The Ramayana is one of the major works in world literature displaying the beliefs of people who lived in Ancient India. The epic depicts the adventures of Rama, who was one of the best people of his time and the best king of his people. As any other epic hero, Rama was virtuous, strong, and capable of addressing the challenges the gods had to send. Moreover, he was an earthly reincarnation of the god, so he had the best qualities among humans. Numerous themes are discussed in The Ramayana, and two central ones are virtue and family responsibility.
The protagonist of the epic is born to a king, so he is to reign in his land someday. Rama understands his duty and accepts his destiny with humbleness, which is one of the major virtues. Another virtue of the future king is his dedication “to the welfare of his subjects” (Sattar 35). Rama is honest, brave, wise, and ready to help anyone who is in need. All these virtues make him loved by everyone in his future kingdom.
At that, one of the primary virtues within the Hindu tradition is being faithful to one’s family. Rama displays the highest commitment to his family in many ways. Being a good son, he tries to be a good king as this is his father’s will. One of the brightest illustrations of family responsibility displayed by Rama is his exile to the wilderness. The virtuous son is eager to save his father’s honor and leaves the comfort of the palace to make sure that his father can keep his word (Sattar 36). The high status of his family makes it impossible for his father to break his word, although he is ready to do so for the sake of his beloved son’s future. However, being a virtuous person committed to his family’s wellbeing, Rama leaves his father and the city.
Importantly, Rama’s brothers are also honorable and rule the country while Rama is in exile. They display high family responsibility as well, so they do not try to overrun each other and become rulers. They reign wisely, but they remain eager to help their brother return safely to his throne. The family is the highest value for Rama and his brothers, as well as the entire Ancient Indian society.
The epic also includes diverse characters who serve as an embodiment of negative qualities. For instance, Kaikeyï is one of such female characters, and she makes the king drive away his beloved son. For being such an evil person, the woman is punished as her husband dies soon and her own son is enraged with her deeds. Rama’s wife, Sita, on the contrary, is an embodiment of female virtue. She is faithful to her husband and is ready to follow him wherever he goes. She endures all the challenges she has to face with great patience, which is one of the virtues of a good wife.
On balance, it is necessary to state that The Ramayana depicts the basic virtues of a good person who fights against the wrongs of earthly existence. The texts of the Hindu epic and topics discussed suggest that the people of the ancient world placed a high value on virtue and family responsibility. The main characters of the epic remained faithful to their families and managed to confront the evil.
Work Cited
Sattar, Arshia, translator. Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.