Tuesday 11 December 2018

The Scheme of the Ramayana


The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the great Epics of Indian Origin.  Besides their wonderful narration of the exploits of great heroes like SriRama and the Pandavas, They are recognized as the ancient encyclopedias of the comprehensive Indian culture and philosophy.

The entire story of Ramayana is spread in 7 Main Chapters.  These Chapters are called as “काण्डम्”. Each of these Chapters has many sub-divisions named Sargas.  Total number of Sargas in the Ramayana is 500.  They consist of Slokas. 

The main story of the 7 chapters in brief is this:

1.     बालकाण्डम्:
1.1. Inquiry of Valmiki for an exemplary person. Narada informs him about SriRama.
1.2. The birth story of Sloka.
1.3. Valmiki begins to write the Ramayana on the instruction of Lord Brahma
1.4. Birth of the sons of King Dasaratha (SriRama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna)
1.5. SriRama and Lakshmana save the sacrifice of Visvamitra.
1.6. Visvamitra leads SriRama and Lakshmana to the city of Mithila.
1.7. SriRama breaks the bow of Lord Siva.
1.8. Rama Marries Sita and his brothers marry the sisters of Sita.

2.     योध्याकाण्डम्:
2.1.         Dasaratha decides to make SriRama the King of Ayodhya
2.2.         Kaikeyi demands Dasaratha to make her son Bharata the King and to      send Srirama to the forest for 14 years.
2.3.         SriRama, followed by Sita and Lakshmana goes leaves Ayodhya
2.4.         SriRama crosses Ganga on the boat of Guha
2.5.         SriRama goes to Chitrakuta on the instruction of Bharadvaja.
2.6.         The Death of Dasaratha.
2.7.         The Arrival of Bharata
2.8.          Bharata rejects to be the King of Ayodhya.
2.9.         Bharata goes to Chitrakuta to meet Rama and requests him to rule      Ayodhya.
2.10.    Rama accepts to come back to Ayodhya only after 14 years.
2.11.    Bharata returns and SriRama moves to Dandakaranaya.

3.     अरण्यकाण्डम्:
3.1.         The sages request SriRama to save them from the Demons.  SriRama      accepts.
3.2.         Surpanakha was punished for her mischief.
3.3.         SriRama destroys Khara, Dushana and Trisiras.
3.4.         Surpanakha’s disingenuous report to Ravana.
3.5.         Ravana abducts Sita by deceiving SriRama.
3.6.         Jatayu attacks Ravana and gets killed.
3.7.         Rama and Lakshmana in search of Sita.
3.8.         Kabandha guides Rama and Lakshmana to Sugriva.

4.     किष्किन्धाकाण्डम्:
4.1.         Hanuman’s approach to Rama and Lakshmana
4.2.         Friendship of Rama and Sugriva
4.3.         Slaying of Vali
4.4.         Sugriva becomes the King of Kishkindha.
4.5.         Sugriva sends his troops to all the directions in search of Sita.
4.6.          Angada’s troop to South meets Svayamprabha and Sampati.
4.7.          Hanuman gets ready to leap over the sea to reach Lanka.

5.     सुन्दरकाण्डम्:
5.1.         Hanuman meets Mainaka
5.2.         Hanuman reaches Lanka deposing all the obstacles.
5.3.         Hanuman’s search for Sita in the city of Lanka.
5.4.         Hanuman finds Sita in the Asokavana.
5.5.         Hanuman speaks to Sita.
5.6.         Hanuman ruins Asokavana and kills many demons.
5.7.        Meghanada catches Hanuman and takes him to the presence of Ravana
5.8.         Hanuman’s advice to Ravana
5.9.          Hanuman burns Lanka and goes back to his teammates.
5.10.    Rama receives message of Sita through Hanuman.

6.     युद्धकाण्डम्:
6.1.         Troops of Monkeys march to the shore of the sea along with Rama          and Sugriva.
6.2.         Ravana insults Vibhishana. Vibhishana joins SriRama.
6.3.          SriRama’s army builds a bridge across the sea and reaches Lanka.
6.4.         War of Demons and Monkeys.
6.5.          SriRama kills Ravana and enthrones Vibhishana.
6.6.         SriRama comes back to Ayodhya and gets coreneted.

7.     उत्तरकाण्डम्:
7.1.         Story of Ravana
7.2.         Story of Hanuman.
7.3.         SriRama forsakes Sita near the Asrama of Valmiki.
7.4.          Sita gives birth to Kusa and Lava.
7.5.         SriRama performs Asvamedha sacrifice.
7.6.          Sita takes vow and leaves SriRama.
7.7.         Sons of Rama and his brothers take over the responsibility of ruling.
7.8.          Exodus of the citizens of Ayodhya and friends of SriRama along with     SriRama

This great story is called as Ramayana because; it depicts the life story of SriRama.  It is also called as Sitacharitam and Paulastyavadha also. 

