Valmiki
Kali Whitlow
There is little documentation about the life of Valmiki, the ancient author of the Ramayana. Historians and scholars have used the Ramayana to decipher the time period in which he lived. It is believed that he lived near northeast India since the majority of the story took place there (van Nooten xiii). The question lingers as to when Valmiki lived but western scholars have narrowed the time period down to around the fourth century B.C.E. It is speculated that Valmiki was the first author to be known as a literary genius and he has been given the title the Adikavi, meaning first poet, of Sanskrit literature.
The traditional story of Valmiki tells of him leading the violent life of a highway robber. Valmiki supported his family by robbing people, but his family did not approve of his work. Knowing this, he sought a priest and asked how he could turn his life around. The priest instructed Valmiki to “repeat the holy syllables ‘ma’ and ‘ra’” while an anthill formed around him (Whitlark 1). Legend goes that a thousand years passed and the priest returned, allowing Valmiki to make the connection that he was reciting the name Rama. When he learned this, he was told the tale of the ideal hero Rama. Rama’s story and Valmiki’s first hand account of a hunter killing a heron, inspired Valmiki to express himself in Sanskrit poetry, ultimately composing the Ramayana.
Valmiki’s works gave readers a chance to experience the ancient Hindu culture and portrayed the various elements and values by which Hindus strive to live by. That ability to guide and mentor is what sets Valmiki apart and gives him the effectiveness and credibility in the eyes of those who revere him as a literary genius.
The traditional story of Valmiki tells of him leading the violent life of a highway robber. Valmiki supported his family by robbing people, but his family did not approve of his work. Knowing this, he sought a priest and asked how he could turn his life around. The priest instructed Valmiki to “repeat the holy syllables ‘ma’ and ‘ra’” while an anthill formed around him (Whitlark 1). Legend goes that a thousand years passed and the priest returned, allowing Valmiki to make the connection that he was reciting the name Rama. When he learned this, he was told the tale of the ideal hero Rama. Rama’s story and Valmiki’s first hand account of a hunter killing a heron, inspired Valmiki to express himself in Sanskrit poetry, ultimately composing the Ramayana.
Valmiki’s works gave readers a chance to experience the ancient Hindu culture and portrayed the various elements and values by which Hindus strive to live by. That ability to guide and mentor is what sets Valmiki apart and gives him the effectiveness and credibility in the eyes of those who revere him as a literary genius.
Themes of the Ramayana
Lydia Ford
The Ramayana is an Indian epic written by Valmiki around 550 B.C. E. This epic explores the ideal relationships among humankind, the ideal man, and the constant battle between good and evil. The Ramayana is highly important within the Indian community, particularly among Hindus, due to its portrayal of the story of the Hindu god, Vishnu, who comes to earth as the main character, Rama, a common man. The constant battle between good and evil is a major theme in this epic, and Rama is used as a model for Hindus to strive toward. Throughout the Ramayana, Rama is depicted as the epitome of a “good” Hindu man—he’s selfless and acts with dignity—and he consistently fights the “evil” characters in order to achieve the greater good for his society. Because Rama is believed to be both Vishnu and the seventh incarnation of the respected king of Ayodhya, he is the model of the perfect Hindu citizen. This epic has influenced Hindu society in the sense that Hindus believe if they behave and act as Rama then they are judged as being good and pleasing to their god. In addition, ideal family roles within the Hindu religion are stressed throughout the epic poem. The ancient epic continually demonstrates the importance of family, and each major character in the Ramayana is used as a model of the ideal role. The relationships between family members are presented as the ideal Hindu situation, such as the relationships between father and son, brother and brother, friend and friend, and wife to husband. The theme of the ideal duties of the family—the ideal husband, wife, brother, father, king, and servant—is demonstrated in the Ramayana to provide a standard that Hindus find morally and socially acceptable.
