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| Above: (From left to right) Lashmana, Hanuman, Rama and Sita |
Dharma
Dharma is an important term in Indian religions. In Hinduism it means 'duty', 'virtue', 'morality', even 'religion' and it refers to the power which upholds the universe and society. Hindus generally believe that dharma was revealed in the Vedas although a more common word there for 'universal law' or 'righteousness' is rita. Dharma is the power that maintains society, it makes the grass grow, the sun shine, and makes us moral people or rather gives humans the opportunity to act virtuously.
But acting virtuously does not mean precisely the same for everyone; different people have different obligations and duties according to their age, gender, and social position. Dharma is universal but it is also particular and operates within concrete circumstances. Each person therefore has their own dharma known as sva-dharma. What is correct for a woman might not be for a man or what is correct for an adult might not be for a child.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/concepts/concepts_1.shtml#section_2
In this video sage Valmiki is explaining to Lakshmana and Rama about how to live according to dharma. In the closed captioning, the word dharma is translated as religion.
In this video sage Valmiki is explaining to Lakshmana and Rama about how to live according to dharma. In the closed captioning, the word dharma is translated as religion.
Introduction
The Ramayana is one of the two great Indian epics. The Ramayana tells about life in India around 1000 BCE and offers models in dharma. The hero, Rama, lived his whole life by the rules of dharma; in fact, that was why Indian consider him heroic. When Rama was a young boy, he was the perfect son. Later he was an ideal husband to his faithful wife, Sita, and a responsible ruler of Aydohya. "Be as Rama," young Indians have been taught for 2,000 years; "Be as Sita."
Prince Rama was the eldest of four sons and was to become king when his father retired from ruling. His stepmother, however, wanted to see her son Bharata, Rama's younger brother, become king. Remembering that the king had once promised to grant her any two wishes she desired, she demanded that Rama be banished and Bharata be crowned. The king had to keep his word to his wife and ordered Rama's banishment. Rama accepted the decree unquestioningly. "I gladly obey father's command," he said to his stepmother. "Why, I would go even if you ordered it."
When Sita, Rama's wife, heard Rama was to be banished, she begged to accompany him to his forest retreat. "As shadow to substance, so wife to husband," she reminded Rama. "Is not the wife's dharma to be at her husband's side? Let me walk ahead of you so that I may smooth the path for your feet," she pleaded. Rama agreed, and Rama, Sita and his brother Lakshmana all went to the forest.
When Bharata learned what his mother had done, he sought Rama in the forest. "The eldest must rule," he reminded Rama. "Please come back and claim your rightful place as king." Rama refused to go against his father's command, so Bharata took his brother's sandals and said, "I shall place these sandals on the throne as symbols of your authority. I shall rule only as regent in your place, and each day I shall put my offerings at the feet of my Lord. When the fourteen years of banishment are over, I shall joyously return the kingdom to you." Rama was very impressed with Bharata's selflessness. As Bharata left, Rama said to him, "I should have known that you would renounce gladly what most men work lifetimes to learn to give up."
Later in the story, Ravana, the evil King of Lanka, (what is probably present-day Sri Lanka) abducted Sita. Rama mustered the aid of a money army, built a causeway across to Lanka, released Sita and brought her safely back to Aydohya. In order to set a good example, however, Rama demanded that Sita prove her purity before he could take her back as his wife. Rama, Sita and Bharata are all examples of persons following their dharma.
Source: http://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/~vemuri/classes/freshman/RamayanaSynopsis.htm
The Ramayana is posited as having been written by Valmiki, a sage of ancient India. This is the the same sage Valmiki that appears in the story. Scholars postulate that the work was written about 2,000 years ago. The work was later re-written and re-told in many different formats, most importantly by a sage named Tulsidas in the common vernacular of the time.
The Ramayana is posited as having been written by Valmiki, a sage of ancient India. This is the the same sage Valmiki that appears in the story. Scholars postulate that the work was written about 2,000 years ago. The work was later re-written and re-told in many different formats, most importantly by a sage named Tulsidas in the common vernacular of the time.
Questions to think about before class:
1.) Character by character how does Rama, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman, Ravana and Rama's father Dasharata portray dharma?
2.) Why does Dasaharata (Rama's father) banish Rama to the forest?
3.) Why doesn't Sita allow Hanuman to rescue her?
4.) Why does Rama ask Sita to leave Ayodhya?
2.) Why does Dasaharata (Rama's father) banish Rama to the forest?
3.) Why doesn't Sita allow Hanuman to rescue her?
4.) Why does Rama ask Sita to leave Ayodhya?
