Rama & Dharma

As will be explored in this essay, from Ramayana, one can derive many of the virtues of the Hindu culture such as perfectionism, honesty, order, obedience and respect, and active asceticism. All these characteristics make a human being perfect and are achieved through the practice of dharma, as explicitly shown by the main character of Ramayana - Rama. Rama is indeed a perfect man in the eyes of the Indian people. Many Hindus even regard him as an incarnation of the god Vishnu. The main reason for that is Rama lived his entire life in an exemplary manner - by the rules of dharma. In fact, that was why Indians consider him heroic and respect him so much . When Rama was a young boy, he was the perfect son. Later he was an ideal husband to his faithful wife, Sita, and finally a responsible ruler of Aydohya. The first example of obedience and respect displayed by Rama is vivid when the news of his banishment, enforced by his own parents, are brought to him. He handles the situation with remarkably patient and wise attitude and says to his stepmother, I gladly obey father's command …Why, I would go even if you ordered it.. By doing this, he shows characteristics of great piety to his parents and the lack of desire to be a powerful and authoritative rich ruler, all while knowing that he is giving up his righteous turn to rule the kingdom since he is the oldest of the four sons of the king. Instead, he willingly goes off into exile – forest infested with evil spirits whom he battles with the power of good and defeats. As in most of the Eastern world, this example of respect being paid to elders, parents, authorities (no matter what one is commanded to do) is very important in one’s �faith’; and the fact that one successfully wards off evil, gives him/her the title of a cultural model hero, just as seen in Rama’s case. Rama’s casual attitude about going off into the forest for fourteen years also shows his asceticism – the will to give up his material, emotional and physical attachments. His peaceful and patient attitude towards his life is vivid due to his enduring wisdom. For he goes beyond the material and physical world to strive for a higher state of being - nirvana, something all Hindus look forward to. He says the following to his brother Bharata, when he is offered the throne again, “I should have known that you would renounce gladly what most men work lifetimes to learn to give up”. Physical attachments like money and emotional attachment like love are only barriers in the path of dharma because they bring desires for possession and pleasure. Rama shows that, by faith, it is more important not to complicate one’s