama. He is known for his
gentle wisdom and quiet strength.
Indrajit
The favorite son of Ravana, and his most powerful warrior. He earned his name after he captured
Indra, the king of the gods.
Kumbhakarna
Ravana's brother. He is a giant with infinite strength who sleeps for six months at a time before
waking up and eating everything he can see.
Agastya
An elderly and extremely powerful rishi who blesses Rama. Later when Rama is king of
Ayodhya, he comes to Rama's palace and tells him secret tales about the people he met on his
journeys.

The Ramayana Glossary

Adharma
Not according to dharma; evil.
Adharmi
A person who doesn't act according to dharma.
Agni
Fire; also the name of the Hindu god of fire.
Anjali
An offering.
Artha
Wealth and possessions. Artha is one of the four goals in life (the others are dharma, kama, and
moksha).
Asrama
A hermitage; a place where wise men live.
Astra
Divine weapon.
Asura
One type of demon or supernatural being.
Atman
The individual soul.
Avatara
Incarnation of a God, especially Vishnu.
Bhakti
Love, devotion. ('Bhakta' refers to a devoted person.)
Bharatavarsha
The land of Bharata; India.
Brahmana
Member of the priestly class; one of Brahma's people. ('Brahman' refers to this caste as well.)
Deva
Any of a class of celestial, elemental beings.
Dharma
Truth, justice, duty. The right path.
Guru
Spiritual teacher or guide; master.
Gyana
Knowledge, wisdom.
Hatya
Murder.
Jitendriya
One who has conquered his senses.
Kavya
Poem.
Kshatriya
A member of the caste of royal warriors.
Kula
Clan.
Maharathika
A great warrior.
Mantra
A sacred incantation.
Maya
Cosmic illusion ('Maya' also refers to the goddess of illusion).
Muni
A sage or seer; silent one; knower of minds.
Moksha
Liberation from this lower earthly realm; freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth;
enlightenment.
Pativrata
A devoted wife.
Puja
Ritual worship.
Punya
Virtue; merit.
Rakshasa
A vicious type of demon (feminine form is 'rakshasi').
Rig Veda
The first Veda, one of the most holy books in Hinduism.
Rishi
A sage, mystic; a wise man who meditates in the forest or in an ashram.
Samsara
The world of illusion; the world we inhabit presently.
Shakti
Feminine power or weapon.
Shastra
Scripture; holy text.
Sudra
A member of the fourth Hindu caste; one of the laborers or workers.
Tapasya
Act of penance or forbearance (fasting, enduring heat or cold, etc.) that develops one's spiritual
powers and wins favor with the gods.
Vabdhi
A singer, sage, or bard.
Vana
Jungle; forest.
Vanara
An ancient and magical race of monkeys.
Vina
An ancient Indian stringed instrument, similar to a lute.
Vrata
A vow.
Yoga
Literally, "Union." Refers to the union of the self with God through spiritual exercises (a male
who practices yoga is called a 'yogi'; a female is called a 'yogini').
Yatra
A journey, often with religious significance.
Yagna
A ritual or sacrifice.

