The Roles of Rama in The Ramayana

The Ramayana is one of the Hindu religions’ most revered religious writings. In it one learns about one of the Hindu religions’ gods Vishnu who is reincarnated as Prince Rama, son of Dasaratha. The reason that Rama is considered to be such a great religious, ethical and moral example is that he shows throughout the work that he is an individual of upstanding moral and ethical character. Rama’s role changes from one of unquestioning servility, to student, to pardoner, to enforcer, and finally to being a just ruler as he interacts with other key figures throughout the work.

Rama shows unquestioning servility towards his parents; even those who are not his blood parents, but are included within his parenting structure, such as Kaikeyi. Rama’s role of humility and loyalty towards his parents shows how a proper child should act toward his/her parents no matter what is asked of them. When Rama is told to leave and go outside the city on pilgrimage for 14 years by Kaikeyi, he does not question her, but instead hurries to do her bidding as he believes her without question that this is a mandate from his father. It is not in his nature to disbelieve or question her as he feels it is his dharma to do as she bids. “My only regret is that I have not been told this by my father himself. I would have felt honoured if he had commanded me directly.” (45). Rama said himself that he would have been honoured by his father telling him to leave instead of Kaikeyi. He left on his journey not in anger because he was not to be king, but instead in a state of regret and a feeling of obligation to do as his parents had bid him, much as he had done when he was younger and left with Viswamithra on a journey that would shape his character throughout the re...

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...away, but once she has walked through the fire and been delivered clean by the fire god Agni to Rama he accepts her with open arms. “Rama now satisfied that he had established his wife’s integrity in the presence of the world, welcomed Sita back to his arms.” (p 149)

While in today’s society Rama’s views on morals and ethics would not always be welcomed, such as some of his views on women, still the vigorous way in which Rama always tries to be moral and just is to be commended. Even when his decisions are questionable from the outside viewpoint, for instance, when he shoots Vali from behind a tree he has a remarkable moral and/or ethical reason, from his point of view, as to why or why not he has done such a thing. Perhaps his views are not always perfect, but one thing about Rama is for certain, he always feels that he is completing his dharma through the actions