Suggest some topics for debate

From time to time, we have DOTW. But this time, I want a debate on a bigger scale. We will choose a topic for the debate. There will be two teams, who will be having opposing views and they will debate.

Hope none of these sound controversial - my apologies if they are, and feel free to re-word them, without changing the meaning of any of the questions (or else, they risk being repetitions: I'm not repeating past topics, like Rama's exile of Sita, or whether it was right in and of itself to kill Vali):

1. Given Kaikeyi's misbehavior with Kaushalya & Sumitra (Referenced by Kaushalya in 2.20 - 'My husband has always treated me lower than even the maidservants of Kaikeyee.'), was it right that she got away totally scot free without any punishments?

2. Given that Dasharath had disowned Kaikeyi before his death, should she have been allowed to participate in any of the family activities - be it his funeral, going to see Rama in Chitrakoot, et al, since by his decree, she was no longer part of the family? While Rama was respecting her, wasn't he disrespecting the memory and last wishes of Dasharath that Kaikeyi be disowned from the family (I'm talking about the 14 year period, not the stage after the war when Rama requests Dasharath to take back the curse)

3. Did Vali deserve to get at least a warning or a plea from Rama to return Roma to Sugriv, or did he deserve to be killed by someone he didn't even know was his enemy? After all, Rama sent Angad to Ravan on a peace mission. Didn't Vali deserve at least that - say, Rama sending Lakshman to him with such a plea?

4. Did Angad do the right thing by becoming a devotee of the person who killed his father, even if that person was God? Shouldn't he have instead declined to be the yuvraj, just fought in the war, and after the war, renounced his rights to Kishkinda, rather than accept charity from the killers of his father?

5. When you hear the name 'Vibhishan', what instantly comes to your mind - family dissident or righteous hero? If you were in their padukas, would you follow the footsteps of Vibhishan or Kumbhakarna?

6. Granted this was his wish, but did Lakshman do the right thing by declining Rama's repeated requests to be his yuvraj?

7. Once Sita passed on, couldn't Rama have, immediately following the ashwamedha yagna, have passed on the reigns of the kingdom to Kush (or someone else - see #9 below) (as is mistakenly depicted in some movies and serials), and returned to join Sita @ Vaikunta, instead of continuing to rule?

8. Did Rama do the right thing by agreeing to Ka'al's demand that anyone who overheard their conversation be put to death? Couldn't he have simply declined to receive the message in the first place?

9. Shouldn't Kush & Luv have been given a different kingdom than Kosala (like their cousins), since their mother wasn't honorably allowed to be its queen?

10. Did Rama owe it to his subjects to take them with him to swarga? This wasn't something that rulers normally did, and while Rama was God, he was setting a precedent example for other ideal rulers. So shouldn't he have left with just Bharat, Shatrughan, their wives and left his subjects behind?

I won't discuss these questions here - just in the threads in case they come up.

pheew chandra that is huge list and i really am interested in knowing the answer

well this may be controversial. but guess if handled in a healthy way it can b debated.

did sriram do the right thing by asking sita 2 go thru an agnipariksha b4 taking her 2 ayodhya.

*king*

I think agni pareeksha, Seeta's second exile has been already discussed. Even we have discussed Vali's death. But most of the topics in chandra's list r not yet discussed.

Sharath's is a good topic, but fails badly in the controversy test, since for those who believe that Hanuman narrated the Ramayan to Tulsidas, such a belief is sacred. Nonetheless, given some major discrepancies that exist between the 2, one can't claim that Tulsidas follows Valmiki. (Personally, I believe Valmiki and disbelieve Tulsidas for all descrepancies and for me, it's open and shut, but I respect those for whom it ain't).

King, the agnipariksha was discussed in a past thread, if you see the archives.

wow nice work chandra. my reply in green

Originally posted by: Chandraketu

Hope none of these sound controversial - my apologies if they are, and feel free to re-word them, without changing the meaning of any of the questions (or else, they risk being repetitions: I'm not repeating past topics, like Rama's exile of Sita, or whether it was right in and of itself to kill Vali):

1. Given Kaikeyi's misbehavior with Kaushalya & Sumitra (Referenced by Kaushalya in 2.20 - 'My husband has always treated me lower than even the maidservants of Kaikeyee.'), was it right that she got away totally scot free without any punishments?

2. Given that Dasharath had disowned Kaikeyi before his death, should she have been allowed to participate in any of the family activities - be it his funeral, going to see Rama in Chitrakoot, et al, since by his decree, she was no longer part of the family? While Rama was respecting her, wasn't he disrespecting the memory and last wishes of Dasharath that Kaikeyi be disowned from the family (I'm talking about the 14 year period, not the stage after the war when Rama requests Dasharath to take back the curse)-- good topic for debate

3. Did Vali deserve to get at least a warning or a plea from Rama to return Roma to Sugriv, or did he deserve to be killed by someone he didn't even know was his enemy? After all, Rama sent Angad to Ravan on a peace mission. Didn't Vali deserve at least that - say, Rama sending Lakshman to him with such a plea?-- this one is also apt for debate

4. Did Angad do the right thing by becoming a devotee of the person who killed his father, even if that person was God? Shouldn't he have instead declined to be the yuvraj, just fought in the war, and after the war, renounced his rights to Kishkinda, rather than accept charity from the killers of his father? this one too

5. When you hear the name 'Vibhishan', what instantly comes to your mind - family dissident or righteous hero? If you were in their padukas, would you follow the footsteps of Vibhishan or Kumbhakarna? this one too

6. Granted this was his wish, but did Lakshman do the right thing by declining Rama's repeated requests to be his yuvraj? this one too

7. Once Sita passed on, couldn't Rama have, immediately following the ashwamedha yagna, have passed on the reigns of the kingdom to Kush (or someone else - see 8 below) (as is mistakenly depicted in some movies and serials), and returned to join Sita @ Vaikunta, instead of continuing to rule? this one too

8. Did Rama do the right thing by agreeing to Ka'al's demand that anyone who overheard their conversation be put to death? Couldn't he have simply declined to receive the message in the first place? this one is already discussed. it will be borin to discuss it again

9. Shouldn't Kush & Luv have been given a different kingdom than Kosala (like their cousins), since their mother wasn't honorably allowed to be its queen? not good

10. Did Rama owe it to his subjects to take them with him to swarga? This wasn't something that rulers normally did, and while Rama was God, he was setting a precedent example for other ideal rulers. So shouldn't he have left with just Bharat, Shatrughan, their wives and left his subjects behind?-nice one

I won't discuss these questions here - just in the threads in case they come up.

Purvi

Thanks. Where was #8 discussed, and why (without discussing the topic itself and wasting it right here) is #9 a bad topic?

another thing the king always felt debatable was tht sriram went 2 exile along wid his wife. but lakshman did not take urmila along wid him. sriram also allowed lakshman 2 b separated from his wife. was it right?

*king*

His majesty brings up a great question, but that too was touched on in past threads. Lakshman preferred that his wife would serve Kaushalya in the absence of Sita, since at the time, he was suspicious of Bharat and Shatrughan. I don't think it was Rama's decision as to what Lakshman asked of Urmila - she belonged exclusively to him, and him alone.

Waiting to congratulate majesty for hitting 1800 posts 😊