What is Dharma and how does it show up specifically in the Ramayana?
Hinduism forms a way of life, a Dharma. The term “Dharma” has been derived from the Sanskrit word “dhri” which stands for “to hold together”. The individuals who profess the Dharma of the Hindus and seek to follow it are guided by social, spiritual, moral and social rules, knowledge, actions and duties which are integral in binding the human race together. The word Dharma does not stand for religion; it is basically the law that is capable of governing all actions. The Dharma in the Hindu religion is known by several other names such as Vedic Dharma and Sanatan Dharma. The religion of the Hindus not only encompasses rules of rights and the responsibilities of warriors and kings, it even provides norms of Desa Dharma that helps govern the relationship between small states. There are eighteen primary Smritis or Dharma Shastras. The jurisprudence of Hindus regards the Smrities as the basis for law. The Ramayana even acts as a source of law in different situations. The Dharma Sastras, Smriti and Sruti prescribe the rules of society depending on Dharma and it is easy to single out the rules of warfare from them .
The Ramayana of Valmiki is one of the most influential epics in the history of India and offers the notion that the universe is fashioned in a vast process of self-generation where every bit of primordial matter created forms the godhead. The first Sanskrit poem, it emphasizes aesthetic and imaginative excellence outside the confines of religion. The composition of The Ramayana took place on the central Gangetic plains. The entire text, which was composed during the 6th century BC, can be divided into seven books containing over 24,000 slokas or couplets. The concept of Dharma is portrayed in this framework where Vishnu acts as the supreme god who manifests every unique aspect of godhead and Vedic rituals are necessary to please the different gods of the Hindu pantheon and ensure that individuals have a chance to attain moksha. The Ramayana depicts the struggle of royal dynasties to maintain the divine order of both the cosmos and the mundane world. Rama, the protagonist, is the avatar and the seventh incarnation of Vishnu who took birth in mortal form to vanquish Ravana, the king of the demons. The Ramayana embodies several ideals to various categories of people; some consider it to be an imaginative tale of adventure across a vast land with detailed plots and intricate settings; to others The Ramayana is a love story about the perfect prince and the ideal woman, a heroic epic of war and injustice, disinheritance and abduction and a fine tale about humans, demons, animals and gods with supernatural capabilities. The epic explains the ways of the gods to mortals and provides a model of prosperity and justice on earth .
Over the course of the past two millennia, the fame of The Ramayana has spread to distant lands. In India, there exist hundreds of interpretations, translations, adaptations and retellings in dozens of languages that served as a replacement for the Sanskrit language with time. The Ramayana is now believed to be a seminal literary classic and oral performances of the epic are popular as Rama-katha. Classical Sanskrit texts have depicted the composition of the age-based social structure that defines the cultural and religious life of the Hindus. In the course of life, a Hindu must attempt to fulfill the four distinct essentials or purusarthas viz. Artha or wealth and worldly possessions, Moksha or liberation from reincarnation, Kama or pleasure and finally Dharma - the responsibility for place in society of an individual.
The concept of Dharma is integral to the discussions of Hindu religion but it often poses a disadvantage since Dharma ties Hindu ethics to the caste system and the manner in which Hindus are represented in an overly legalistic way. Dharma, like every other purusartha, happens to be a complex, objective and subjective system that, according to the value-based contrasting western notions, not only denotes the ideal objectives of life but it even comprehends what life’s goals are due to the psychological tendencies of the individual. Purusarthas may be material and spiritual; Dharma belongs to the latter category. This is the reason why Hindu philosophy concerns itself mainly with Dharma. Discussions regarding Dharma, the supreme purusartha, are common in literature .
In The Ramayana, the concept of Dharma is made clear early on in the epic. When Lord Rama claims “If I have not sufficient wealth, I shall abandon the Dharma which requires wealth for its performance. There are many that can be performed by bodily activities. Even if the body is weary, there can be no loss of Dharma by that”, the predominant theme appears to be “Dharma at all costs”. The existence and development of Dharma within the pages of The Ramayana seems to be more profound in comparison to the other purusarthas. Dharma possesses some integral characteristics that need to be explored in detail to understand the interconnectedness between the four Hindu purusarthas and their depiction in the Ramayana. Dharma appears to be encoded into the behaviors of the idealized characters of the epic Ramayana.
