The Ramayana

The Ramayana: Anthropomorphism of the Divine Perhaps no single work of prose captures the breadth and depth of the meaning of the word dharma, than does the Ramayana. Not a religious book or divinely inspired text such as the Bible or Quran, the Ramayana was originally an epic poem that circulated for centuries by word of mouth before being written down, and thus expanded and contracted over the millennia in written form, dance, songs, movies and television series across a large portion of Asia. As such there is no absolutely correct or true version, but the general story is one of good vs. evil, portraying in dramatic fashion the virtuous and just behavior of the transcendent Rama, inevitably rising triumphantly after a series of initiations, tests, betrayal and deceit. It has given Indians a fantastic example of extraordinary behavior under extreme circumstances, but also provides ideals and wisdom for common daily life. Take this example from the beginning, when the sage Viswamithra convinces Rama’s father, King Dasaratha to allow his son to travel with him on a potentially dangerous journey;
“You cannot count on the physical proximity of someone you love, all the time. A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parent tree remains stunted until it is transplanted…Every human being, when the time comes, has to depart and seek his fulfillment in his own way.” (Narayan 1972, 9)

The above provides but one example from the Ramayana’s simple yet pure message that all classes, all castes can appreciate. It is a story that provides context for the concept of dharma; it shows how a god(s) in human form furnishes examples replete with compassion, justice, courage, loyalty, valor, selflessness and self-sacrifice. The concept of a god allowing himself to be born mortal in order to rid the world of evil is not exclusive to the western world. This paper will take a cursory look at this mythological tale as an anthropomorphism of the divine providing a model