Blackwell Reference Online

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[ xvii ] The epic story of R ama , a Sanskrit composition in 24,000 stanzas attributed to the ancient Indian sage and poet Valmiki. Basically the story of the life of Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, capital of the kingdom of Kosala, and of his devout and noble wife Sita, the epic also includes much of ancient Indian folklore and moral values. Its main effect is to hold up the ideal types of Hindu manhood and womanhood; it has been said that the Ramayana makes its hero, Rama, D harma itself in flesh and blood. Contemporary literature of the period (? 8th or 7th century bce ) makes no mention of Rama. The life and exploits of a relatively minor ruler were probably elaborated by local bards only later, before the time ( c. 1st century bce or ce ) when the epic was put together into what became the received Sanskrit text. The theological point of view it conveys is that V ishnu , who incarnates ( see A vatara ) himself from time to time when evil threatens to overcome the world, did so on this occasion in order that, as Rama, he should put an end to the wickedness of the demon Ravana, who in the story carries off Sita. In this he was aided by the monkey-god H anuman [12: 305, 414–17]. A lyrical version entitled the Ramacaritmanas (Sacred Lake of the Acts of Rama) was rendered into Hindi from the Sanskrit original by the poet Tulsidas (1532–1623), in a work which has justly ... log in or subscribe to read full text