The Ramayana defines Dharma clearly in the passage where King Dasharatha of Ayodhya describes his son, Lord Rama: ‘Rama heroically "makes people subject to him by his virtues, the Twice born [the religiously instructed top three varnas] by his liberality, his Spiritual Preceptors by his obedience and his enemies by the power of his bow. Goodness, munificence, asceticism, renunciation, affection, purity, integrity, prudence and submission to his Gurus are all the attributes of Raghava [Rama]’. The author of The Ramayana, Valmiki, confirms the presence of Dharma in the qualities of Rama. He states that Rama is gifted with heroic qualities and is well-versed in the liabilities of life, truthful, grateful, firm in his vows, an actor of numerous parts, benevolent to every living creature, eloquent, learned, patient, handsome, slow to anger, free from envy, and when incited, he is able to strike terror into the hearts of the celestial beings. These descriptions offer a compelling view of the qualities that are considered to be indicative of Dharma. It would not be wrong to consider The Ramayana as “the National Manual of Ethics, where Dharma is the supreme goal of life and moral life is the primary object of human beings” .
The steadfast and practical devotion of Rama to the path of Dharma is noticed till the end. The volitional compliance of Rama with the wishes of his step-mother to banish him indicates the beginning of this epic of societal and ethical responsibility. The discontent of Lakshmana in this case is palpable but Rama defends his position as a son by citing that among their ancestors were present famous kings who gained fame and the right to enter heaven through executing the bidding of their fathers. Rama explained to Lakshmana that the Universe is based on truth and he is a devotee of truth. Since Kaikeyi, his step-mother, has not realized his view of truth, he must endure suffering but cannot abandon his resolve. He asks Lakshmana to abandon his resolve based on the concept of might and turn towards Dharma.
The main concern of Rama, in this specific case, is with Dharma and righteousness. The supremacy of the concept over the other purusarthas is not independent yet considerably developed through the actions of Rama. When Rama renounces the throne and the title of king, he is not just following Dharma obediently but providing a considerable amount of Kama and Artha so that his respect for his father and step-mother does not wane and Dharma is not threatened. According to the Vishnu Purana, in case Dharma becomes endangered, then both Kama and Artha need to be abandoned. Even Dharma can be abandoned in case it opposed the opinion of the public and is not conducive to the happiness and prosperity of the society. However, it is through the rejection of Sita by Rama, in the later part of the epic that Rama debatably confirms or sways from this. The argument offered is that total focus on Dharma is meant just for a few individuals, while the rest must spread their devotions evenly.
The best way to lead a life of Dharma, according to The Ramayana, is to be alone without caring about the pursuit of riches as well as the sacrifice of material happiness. This is the reason why Rama declared to Kaikeyi with pride that he was ready to lead a life of Dharma, similar to the Rishia. Rama states this idea himself when he tells Lakshmana before leaving for the forest that, in his experience, a world where Dharma, Kama and Artha can be attained may be found through the pursuit of Dharma alone. This theory is exhibited by Rama in an efficient manner though not consistently throughout the plot. But his renunciation and deep devotion are a common theme that leads to the unsatisfactory ordeal of Sita and the claim that the pursuit of purusarthas of Sita exhibits superior display of proper ethical action.
The gain of wealth has much significance in the Ramayana and is considered to be an important means to achieve Dharma in the most efficient manner. A man, who possesses both Dharma and wealth, will get help from Artha and Karma. The popularity of The Ramayana lies in the tragic grandeur of the story where the easy idea of Rama apologizing for his faults ad not locating any in Sita puts the position of Sita immediately much higher than Rama’s in terms of an ethical model. When Sita fulfills her earthly Dharma, she declares that her purpose in life is served and cries out to her mother, Earth, to open up and swallow her .