The Ramayana Themes

Romantic Love
A central focus of the Ramayana is the love between Sita and Rama. As incarnations of the
goddess Lakshmi and the god Vishnu, they are literally been made for each other. They fall in
love at first sight, and their relationship is characterized by harmony and devotion. Sita follows
Rama into exile out of her love for him, and she refuses Ravana's advances at great risk to
herself because of her loyalty to her husband. Rama, in turn, defends Sita fiercely and cares for
her tenderly. For centuries, the love between Rama and Sita has been a model relationship for
South Asians.
The Perfect Man
Rama is the time-honored symbol of the perfect man: he is generous, just, merciful, the master of
his emotions, and a valiant warrior. He is a dedicated son and a loyal husband. Other characters
exemplify perfect virtues as well. Sita, with her perfect devotion to her husband, is the eternal
symbol of the perfect woman and wife. Lakshmana, who never leaves his brother's side
despite the horrible dangers, is the image of the perfect brother. Hanuman, witty, loyal, and
wise, is the perfect advisor.
Dharma
A central concept in Hinduism and Indian philosophy, dharma may be translated as truth, justice,
and duty. It refers to the central purpose of a particular being, as well as the correct path that she
or he should follow in this world. Dharma also describes a conduct defined by truth and justice,
which is divinely commanded. Populated with perfect characters, the Ramayana offers a
playbook for how to behave with virtue and dharma in the world.
Brotherly Love
Lakshmana is an exemplar of brotherly love. He is never envious of his more accomplished
brother Rama, and supports him in his every adventure. When they are still boys, Lakshmana
accompanies Rama into the forest to defeat the rakshasa Tataka, having full faith in his brother
despite their youth and inexperience. Rama tells Lakshmana that he is like part of his own body;
Rama is never more devastated than when Lakshmana falls injured on the battlefield.
Good and Evil
In the Ramayana, good and evil are diametrically opposed forces, locked in eternal combat.
They are frequently represented as a contrast between human/god and rakshasa. The rakshasas
exhibit a number of vices (violence, blasphemous impulses, sexual indiscretions), while the
righteous humans are exemplars of every virtue. Though good and evil are opposed,
the Ramayana suggests that they are not innate but rather the result of choice. Some rakshasas
have been turned into demons as punishment for a transgression, while previous virtuous human
beings can become wicked when they choose to abandon the path of dharma.
Combat
Large portions of the Ramayana describe incredible battles between Rama and various wicked
rakshasa. These battles are intense and described in evocative prose, featuring a great deal of
violence and magical weapons. Rama's success in combat is part of his identity as the perfect
man, an unconquered warrior. The centrality of combat in the Ramayana may also be
symbolic: the rakshasas symbolize the evil impulses in every person, which must be destroyed in
order for the soul to be made pure.
Human and Divine
The differences and similarities between human and divine are a major theme in
the Ramayana. Rama himself is the incarnation of a god, but much of his goodness is the
result of his own personal choices rather than this divine heritage. Rama has been born into the
world because an enormously powerful rakshasa, Ravana, cannot be killed by any deity or
supernatural creature; the gods themselves are unable to defeat them. In some ways, some human
beings and vanaras (magical monkeys) are superior to the gods in their virtuous conduct.
However, the gods still have the power to offer boons to mortals, such as weapons and
invincibility.

