Most underrated character in Ramayan

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Who do you feel is the most underrated character in Ramayan, and why?

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Mina Rati Desai

@...Mina...

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 14 years ago

#11

Originally posted by: anchal2

knew I shouldn't have said that😆 especially when I don't know my stuff. I don't know what uttar kand is, but everyone seems to be talking about it? is it the period when Sita maata had to leave ayodhya after returning from the vanvaas. 😳
so I can't really say anything back till I know what uttar-kand is, and their actions weren't neccesarily selfish, but I can only explain what I meant once I know what uttar-kand is. I googled it but nothing showed up.

Hiii diii,

No prob diii😆, Uttar Kand is the last chapter of Valmiki Ramayana which takes place after ram-sita-lakshman return to Ayodhya. Ayodhya people gossip badly about sita ma😡 because she stayed at Ravan's place for 10 months, and they say she is not pure and all sorts of rubbish. For the sake of praja, Ramji exiles sita ma to the jungles where Valmikiji gives her shelter. In his ashram sita mata gives birth to twin sons who are named Luv Kush, and later Luv kush sing ramayana in Ram Darbaar, and afterwards Sita ma gives one last vow in front of Ramji before going back to mother Earth.

I gave very fast summary diii😆, but for accurate version which explains Ramji's act in depth and all, please read Valmiki ramayan Uttar Kand, it will tell you everything.😃

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apothecary

@apothecary

Dazzler

Posted: 14 years ago

#12

Originally posted by: ILuvGuruDebi

Hiii diii,

No prob diii😆, Uttar Kand is the last chapter of Valmiki Ramayana which takes place after ram-sita-lakshman return to Ayodhya. Ayodhya people gossip badly about sita ma😡 because she stayed at Ravan's place for 10 months, and they say she is not pure and all sorts of rubbish. For the sake of praja, Ramji exiles sita ma to the jungles where Valmikiji gives her shelter. In his ashram sita mata gives birth to twin sons who are named Luv Kush, and later Luv kush sing ramayana in Ram Darbaar, and afterwards Sita ma gives one last vow in front of Ramji before going back to mother Earth.

I gave very fast summary diii😆, but for accurate version which explains Ramji's act in depth and all, please read Valmiki ramayan Uttar Kand, it will tell you everything.😃

so it is what I thought it was. no...don't worry I just didn't know that it was called uttar kand, but I know all about it! I've watched that part.

Well, as I said earlier her actions weren't selfish, but she still did that so that Ram-ji wouldn't be in a dilemma or that he wouldn't have to ask her to leave because she knew about Ram-ji's duty towards the people of ayodhya. See what I meant was that Urmila sacrificed leaving with her own husband and didn't shed a tear. I am not comparing or saying that one is better than the other, but just trying to say how I saw urmila's being more selfless.😳

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Mina Rati Desai

@...Mina...

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 14 years ago

#13

Originally posted by: anchal2

so it is what I thought it was. no...don't worry I just didn't know that it was called uttar kand, but I know all about it! I've watched that part.

Well, as I said earlier her actions weren't selfish, but she still did that so that Ram-ji wouldn't be in a dilemma or that he wouldn't have to ask her to leave because she knew about Ram-ji's duty towards the people of ayodhya. See what I meant was that Urmila sacrificed leaving with her own husband and didn't shed a tear. I am not comparing or saying that one is better than the other, but just trying to say how I saw urmila's being more selfless.😳

there are different versions of Uttar Kand, dii.

In the serial version, don't know which version they used, but in Valmiki version, Sitaji did not know about exile beforehand. Ramji told Lakshmanji to leave her near Valmiki Ashram, and only once she reached the ashram did Sitaji learn the truth.

Yes diii, Urmila is sefless no doubt, but I don't think she was most sefless, because 'selfish' is usually used to define those who look after themselves, and no good character in Ramayan did that. They all looked after others. Urmi knew her presence would impede Lakshmanji in doing his duties to his brother, and so she did not follow him so that she could serve the sad Rajmatas instead. Sitaji too went with Ramji to serve him, and Lakshmanji to serve Ramji. They all did their own duties to serve each other.

Sumitra too sent her son out without any thought of her own happiness, so I think she is equal to Urmi in seflessness.😊

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Aishwarya

@muffins2waffles

Inactive

+ 5

Posted: 14 years ago

#14

I believe that all Gods are equal in selflessness and sacrifice =)

But I also think the Ramayan is a very tragic story. The part that tears me the most is that Lakshman sacrificed his life at the very end because of the whole Yama Dev and Ram incident. But then again, he had to wait for Vishnu as Shesh nag again :)

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Janaki

@RamKiSeeta

Achiever

+ 6

Posted: 14 years ago

#15

Originally posted by: aishi.muffin
I believe that all Gods are equal in selflessness and sacrifice =)

But I also think the Ramayan is a very tragic story. The part that tears me the most is that Lakshman sacrificed his life at the very end because of the whole Yama Dev and Ram incident. But then again, he had to wait for Vishnu as Shesh nag again :)

Yeah, but it would have been even more tragic had Ram and Lakshman been separated for a long time, but Ramji 'retired' and went on his Mahaprayaan I think like a day later, so he and Lakhan were united again.😃 Everyone's avatars had to end sometime soon. Sitaji was the first to go, then the Rajmatas, then the other sisters, then Lakshman, and then Ram and the remaining two brothers.

