This encompasses those who were known for being 100% truth-speaking Satyavaadis in general (Harishchandra, Vasudev, Yudhishtir) and those who were big on sticking to any promises they make (Dashrath, Ram, basically everyone who falls under "Raghukul reeti sada chali aayi, Vasudev again). In addition to these, we have several other characters who made significant oaths and whose fulfillment of those oaths would completely change the course of history: Bharat, Lakshman, Bhishma, Bhim, Draupadi, and many more.
Given that this motif of oaths and promises and honesty in general appears so frequently in all the epics, it must be of great importance. The purpose of this thread is multifold, it can include the following and any other relevant questions you guys can think of:
1) Analyze and compare the characters' motives for making the promises they made and for sticking to them if they did - was it worth the consequences?
2) Where do these values of honesty and promise-keeping rank when compared to other priorities which the characters juggled alongside them? what values trump them in importance and would justify temporarily turning away from them, if any?
3) Evaluate the different strategies some characters used to get through moral dilemmas involving truth (e.g. Yudhishtir's Ashwatthama line to Drona and Vasudevji's evasiveness/silence with Kans, even Dashrath's suggestion to Ram of taking the throne by force rather than accepting the exile he was bound to administer to him) - were they ethically sound? How effectively did they mitigate the dilemma, and why or why not did they work?
These are only a few of the many great questions that can be derived from this theme, and I hope you guys enjoy discussing them here very peacefully and diplomatically and extensively π And feel free to refer to any kind of source in making your points, whether they be the texts themselves or articles and serials. based on them.
For a quick reminder of the characters and situations to which we are referring, here goes a little list that you can feel free to add to and in fact I will gladly update this post so we can keep track of all of them:
- Harishchandra allegedly promised to hand his kingdom over to Vishwamitra
- Dashrath promised Kaikeyi any two boons as a result of which Shri Ram was exiled
- Shri Ram promised to rid the earth of demons and bring peace to the sages in Dandaka Aranya
- Lakshman swore to kill Bharat suspecting that he arrived in Chitrakoot with evil intentions
- Bharat swore to commit suicide if Shri Ram would take even a day longer than necessary in returning from the forest
- Hanuman promised to bring the Sanjeevani on time
- Lakshman promised to kill Meghnaad the day he actually did
- Shri Ram promised to uphold the honor of his ancestors at any cost when he was crowned king of Ayodhya
- Vasudev promised to hand over all his children to Kans without a fight in exchange for Devaki's life
- upon becoming aware of Shri Krishna's birth Vasudev promises to keep this one under wraps at any cost
- Bhishma promised to remain celibate, not become king, and protect the throne of Hastinapur and whoever occupied it as long as he lived
- Draupadi and her hair... need I say more
- Bhim's various promises concerning the administering of justice to the offending Kauravs
- Arjun vows to kill either Jayadrath or himself after Abhimanyu's death
- Krishna on not lifting a weapon during the Kurukshetra war
- Promises of friendship made to Sugreev, Vibhishan, Sudama, etc.
... Anyone else???
Have fun guys!!!
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