काव्यं रामायणं कृत्स्नं सीतायाश्चरितं महत्।
पौलस्त्यवधमित्येव चकार चरितव्रतः।।
Numerous other stories are also present in this wonderful story of the SriRama.  All of them are not mere stories told for amusing but they teach ethics and encourage humans to possess the earnest qualities like courage, compassion, obedience, sacrificing nature, truth and determination etc. 
Ramayana discusses the four life-objectives of humans (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) in the narrative form of stories.  Even an enemy of SriRama could not restrain himself from praising SriRama that SriRama was the manifestation of Dharma. 
रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः साधुः सत्यपराक्रमः।
          Rhetoricians say that a Kavya tenderly gives instructions to us like the beloved. By giving the comprehensive account on the achievements of both the conflicting sides, the Kavyas give us full freedom to take our own decision at leisure.  Yet, it is the human tendency to hail the victorious side.  The Indian composers of various Kavyas always designed their stories to end them with the winning note of the side that followed Dharma. So, we understand that we should act like the heroes who followed Dharma and not the villains who acted against Dharma at all.
रामादिवत् वर्तितव्यम् न च रावणादिवत्।
So, after learning the story of the Ramayana, we understand that we must conduct ourselves like Rama but not like Ravana.Indeed, it is the intended idea of the composer. 
Rama and his followers represented Dharma and Ravana and few other people represented Kama and Artha in this story.  We notice a continuous conflict between these two human objectives to gain upper-hand over the other throughout the story.  We see the temporary rise and dominance of Kama and Artha quite for some time but it is Dharma that comprehensively wins every time and for the final time as well.
01.     Vali overpowered Sugriva and kept himself on a threat to Sugriva’s life.  Moreover, he stole even the wife of Sugriva.  So, Sugriva took shelter with SriRama and got Vali killed by him.
02.    Surpanakha was a widow of a Demon called Vidyujjihva.  She requested Rama and Lakshmana to marry her.  She even intended to kill Sita.  Then, she was rightly punished by Lakshmana. 
03.    Ravana ill-treated many women and hence, he was cursed by Brahma and Nalakubara that he would die if he repeated same malice. Still, Ravana dared to abduct Sita and finally got himself killed by Rama.

We see some instances where Rama and his followers were put some ethical tests but they firmly withstood with Dharma by denying Artha (considerable benefit).

01.                        Kaikeyi demanded Dasaratha to make Bharata the king of Ayodhya.  Dasaratha had no other way but to grant her demand fulfilled.  Yet, Bharata firmly denied gettingcoroneted.  On the instruction of Rama, he ruled Ayodhya for 14 years as a representative of SriRama, till his arrival, back from the forest.

02.                        SriRama promised Kaikeyi that he would live in the forests for 14 years.  Later, he was requested by many such as Vasishtha, Sumantra, Kausalya, Jabali, Bharata, the citizens of Ayodhya and even by Kaikeyi to come back to Ayodhya for coronation.  Yet, he decisively refused to come back earlier than the due date.  He returned to Ayodhya only after 14 years.

03.                        Sugriva promised SriRama to help him in getting back Sita from Ravana.  Ravana sent Sugriva a message that Sugriva was very dear to him because he was the brother of Vali.  He advised Sugriva to abandon Rama and go back to Kishkindha.  Sugriva denied the words of Ravana and gave him a sharp reply that Ravana was his enemy because Ravana was the friend of Vali.  

04.                        Many monkeys of Rama’s side and many Demons on the side of Ravana were killed in the war of Rama and Ravana.  However, all the monkeys got their life back.  Only those Demons survived who supported Vibhishana and supported by Vibhishana.  Thus, Adharma was ruined for the elevation of Dharma.

These instances teach us how adamant and strong-minded a person should be, in following Dharma.  Even the episodes like Visvamitra’s penance, Slaying of Vatapi by Agastya also prove Dharma to be the final winner.

SriRama, as a son, sacrificed his Kingdom for the Dharma of honouring the word of his father.  SriRama, as a King, sacrificed Sita for the Dharma of honouring the word of his subjects.  SriRama, as an observer of truth, sacrificed Lakshmana for the Dharma of honouring the word of the time (Yamadharmaraja). Thus, SriRama sacrificed everything of his for the sake of Dharma only.  If Dharma is elevated, the humanity is elevated.  Humans are mortal, but the Humanity should remain immortal!

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