The girl who Chose

By Devdutt Pattanaik

About a thousand years ago, a remarkable thing happened in India. We find a rapid rise of regional languages and scripts giving rise to the modern languages of India. And the first, and most popular piece of literature to be composed, and recomposed, by several poets in most of these languages, happens to be the epic, Ramayana. Here, the nayaka (ideal protagonist) of earlier Sanskrit plays, the avatar (abbreviated form of the infinite divine) of the Sanskrit Puranas, becomes bhagavan, or God. Every one of these poets claims to be inspired by Valmiki Ramayana, composed over 2,000 years ago, but each one gives the story a twist of their own. What is consistent is the regal nature of Ram, his nobility and augustness. He is, after all, the only form of God in Hinduism to be visualised as king. When Western academicians started studying the Ramayana, they did so, naturally, with Western prejudices, which included on the one hand the notion of Christian God who died for the sins of man, and on the other, the doctrine of equality and social justice. Viewed through this template, all Hindu gods appear inadequate, especially Ram, the God-king.

This template is only now being called out. But, the damage is done. Writers on the Ramayana are obliged to play a courtroom game, where Ram is being constantly prosecuted for being problematic. The defenders are deemed Right radicals' and the prosecutors are imagined as Left liberals'.

But, as we have heard so many times on the streets of Mumbai: nazar badlee to nazara badla, when the gaze changes, the world changes. Time to break free from this Right-Left game of those who love to dominate. Then a new Ramayana emerges, or rather the older one, one of Valmiki Ramayana. It explains why Ram was admired "albeit for different reasons " by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists as well as the people of South East Asia, in Camodia and Thailand and Bali and Burma.

Suddenly, you realise the many conflicts of the narrative: how to be decent in an unfair world? How to love a man who will follow the family rules, even if the rules are unfair? How to love a woman who has her own mind? How never to deny dignity to the man who does not respect any rules or choices? How to accept suffering that follows when you punish someone? How to accept misfortune that is not of your own making? How to raise children with love, not hatred for the father who abandoned them? How to let go without taking away the dignity of those who are rejected?

Hinduism has no concept of Judgement Day. God is no judge in Hinduism. Yet, we find Hindu leaders' passing judgement all the time. Why? Wherefrom came this template, or this desire to turn humans into hero, villain, or victims. From Christian mythology? From Greek mythology?

Time to seek alternate templates. Discover the world where no one is good or bad. Where there are only rules, choices, consequences, and no guarantees. How do we then live our life with responsibility, and without blame? This is the divine world of the Ramayana, where a girl who could choose fell in love with a prince who was bound to follow rules.

Originally posted by: shruthiravi

Wilina thank you bringing out this point. Actually I have a lot to talk about it. A lot of our so called Hindu culture at this point is derived from Christian culture.

Classic example is adding husband's name in the end of woman's name post marriage. It happens in Victoria era. But look at our epics whether it is Ramayan or MB, none of the leading ladies have their husband's name added to their maiden name. Infact they are also known by the kingdoms they are born or by their father's name only. Sita, Janaki, Maithili. Panchali, Draupadi. Kunti Daughter of Kuntibhoja, Gandhari princess of Gandhar kingdom like that.

Most importantly Sanathana Dharma doesn't have black and white. It is always grey the way humans are. Beauty of Sanathana Dharma is traversing the grey showing the difference between protoganist and antagonist. It is not action per se we observe, it is the intend of action that is given importance.

It shows the interplay of nature and civilization and how at every point nature stays supreme or rather its law stays supreme over man made laws.

Both Ram and Krishna adheres to this law of nature. Right wing worship the actions without understanding intend and blindly copy it, resulting in problems. Left wing berate it again without understanding intend and throw away as useless.

But if you sit and analyze the intend of actions you will know how profound Ram and Krishna is. If you see Ram and Krishna applies gender neutral rules. Yes Sita does AP. But Ram also remains the same . Even he can take AP and come out of it unscathed as there is no other woman in his life other than Sita.

Krishna has multiple wives as the situation demanded it. But he respects Panchali who has multiple husbands.

It is not like present day society where rules are applied different to men and woman. Same gender rules is what differentiate them and what made them great.

Originally posted by: shruthiravi

@wilina Ram's journey is incomplete without Sita. She was an equal partner in all his endeavours. She was the medium through which he achieved all his greatness. She stood with him in joy and sorrows. She supported him in his responsibilities. She took the pain for their kids, while he became Praja's servant. Female entity of Ram was Sita and there is no Ram without Sita or Sita without Ram.

All Changes in Ram's life happens post marriage just like for any normal man. Ram's journey is that of a boy to a man along with his better half Sita. Same with Sita it is her journey from a girl to a woman

When you come to Krishna , he is poornavatar, combines feminine and masculine into him from the time of birth. He knows the ways of the world, hence mocks at it with that twinkle in the eye and the beautiful smile. He is a teacher. If you surrender to him what he does is he will take you through Ram's and Sita's path only. Because the path of any normal human is that of Ram.

The direction Krishna gives to Arjun is that of Ram's path only. In MB it is the growth for Arjun we see from a young prince to a warrior and a duty bound man.

So Krishna teaches you to follow Ram, that is my take. Problem with many versions I have observed is Ram is seen through the eyes of patriarchy and interpretations are also suited to patriarchic society. Ram's actions without intend is taken and used to subjudicate woman.Sita is mostly reduced to a damsel in distress. Only in the original version or in Valmiki version you see Sita as a strong lady of free will.