Dharma is the import of the Ramayana. Rama is ‘protector of his dharma’
* In Aranyakanda, Maricha, the antagonist of dharma, says, ‘Rama is dharma incarnate’.
* In Yuddhakanda, Shuka says about Rama, ‘Dharma does not swerve from him and he does not swerve from dharma’.
* In Ayodhyakanda Rama himself says, ‘Know me as equal to the sages devoted to dharma alone’.
* Lakshmana exhorts, ‘Kill this Ravana, O my shaft, if Rama is the essence of dharma’.
* In Yuddhakanda Brahma says to Rama, ‘You are the supreme dharma of this world’.
* ‘Behave like Rama as that is dharma’, writes Kumarila Bhatta. ‘Do not behave like Ravana as that would be adharma’.
Sarga-1
Narada, the storehouse of virtues 1.1.1-5
Four adjectives are used here to describe Narada. He is engrossed in religious austerities. Manu says, “Anything that is difficult to cross over, difficult to approach, and is difficult to perform can be achieved through religious austerities”. The epithet ‘engrossed in the studies of scriptures’ suggests that anything that Narada speaks is in compliance with the dharma as postulated in the Veda. The epithet ‘prominent among the sages’ suggests his capacity to know things even beyond the reach of the senses. The adjective ‘knower of the three worlds’ is used to denote Narada’s capability to perceive directly the good and the bad due to his journey through all the three worlds.
Narada’s reply 1.1.1-8
One may ask here, “In spite of there being gods and royal sages, yakshas, demons etc., all immensely powerful, why did Narada choose Rama as his hero?” To this Apastamba says, “A breach of the sacred law and rashness are observed in the conduct of the elders of the past. Only it is not considered a sin in their case due to their very special spiritual prowess. An inferior person following their example is bound to perish”. Rama however, followed the dictates of dharma.
To the same effect, Markandeya tells Yudhishthira in the Vanaparva of the Mahabharata: “When I think of the calamity befallen on you, I do not relate it to you but remember Rama instead, observing truth for a vow. He too was a king and I saw him in the past, residing in the forests of the Rshyamuka mountain accompanied by Lakshmana at the instance of his father. He too, equal in valour with Indra, of immense prowess and invincible on the battlefield, leaving a life of enjoyment wandered through the forests. One should not take to adharma just because one has might”.
Introduction
Dharma is the import of the Ramayana. Rama is ‘protector of his dharma’
* In Aranyakanda, Maricha, the antagonist of dharma, says, ‘Rama is dharma incarnate’.
* In Yuddhakanda, Shuka says about Rama, ‘Dharma does not swerve from him and he does not swerve from dharma’.
* In Ayodhyakanda Rama himself says, ‘Know me as equal to the sages devoted to dharma alone’.
* Lakshmana exhorts, ‘Kill this Ravana, O my shaft, if Rama is the essence of dharma’.
* In Yuddhakanda Brahma says to Rama, ‘You are the supreme dharma of this world’.
* ‘Behave like Rama as that is dharma’, writes Kumarila Bhatta. ‘Do not behave like Ravana as that would be adharma’.
Sarga-1
Narada, the storehouse of virtues 1.1.1-5
Four adjectives are used here to describe Narada. He is engrossed in religious austerities. Manu says, “Anything that is difficult to cross over, difficult to approach, and is difficult to perform can be achieved through religious austerities”. The epithet ‘engrossed in the studies of scriptures’ suggests that anything that Narada speaks is in compliance with the dharma as postulated in the Veda. The epithet ‘prominent among the sages’ suggests his capacity to know things even beyond the reach of the senses. The adjective ‘knower of the three worlds’ is used to denote Narada’s capability to perceive directly the good and the bad due to his journey through all the three worlds.
Narada’s reply 1.1.1-8
One may ask here, “In spite of there being gods and royal sages, yakshas, demons etc., all immensely powerful, why did Narada choose Rama as his hero?” To this Apastamba says, “A breach of the sacred law and rashness are observed in the conduct of the elders of the past. Only it is not considered a sin in their case due to their very special spiritual prowess. An inferior person following their example is bound to perish”. Rama however, followed the dictates of dharma.
To the same effect, Markandeya tells Yudhishthira in the Vanaparva of the Mahabharata: “When I think of the calamity befallen on you, I do not relate it to you but remember Rama instead, observing truth for a vow. He too was a king and I saw him in the past, residing in the forests of the Rshyamuka mountain accompanied by Lakshmana at the instance of his father. He too, equal in valour with Indra, of immense prowess and invincible on the battlefield, leaving a life of enjoyment wandered through the forests. One should not take to adharma just because one has might”.