Ramayana by Valmiki

Introduction

The Ramayana (composed c. 500 BCE, attributed to the sage Valmiki) is one of the two great epics of ancient India, alongside the Mahabharata. It tells the story of Rama, prince of Ayodhya, who is exiled to the forest for fourteen years. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana accompany him. When the demon king Ravana abducts Sita and takes her to Lanka, Rama allies with the monkey king Sugriva and his general Hanuman to rescue her.

The Ideal and the Human

Rama is the ideal king, the ideal son, the ideal husband—mariada purushottam, the perfect man. But the epic's greatness lies in its complications. Rama's treatment of Sita after her rescue—subjecting her to a trial by fire and later exiling her while pregnant—has generated centuries of debate. The Ramayana is not a simple morality tale but a profound exploration of duty, love, and the irreconcilable demands of public and private life.

Key Takeaways

• Duty and love are often in conflict
• The ideal is always contested
• Hanuman is the greatest devotee in world literature