Ramas Perfect Dharma in the Ramayana - Book Report/Review Example

Rama’s Perfect Dharma in The Ramayana

Dharma can simply be defined as the concept of the path to the right conduct, which eventually leads to the upholding of the right moral values and virtues. The concept of dharma in The Ramayana is portrayed by various characters, with each character representing dharma in a different way, based on the role in which each individual plays in the epic story. The Ramayana has depicted the character of Dasaratha, whose role is that of King, husband and father and the character of Rama, whose role is that of a prince, a son and a husband. In addition, The Ramayana has also depicted two other individuals, one which is the character of Sita, whose role is that of a wife, and the character of Hanuman, whose role is that of supporting and fighting for Rama. Each of these characters portrayed in the story is important, because they are engaged in advancing the concept of dharma through their different decision-making responsibilities, based on the specific role that each character has to play in the story. Nevertheless, while each of the characters plays an important role in advancing the concept of dharma, it is the decisions largely made by Rama, which acts as the driving force for the entire story in The Ramayana. While different characters in The Ramayana have fulfilled or failed to fulfill their dharma in one way or the other, Rama’s moral consistency is the hallmark of perfect dharma.

Rama is a character in The Ramayana that has depicted unwavering moral consistency. The argument can be supported by the fact that from the very beginning of The Ramayana to the end, Rama does not fail, even in a single instance, to fulfill his moral duty through right conduct. Rama’s obedient to dharma is underlined by very fundamental conducts depicted by Rama in the entire story. The first element underlying Rama’s perfect dharma is the fact he obeys the condition requiring that he sent into exile and banished into the forest, in favor of his brother being groomed as the next king. Kaikeyí asks Dasaratha to banish and exile Rama and prepare his son, Bharata to become the next king of Ayodya. In response to this very hard and humanly difficult condition, “Ráma, to please Kaikeyí went obedient forth to banishment” (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.10). The obedience of Rama towards the banishment was not only a means of respecting authority of his father as a king or only respecting both Kaikeyí and Dasaratha as his parents, but also as a means of Rama adhering to his dharma. Therefore, without considering the dangers and the suffering such a condition posed upon his life, “Ráma nobly chose to be observant of his sire's decree” (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.12). Additionally, while it is naturally expected that, as a human, Rama would detest and loathe his brother because he was the cause for his exile and banishment, Rama instead acted to the contrary and portrayed love for his brother. Rama did not only agree to go to the forest for the extended period just because his parents had required of him to do so, but instead, “for his brother's sake he dared all perils” (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.10). It was in Bharata’s best interest of inheriting the throne that Rama decided to suffer the exile, even when he had the right to reject that suffering as a human. Most fundamentally, Rama’s moral consistency and his adherence to dharma is proven by the fact that he excelled in loving his wife, Sita, despite the difficulties of life that they were undergoing. The circumstances surrounding Rama’s life would make it humanly possible for anyone to be bitter and even very difficult to show love and affection. However, to the contrary of the human nature and in strict adherence to his dharma, Rama “Sítá, Ráma's darling wife, was loved even as he loved his life” (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.10). There is no doubt then, that Rama lived to the full perfection of his dharma, against all odds that made such strict adherence to dharma humanly difficult.

King Dasaratha, on the other hand, is a character in The Ramayana that fulfills and fails to fulfill his dharma in equal measure, thus demonstrating the shifting nature of Dharma. King Dasaratha observed depicted the moral consistency aligned with dharma, when he kept his words of honor and upheld the promise he had made to his wife, that he would satisfy or grant any request that his wife makes (VÁLMÍKI, 1874). Therefore, king Dasaratha agreed to the request made by his wife that he sends their son Rama to exile, and instead hand over the throne to their other son, Bharata. Although sending Rama to exile was completely against king Dasaratha’s wishes, he obeys his dharma by keeping his word of honor, and banishes his son to the forest. On the other hand, king Dasaratha failed in his dharma, by failing to keep his other promise and word of honor to his son, Rama. King Dasaratha had promised Rama that he would make him the king of Ayodya (VÁLMÍKI, 1874). However, because the king’s wife had a contrary idea to the promise made by the king to Rama, the king’s wife convinced him to go back on his words, and instead of grooming Rama for the throne, to banish him and instead hand over the throne to Bharata. In this respect, king Dasaratha failed in observing the moral consistency of dharma, which requires that once a promise is made, then, it should be fulfilled. Therefore, by going back on his promise to Rama and sending him to exile, king Dasaratha failed in his dharma, and portrayed the shifting nature of dharma.

Nevertheless, Sita, is a character in The Ramayana that fulfils her dharma through consistency in her moral values. Sita fulfils her dharma by playing her role of a wife perfectly, even when the conditions dictated the fulfillment of such responsibilities to be humanly difficult. For example, when Rama is exiled and banished to the forest, Sita obediently and with love, plays her wifely duty of staying with his husband during the good and the bad times, by choosing to follow Rama into the forest (VÁLMÍKI, 1874). Although leaving the kingdom and going into the exile was a hard thing for Sita to do, she opted to stick to her dharma as a perfect wife, and followed Rama into the forest, where Rama constructed “a pleasant little cottage …and spent his days with Sítá” (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.11).

Equally, Hanumán, is a character in The Ramayana that fulfils her dharma through consistency in her moral values. Hanumán was a true friend who dedicated his life to serving and supporting Rama, even in the difficult of all circumstances. It was Hanumán’s hope that Rama would ultimately inherit the throne, but when the contrary happened and Rama was banished to the forest, Hanumán did not only support Rama’s decision to accept the condition, but also fulfilled his dharma by following Rama into the forest to serve him. Therefore, the larger part of Rama’s survival in the difficulties he had to go through after being exiled from the kingdom was possible because of “the steadfast friendship won of Hanumán the Wind-God's son” (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.14). In fact, Hanumán did not only fulfill his dharma by being loyal to Rama, but also by going to great extents of risking his own life for the sake of Rama and his wife. Hanumán committed to fight against Rama’s oppressors and the captors of his wife, a conduct he performed with boldness and bravely of a true friend, as opposed to that of a servant serving his lord. Therefore, Hanumán risked his life and fought various battles for Rama, including the one he fought and“he found poor Sítá, Ráma's spouse”, and saved her (VÁLMÍKI, 1874, p.16).

In conclusion, the concept of dharma in The Ramayana is portrayed by various characters. Each of the character portrays dharma in a different way, based on the role in which each individual plays in the epic story. While Rama, Sita and Hanumán emerge as examples of characters that fulfilled their dharma in the story, king Dasaratha emerges as a character that portrays the shifting nature of dharma. Nevertheless, Rama’s moral consistency is the hallmark of perfect dharma in The Ramayana.