The Ramayana serves the purpose of a Hindu resource for inter-religious conversations through the explanation of Dharma or virtues that have been exemplified and espoused by its main characters. Rama, being the avatar of the lord of the gods, has become an embodiment of righteousness, goodies, truth and duty i.e. his commitment to Dharma. Ramayana shows that each leader, irrespective of their power, has been subject to Dharma and Karma towards even their “lowliest” influences. Rama exhibits humble nobility, the king sent to exile who needs to become low before he can be lifted high. Dharma encourages different historical and mythical to act in a humble manner before they become exalted. In the end, Rama comes to realize that his Dharma encroaches on others such as Sita, Lakshmana. Dharma led Rama and Bharatha to overcome their differences and relinquish the throne to each other via asserting.
In sharp contrast to Rama, Ravana, the king of Lanka, happens to be selfish, quick to anger, self-deluded and very fickle. He has a tendency to underestimate his opponents flippantly and becomes blinded by sexual lust. He is unwilling to accept generous peace terms nor does he appreciate Rama for the first time when he spared him after he disarmed Ravana in war. Karma and Dharma ultimately proved to be the cause of downfall for Robin .
The Ramayana serves as an important inspiration and is a part of the collective consciousness of the Hindus. The Ramcharitmanas has been incarnated as the Protector of the Hindi language and Dharma. Hindus have forever been stirred by the image of Sri Rama as well as his unrelenting struggle against evil and adversity while upholding Dharma. The Preserver, Vishnu, has been charged with the arduous task of handling the functioning of creation as per the Divine Laws or Dharma. Every action carried out by Rama coincides with the concept of Dharma, morality and justice and helps foster solidarity and social cohesion .
Works Cited
DeVan, Benjamin B. "Royal Righteousness in the Ramayana? Faithful Leadership in India's Mythic Masterpiece." Interreligious Dialogue 5.9 (2012): 38-47. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://irdialogue.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Issue-9-devan-05-21-12.pdf>.
The journal article discusses the qualities displayed by the royalty and lead characters in the Ramayana which personify the concept of dharma.
Jones, Constance A. and James D. Ryan. Encyclopedia of World Religions - Encyclopedia of Hinduism. New York: Facts on File Inc., 2007. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://www.vedamu.org/Veda/EncyHinduism.pdf>.
This encyclopedia of Hinduism provides a comprehensive understanding of key concepts preached as a part of Dharma in addition to a timeline to track its historic development.
Shukla, Usha. "Ramayana as the Gateway to Hindu Religious Expression among South African Hindi Speakers." Journal of Sociology, Society and Anthology 4.1-2 (2013): 83-91. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JSSA/JSSA-04-0-000-13-Web/JSSA-04-1-2-000-13-Abst-PDF/JSSA-04-%281-2%29-083-13-071-058-Shukla-U/JSSA-04-%281-2%29-083-13-058-Shukla-U-Tt.pdf>.
This journal articles follows how the Dharma taught by Rama has transcended ages, giving a historical and theoretical development over the years taking the Indian Diaspora in South Africa as an example.
Sinha, Manoj Kumar. "Hinduism and International Humanitarian Law." International Review of the Red Cross 87.858 (2005). Web. 5 July 2013. <http://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/other/irrc_858_sinha.pdf>.
Considering that much of dharma was enacted by characters in the Ramayana during battles, this article studies the humanitarian practices preached by Hinduism as part of dharma.
Stevenson, H. N. C. "Status evaluation in the Hindu Caste System." The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 84.1/2 (1954): 45-65. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://www.centenary.edu/religion/dotto/rel265/Stevenson.pdf>.
Castes form an integral part of the Hindu dharma and this article provides a detailed understanding of the caste system.
Valmiki. "The Ramayana of Valmiki." Puchner, Martin. The Norton Anthology of World literature. Trans. Swami Venkatesananda. 3rd. Vol. A. Norton, n.d. 1170-1234.
A translation of excerpts from the Ramayana by Valmiki.
Whitman, Sarah M. "Pain and suffering as viewed by the Hindu religion." The Journal of Pain 8.8 (2007): 607-613. Web. 5 July 2013. <http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/pastoral/events/Hindu_painsuffering.pdf>.
The cleansing of the soul through pain or suffering is a crucial part of the Hindu dharma and this article enables an in-depth understanding of the concept.