The Ramayana Quotes and Analysis

[Valmiki] declared, "Holy One, I wonder if any man born into the world was
blessed with all the virtues by your Father in heaven."
"Tell me what the virtues are, and I will tell you the man who has them."
Valmiki began in his inward way, enunciating each attribute carefully:
"Integrity, bravery, righteousness, gratitude, dedication to his beliefs, a flawless
character, compassion for all living, learning, skill, beauty, courage beyond
bravery, radiance,control over his anger and his desires, serenity, a lack of envy,
and valor to awe Indra's Devas." As Narada's eyes grew wistful, Valmiki
continued. "I know I am asking for perfection in a mere mortal. But I wondered
if a man of this world could have all these, which not even the Gods possess."
The sage was convinced his perfect man could only be the figment of a romantic
imagination
Narada still gazes out over the river' crisp currents. [...]. At last he said softly,
"In these very times such a man was born into the world. His name is Rama."
Pg. 4
This quote presents a list of Rama's personal virtues, which are a central focus of the poem.
Significantly, Valmiki notes that not even gods necessarily possess all the virtues that Rama
does.
The rishis bathed in the river, shot with saffron shafts of the setting sun.
Standing in velvet water, they said sandhya prayers.
Pg. 31
After leaving Viswamitra's asrama, Rama and Lakshmana watch the rishis perform their evening
prayers. This sentence evokes vivid imagery by melding sensory experiences: saffron is a rare
spice that is usually tasted and velvet is an expensive fabric that is generally touched, but these
things are compared to a scene that the princes are witnessing.
 "If you had been banished to the Dandaka vans, then so have I. I will go with
you, Rama; my place is at your side. With you, I would walk down the paths of
hell. The jungle will be like heaven for me. I must disobey you in this, my love;
forget my disobedience, as you do the water you leave behind in a glass after
drinking."
Pg. 89
Sita makes this speech to Rama after he tells him that he has been exiled. He initially asks her to
stay behind and look after his mother, but she loves him too much to be parted from him. In this
quote, she beautifully explains her love and loyalty to him, refusing to abandon him even when
he is sent into exile. This quote exemplifies the virtues that have made Sita so renowned in India:
her loyalty and her love for her husband.
Rama replied, "It is not that I don't understand you, or feel sympathy for you.
But fate had ordained that my path lead through the jungle, and yours to the
throne of Ayodhya. I grant that common sense might cry out otherwise; but fate
is beyond mere common sense. Once I cam out into the wilderness, I sensed fate
clearly in my heart: the forest calls me more urgently that Ayodhya. For me
Ayodhya is far away. I will surely return to it one day; but not yet."
Pg. 142
Faced with the protestations of his brother, mothers, people, and guru, Rama at last argues that
the hand of fate has a part in his exile to the forest. This quote showcases Rama's uncanny knack
for discerning the right path of dharma, and it also demonstrates the importance of fate to the
narrative.
One should never discount the majesty of Ravana of Lanka. Evil he was, but he
was also the greatest of all the created beings of his time. He had dominated the
known universe for centuries, and even Deva women felt weak with desire just
to see him. He was matchless at arms, in his generosity, in his intelligence and
knowledge of the sacred lore, and in his indomitable courage. He was Ravana,
the peerless, the invincible. There was no one like him, as complex, as powerful,
or as wise, save the great Gods of the Trinity themselves. But let us not forget
he was evil as well: a Beast of the night.
Pg. 191
Ravana is established as a worthy adversary for Rama; he is no mean villain, but instead a
complex and powerful nemesis. Intriguingly, this passage emphasizes Ravana's majesty rather
than his wickedness, highlighting some of his virtues, such as his intelligence and his desirability
to women.
Jambavan said to the moody Hanuman, "Why, O Son of the wind, do you doubt
yourself so much? But it is the curse of all the greatest. Those who cannot do a
 tenth of what you can, those who haven't a shadow of your strength, stand up
and boast about their prowess, while you sit here listening to them and say
nothing. Hanuman, we need a hero to leap across the see and bring glory to the
vanaras."
Pg. 281
Hanuman is the vanara search party's only hope for searching the island of Lanka, but he isn't
sure that he can accomplish this task. It is up to his friend Jamabavan to remind him of his
abilities. This quote argues that those who boast the loudest often have the fewest skills, which
highlights the virtue of humility in the Ramayana. This passage is an inspiration for anyone
who doubts his or her own skills.
She looked up briefly into his eyes and, her voice firmer, said, "You have
violated dharma and punishment will come to you more quickly than you think.
You don't know Rama; he is not what you imagine him to be. You speak of the
sea being an obstacle between him and me. But I say to you, Ravana, even if an
ocean of stars lay between us, my Rama would come to find me."
Pg. 311
Kidnapped and held against her will in Ravana's palace, Sita will not be seduced by either the
rakshasa king's kindness or his terrible threats. She remains loyal to Rama even months after
being kidnapped, never losing faith that he will come to rescue her. This quote uses beautiful
imagery - crossing an ocean of stars - to emphasize the devotion between Rama and Sita.
"Uncanny visions arise in my mind: of timeless evil, and a battle older than the
earth, which has been fought before on countless worlds, in forgotten ages.
Even after this battle of Lanka, the war shall be fought again and again; until
time ends, and dharma and adharma with it."
Pg. 384
Having arrived on the shores of Lanka, Rama speaks these words to Lakshmana as if in a trance.
Rama is alluding to his great destiny: to eradicate the evil of the age. This passage also
emphasizes the deep and cyclical nature of time in Hindu cosmology; over long ages, events tend
to repeat themselves.
At last, Rama stood against Ravana. Blue and serene, the prince of light stood
against the king of darkness. Rama of Ayodhya stood forth, bright and fearsome
on that fateful day. The Kodanda [his bow] was in his hand, a faint smile on his
lips. Lakshmana was at his side, and they were elite Mahavishnu with his
brother Indra beside him.
For a moment their gazes locked, Rama's fine, clear eyes and the Rakshasa's
sallow ones. A chasmal hush fell on Lanka. Like twin moments of time being
born from Brahma, the human and the Demon raised their bows at once and the
duel began.
Pg. 472
The great battle of Lanka has been raging for days, and at last Ravana comes out of his palace for
a final stand against Rama and his army. This is the climax of the narrative, the moment at which
the greatest good and the greatest evil clash. True to the central theme of brotherly love,
Lakshmana does not leave Rama's side even at this dangerous and decisive moment.
Significantly, the bulk of the description focuses on Rama; this may be foreshadowing indicating
his ultimate victory.
"Muni, I never doubted Sita's purity. I beg you, do not accuse me of a sin I
never committed, to add to the one that I did. Indeed, I did banish my queen for
fear of what the people were saying about her. But then, my lord, I am a king,
and m first and final dharma is toward my people. It would never have done for
them to have doubted their king, for even a moment: that he was weak and took
back a tainted woman."
Pg. 649
In this scene from the seventh book of the Ramayana (which is not always included as part of
the text), Rama has exiled Sita to the forest after his people suggested that she actually slept with
Ravana. Sita returns along with the sage Valmiki and her two sons by Rama. Rama argues that
he banished his devoted wife in order to be a better king to his people. Sita does not accept this
explanation, and vanishes into her mother, the earth.