A spiritual, literary epic: The Ramayana

Apr 29, 2009, 08.00am IST
SWAMI TAPASYANANDA.


Valmiki's Ramayana has a direct and indirect meaning. Some see in it only a great literary work dealing with the heroic exploits of Rama.


But following the tradition that scriptural texts convey something more than just story, and that this forms their essence, scholars of the epic have found deep spiritual meanings in it, and they have interpreted it as an account of man's ethical and spiritual progress.


Incarnations are both human and divine, and so they are open to either interpretation. Where a cursory understanding reveals only an interesting narrative, a sage with insight can find deep spiritual meanings. Indeed, both views could coexist. A small particle of organic or inorganic matter is nothing to the naked eye of man, but the same is found to be intricate and complex under the microscopic view of a scientist. Both these views are correct. The first is superficial, while the other goes deeper.


The stories and achievements of divine incarnations may look like literary fiction or mere poetical narratives to a man who studies them from the purely literary or narrative point of view. Sages like Valmiki and Vyasa, who have gained penetrating vision through their spiritual development, could see in them a wealth of meaning. In the course of their attempt to interpret the same to a greater number of people, they may use the poetical method and the Pauranika way of depiction.

The intention of such writings of sages is not to teach history or geography but to impress on man the mystery of divine existence and the spiritual destiny of man. For example, the Bhagavata Purana after giving a long account of great devotee kings, finally says, "I have narrated the life-stories of all these great men who have departed leaving behind their memories. The object of all this literary effort is only to generate renunciation and spiritual enlightenment. Those who desire devotion to Krishna, should always hear such accounts dealing with the deeds and attributes of the Lord."

So don't look for historical authenticity or factual accuracy, for epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are narratives and stories of men with spiritual insight, who could see far deeper into the nature and purpose of life than others could with their limited understanding.

The Sundara Kanda as also the whole of the Ramayana, has got its spiritual as also its literary and narrative aspects. In the great epic poem of Ramayana, this chapter marks the acme of Valmiki's literary and poetic excellence, and so it is Sundara or beautiful. There are other interpretations as well. It is suggested that it is Sundara, because it relieved Sita of her sorrow. Sundara can mean a messenger, and the Kanda includes the message sent by Rama to Sita. Sundara is also a name for an intermediary who establishes a mutual contact between a hero and a heroine, as Hanuman did in the case of Rama and Sita. Sundara is said to be a name for a monkey and this chapter is so called because it deals with the achievements of the monkey Hanuman.

The recovery of something lost is sometimes described as Sundara, and in this section the topic dealt with is the discovery of the abducted Sita. The study of the Sundara Kanda is considered as being equivalent to the study of the whole of the Ramayana as far as spiritual merit is concerned. Just as the Upanishads are said to contain the supreme purport of the Vedas, this Kanda is supposed to be the heart of Ramayana.