The
Ramayana is one of the two epic Hindu poems, the other being the
Mahabharata. It is a sweeping tale of
abduction, battle, and courtship played out in a universe of deities
and demons. Although the Sanskrit original was composed by Valmiki
around the fourth century BC.
Valmiki portrays Rama not as a supernatural being, but as a human
with all the attendant shortcomings, who encounters moral dilemmas
but who overcomes these by simply adhering to the dharma--the
righteous way. There are several instances narrated in Valmiki
Ramayana which cast shadows on the pristine character of the hero
and reinforce the theme of Ram struggling with mortal flaws and
prejudices whilst struggling to follow the path of dharma.
The Ramayana
describes a love story between Rama, an ancient King, and his wife,
Sita, who is captured by Ravana, the King of Sri Lanka. It is a
story of love, war, heroic deeds and dharma.
The Ramayana can be enjoyed for its
spiritual wisdom, or as a thrilling tale of ancient conflict.
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SANSKRIT
STUDIES