Ramayana - lessons for everyone to learn

Lionchild · #1 (**permalink**) 22-May-2005, 11:46 AM

Ramayana - lessons for everyone to learn
By Darcy Starr

Anyone heard of this great epic? Well, i have, i have even did my own version of, and lost it,

. anyways, i think this story deserves to be mentioned cause it has many good points and is universaly known. It may be in hindu religion, but the core morals and lessons in love and greed are applicable to todays world.

Of course if your are a sikh you wouldnt want to get to deep into the actual philosophy nor the characters themselves. For obvious reasons, it wouldn't be a good idea if you dwelled too much on the story. However, it doesn't hurt to look at a different viewpoint in life.

Here is a short brief summery of the Ramayana of Valmiki, courtesy of Mawell school:

Retiring King Dasaratha of Ayodha chooses his son Rama as his heir. His wife Kaikeyi asks that he appoint another son Bharata, instead. Kaikeyi pleads that he owes her two favors, and she feels misfortune will come upon her if he doesn't crown Bharata king and banish Rama to the forest for fourteen years. The king reluctantly agrees, so Rama goes with his beautiful wife, Sita, and his brother Laksmana, leaving their riches to live a simple life.

In the forest the three meet the demoness Surpanakha who falls in love with Rama. Rama refuses her advances and Laksmana wounds her. She flees to her brother Ravana, ruler of the island kingdom of Lanka. After hearing Surpanakha's report of the beauty of Sita, Ravana decides that he must have Sita and changes himself into in wandering holy man to find her in the forest. When Rama and Laksmana are distracted, Ravana carries Sita off to Lanka.

Sita mourns in Ravana's garden in Lanka, while Rama and Laksmana enlist the services of Hanuman, the monkey king, to help them find her. Hanuman, able to make himself larger or smaller, starts his search for Sita by taking a giant step to the Island of Lanka. Carrying Rama's ring he finds Sita and identifies himself as Rama's messenger. Sita is delighted, but Hanuman is caught and Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on fire. Hanuman escapes and sets fire to Lanka.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/interfaith-dialogues/3704-ramayana-lessons-for-everyone-to-learn.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=3704

Rama, Laksmana, Hanuman, and his monkey army lay siege on Lanka. The monkeys make a bridge to Lanka, and after a long battle with spears, bows and arrows, Rama kills Ravana. Sita, however, is not received by Rama unreservedly; he questions her chastity after having lived in the house of another man. When he asks her to undergo the test by fire; she agrees. Proving her chastity by remaining unscathed by the fire, she rejoins Rama. Later, Rama abandons her to maintain the sanctity of public opinion and she goes to live in the ashram of sage Valmiki and bears twin sons Lava and Kusa, who as young men became reunited with their father, the god-king Rama.

I am currently doing a another remake of the story, however, it will quite different in setting and world. I will update you on the later.

- Khalsa Starr

Neutral Singh · #2 (**permalink**) 22-May-2005, 13:00 PM

Quote:

Of course if your are a sikh you wouldnt want to get to deep into the actual philosophy nor the characters themselves. For obvious reasons, it wouldn't be a good idea if you dwelled too much on the story. However, it doesn't hurt to look at a different viewpoint in life.

Nice story Starr,

i remember in my childhood times Ramayan used to be shown on TV on Sundays and we used to enjoy watching it alot.

The above quoted remark from you sounds strange to me... i could not make much out of this observation on your part... "if your are a sikh you wouldnt want to get to deep into the actual philosophy" ... and i thought if we were a sikhs or a deciple or a learner then we should definitely like to know about other philosophies because being a sikh means we respect other philosophies but do not necessarily follow them there is nothing like closing our eyes to other philosophies.

So, i think you should go right ahead with your stories and share all of them with us they make an interesting reading.

Regards

Lionchild · #3 (**permalink**) 22-May-2005, 17:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman Singh

Nice story Starr,

The above quoted remark from you sounds strange to me... i could not make much out of this observation on your part... "if your are a sikh you wouldnt want to get to deep into the actual philosophy" ... and i thought if we were a sikhs or a deciple or a learner then we should definitely like to know about other philosophies because being a sikh means we respect other philosophies but do not necessarily follow them there is nothing like closing our eyes to other philosophies.
Regards

What i should have added is that not to take everything litterely that the ramayana says, or try to hinder your spiritual path becasue of a story - it can happen.

Of course you can learn about other religions and their story, just don't get to inv

ved to the point of near worship of another god or similer.