Men and women in ancient India
Beighlie Ozmun
Contrary to popular belief, Indian men and women (at least in ancient times) were mostly equal. In fact, it seems that women were free to choose their own husbands, married at a mature age, were educated, and there are even some accounts of women holding religious roles, such as seers and sages. While women were held to an equal standard as men, they were required to be submissive to their husbands, and in many cases held little to no power. One position of “power” given to women held no power at all: the Nagar Vadhu. A large competition would be held for the women of the city, and parliament would decide which woman would be chosen. Translated “bride of the city”, the Nagar Vadhu was a single woman chosen as the most beautiful woman in the city. Although respected as a queen, the Nagar Vadhu was more of an entertainer; kings, princes, and lords would hire her to sing and dance (this was really just a glorified prostitute). The treatment of women in India deteriorated rapidly during the medieval period. Now, young girls were married off (and had no say in the matter), widows could not remarry, polygamy was common, and women were often restricted to certain parts of the house. Despite this oppression, women were still educated and took on political, societal, and religious roles, and there were even several Indian queens. The Bhakti were a series of movements dedicated to question women’s oppression and the restoration of the role of women in Indian society. Many men preached equality for men and women following the Bhakti, but their practices did not match their words. There are many harmful Indian traditions, such as sati, juahar, and devadasis. Sati is a traditional suicide, in which a woman threw herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. This act was supposed to be voluntary, but was expected of the woman regardless of whether she wanted to perform the sati or not (the act is now highly discouraged, and the Commission of Sati Act is dedicated to sati prevention). Jauhar was the voluntary immolation of wives and daughters of fallen soldiers to avoid capture and molestation by enemy soldiers. The wives of fallen Rajput rulers mirrored the act to show honor. Some Indian communities practiced Purdah, the covering and veiling of a woman’s face and form from men—this restricts the interaction of men and women, which has negative effects on the freedom of women in society. Often mistaken for a religious practice, Devadasis is a ritual in which a woman is bound to a deity or temple.
Cultural Significance of the Ramayana
Colin Smith
Valmiki’s Ramayana is one of India’s most enduring works. The Hindu epic, in some ways mirrors the work of Homer, in that its author more than likely compiled many heroic oral traditions into a collective whole. However, it differs from the more universally known Greek and Roman mythological poems in its reception by its core readers. Its initial audience as well as modern day Indians and Hindus not only revere the titular hero Rama for his heroic deeds and demon slaying, but more so for his attitude. Throughout his journey, even in the face of hardship and exile, Rama exhibits bravery, kindness and selflessness for the ideal of dharma. These are still carried over today in its countless retellings. Over the centuries since its first writing, the story has seen numerous retellings, not only through the translations and interpretations expected of a theological text, but also through more social mediums. Select areas in India see an annual theatre portrayal, with a group of actors putting on plays every night for a month outlining the journey of Rama. The actors portraying the main protagonists are seen as incarnations of the divine heroes themselves and at the end of the last play they are brought in a parade like fashion back to the Maharaja of Banaras who washes their feet; which have now usually been bruised by the amount of public praise they have received (Heinz 135).
Regarding the political atmosphere of the twentieth century and up to modern day, the Ramayana has seen its use for both good and violence. The pacifist Mohandas Gandhi used utopian imagery from the epic to rally people to stand up for an independent India. On the other hand, the epic also caused political extremism in the early 1990s in India that lead up to skirmishes between Hindus and Muslims, killing thousands.
The tale has also found its way into mass media. The watching of the government ran television series based on the epic was viewed as a religious practice during its airing in the late 1980s. The program sparked such enthusiasm sanitation workers went on strike when it was announced the program would not go on to show the happenings of the seventh and final book. The resulting country wide sanitation issues forced the government to put the show back on air.
Regarding the political atmosphere of the twentieth century and up to modern day, the Ramayana has seen its use for both good and violence. The pacifist Mohandas Gandhi used utopian imagery from the epic to rally people to stand up for an independent India. On the other hand, the epic also caused political extremism in the early 1990s in India that lead up to skirmishes between Hindus and Muslims, killing thousands.
