Posted:
Hello friends,
Some of you might recognize me from the MB forum. I'm glad to reconnect with all of you and also eager to make new friends on this forum.
Being an ardent admirer of the "Mahabharat,' I wasn't sure, the 'Ramayana' would be able to hold my interest and curiosity as much. Growing up, the story of Ramayana was always narrated as a simplistic story of good vs evil, black vs white and Gods vs demons but now that I've started reading some retellings and watching this show, my perspective has gradually changed.
While the MB is complex and one of the greatest stories ever told about human behavior and emotions, the Ramayana, in my opinion is a great symbolic tale of man's relationship with nature/the universe.
'Purush' vs 'Prakriti' is the main underlying theme of Ramayana whereas in the MB it was about 'man' vs 'self'
If Ram represents the 'purush' or the 'maryada puroshottam'- the ideal man, the follower of rules, then Sita represents 'prakriti' or 'nature.' Their relationship is the essence of this scripture and the universe. As long as they are in perfect harmony, respect each other, balance is restored in this universe. The moment one overpowers the other, chaos, unhappiness and destruction follow. This fundamental relationship is so relevant in this day and age, when Global warming and climate change are considered the biggest threat to mankind.
Even if SKR has distorted certain aspects of the original story (as we all recall it), I admire them on focussing on this purush vs prakriti symbolic relationship.
Because Sita represents nature in its pristine and most pure form, her birth and death from the core of the earth and highly significant.
Sita was always comfortable when closest to nature. Perhaps, that's why she spent most of her married life in the forest and even when captive, lived in the Asokavatika (garden) Procreation is nature's biggest ally and no wonder, Sita gave birth to her children in the forest also.
Was the 'purush'- here represented by the ideal man, Ram ever happy when away from 'prakriti?' NO
He was always unhappy when separated from her- whether because of Ravana or because of his subjects.
Similarly, Ravana led to his self destruction when he tried to subjugate 'prakriti. He did capture her but could never own her. A message for all of us- we can try to reign in nature but never own it. In fact, trying to assert control over nature is indeed a path to massive destruction and havoc- as Lanka experienced even though only one man was at fault.
If our younger generation can relate to this symbolic theme of Ramayana, I feel the makers of SKR would succeed. Disrespect for women or prakriti is one of the biggest challenges for our country. Hope we can all learn and imbibe this basic message of the Ramayana.
CID