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Janaki

@RamKiSeeta

Achiever

+ 6

Posted: 14 years ago

#16

Great topic, Lola!👏

No matter how many times Ramayan is written and re-written, there are always going to be characters left out because it is such a vast epic with sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many characters that they are innumerable.😍 The story mainly follows the journey of Lord Ram (hence why it is called Ramayana), so anyone who was with Ramji in his journey will be the main characters. But the very special and great thing about Ramayan is that even the characters that are not with Ramji during his journey, like the Rajmatas, Urmi, Bharat, Guha, Kevat, etc, they all stick out individually just for the sheer uniqueness of their character and the sacrifices he or she made.😊 It is hard choosing favorites, because the sacrifices of each and every character makes us tear up.🥺

I don't think anyone's sacrifice is greater or less. All the good characters in the epic were equal in terms of sacrifice and selflessness, because like Lord Ram said in ths end of the Yudh Kand, the Ramayana and killing of Ravan would never have happened without the sacrifices made by each and every character. It was only with everyone that the point of his avatar was achieved. Even though Lord Ram could have done everything himself, he gave a portion of his work to each of his devotees because he knew they wanted a chance to serve him and fulfill his purpose.😊

Now, getting back to the topic at hand😆, both Sumitra and Urmila are great choices for characters who should have had more written on them, but I think there is even less written about Guha. Guha helped Ramji soooo much both in the beginning and end of his journey, and not enough credit is given to him.😳 He is known only as 'the friend', but no one really recognizes the love and devotion he held for Ramji.

And I also agree that Mandodari should have had more written on her. She was such a great courageous soul, that her own sacrifices are often not recognized either.

I do not think the problem is not having enough written about them, because there are too many characters to have an equal amount written on each one, but the amount they were recognized is what is important. Sumitra and Urmila are recognized greatly for their sacrifices, because there are many books and plays written solely on them, but what about Guha? Even Mandodari has plays, books, and movies written on her, but I have never once read something about Guha, so I think my final poll choice goes to him.😊

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MagadhSundari

@MagadhSundari

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 14 years ago

#17

Ok next time I make a poll, I'm allowing multiple selections because I'm giving myself a headache trying to choose 😆

Ok I vote Mandodari. Because it probably took tons of guts to live with Ravan 🤢 And still maintain her own set of values that were untainted by his lack thereof. She was brave enough to stand up to him, stand up for Sita and Vibhishan, and speak her mind in general... and still, she stayed with him... so, she is living proof that you can love someone but still have a mind of your own and not "if he jumps off the bridge, I'm going behind him"... she tried to keep him from jumping instead. There's so much there that we can learn from today about peer pressure and independence and so many values to get out of her, yet many people today probably don't know anything beyond the fact that she was Ravan's wife.

But... that being said, ask me tomorrow and I might say any other name from the list, cuz they're all just that great 😍

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Anisha

@.anishaa.

Inactive

+ 4

Posted: 14 years ago

#18

I think it would be Sumitra. In the serials, her character is given very little development and Kaushalya and Kaikeyi are focused on much more. I think Sumitra should be given more acknowledgement--after all, she devoted both her sons in the services of their brothers; Ram-Lakshman and Bharat-Shatrughna.

Also, she made a huge sacrifice by permitting her beloved son to accompany Ram in the forest for 14 years. Her grief is emphasized less than Kaushalya's, in my opinion.

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Vrish

@Vr15h

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 14 years ago

#19

Vashisth!!! Sumitra & Urmila are endearing, and one's heart goes out to them, but in terms of real achievement, Vashistha got to be the Guru of the Ikhshvaku dynasty, and several rulers. He turned down unreasonable demands made by some of them, like Trishanku, even though it meant a lot of suffering for his family. And Vashistha was the primary reason Ram-ji was as great as he was.

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MagadhSundari

@MagadhSundari

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 14 years ago

#20

I admire Vashisht no doubt, but I don't think he's too underrated... he's listed among the saptarishis, and once you've made it onto a list, you've definitely made it! The more I think about it I'm leaning towards Trijata even though I didn't list her in this poll... same reasoning as I gave for Mandodari, but her efforts were even more direct (and therefore more risky) because she was constantly in touch with Sita. And she provided a great example of prioritizing between textbook dharma and the universal eternal type... though she worked for Ravan, she didn't think herself bound to follow his every unrighteous order - and she didn't try to be extra showy about her true goodness in front of him, she was smart about keeping herself alive so that it could continue.