The tale has also found its way into mass media. The watching of the government ran television series based on the epic was viewed as a religious practice during its airing in the late 1980s. The program sparked such enthusiasm sanitation workers went on strike when it was announced the program would not go on to show the happenings of the seventh and final book. The resulting country wide sanitation issues forced the government to put the show back on air.
Context: Hinduism in the Time of the Ramayana
Jodi Erickson
The Ramayana, a highly influential Indian epic, is greatly
influenced by the Hindu religion. In
order to get a closer look at the origin and meaning of the Ramayana, one must
delve into the world of ancient India, when Hinduism was in its first stages of
development.
The four
Vedas, in the Sanskrit language, make up the central holy texts of
Hinduism. They date from before 2000 BCE
and detail the societal, religious, economic, and governmental systems of the
early Indus-Sarasvati people. In around
600 BCE, Hinduism had developed and spread throughout India, unifying the
subcontinent.
Some key aspects of Hinduism are the belief in one supreme god and several gods and goddesses of lesser power and the concepts of dharma (duty), karma (good or bad deeds in previous lives affect current lives), and reincarnation (the belief that people are born again into the world after they die). They believe that there is one deity, usually called Vishnu, who created the world from himself and inhabits everything in nature. He also is told to inhabit the soul, or atman, of every person. Hinduism is different from many other religions because, while they believe in one all-powerful god, they also worship devas, or lesser gods (and goddesses), such as Ganesha and Agni. Three devas are held higher than the others: Vishnu (the creator), Shiva (the destroyer), and Brahma (the god of wisdom). Each of these deities (including the minor ones) has specific abilities and jobs, but each is seen to be a different form of Vishnu or another of the main trinity, though Vishnu possesses the most avatars. Vishnu also occasionally appears on Earth in the form of different people. Rama, heir to the throne of Ayodhya, husband of Sita, and main subject of the Ramayana, is held to be one of the most important avatars of Vishnu. Rama is depicted as the ultimate upholder of dharma: he lived his life in strict adherence to his dharma, or duty. Another important figure in the Ramayana is also a god: Hanuman, a Hindu god with the body of a monkey. Hanuman follows Rama faithfully, and is regarded as the ultimate symbol of fidelity and altruism.
Hinduism is one of the most prominent religions in the world and it has produced many stories; it shaped the Ramayana’s characters, philosophies, and morals, and is a driving force in India still today.
it.
Some key aspects of Hinduism are the belief in one supreme god and several gods and goddesses of lesser power and the concepts of dharma (duty), karma (good or bad deeds in previous lives affect current lives), and reincarnation (the belief that people are born again into the world after they die). They believe that there is one deity, usually called Vishnu, who created the world from himself and inhabits everything in nature. He also is told to inhabit the soul, or atman, of every person. Hinduism is different from many other religions because, while they believe in one all-powerful god, they also worship devas, or lesser gods (and goddesses), such as Ganesha and Agni. Three devas are held higher than the others: Vishnu (the creator), Shiva (the destroyer), and Brahma (the god of wisdom). Each of these deities (including the minor ones) has specific abilities and jobs, but each is seen to be a different form of Vishnu or another of the main trinity, though Vishnu possesses the most avatars. Vishnu also occasionally appears on Earth in the form of different people. Rama, heir to the throne of Ayodhya, husband of Sita, and main subject of the Ramayana, is held to be one of the most important avatars of Vishnu. Rama is depicted as the ultimate upholder of dharma: he lived his life in strict adherence to his dharma, or duty. Another important figure in the Ramayana is also a god: Hanuman, a Hindu god with the body of a monkey. Hanuman follows Rama faithfully, and is regarded as the ultimate symbol of fidelity and altruism.
Hinduism is one of the most prominent religions in the world and it has produced many stories; it shaped the Ramayana’s characters, philosophies, and morals, and is a driving force in India still today.
it.