Reflection

“…and then Lord Rama gained victory over evil by defeating Ravana and happily ruled in Ayodhya,” said everybody. This is truly the perfect and most straightforward conclusion of the epic Ramayana, and it is something I’m sure we all have heard. But was a righteous kingdom only established after killing Ravana? Was he the only evil that threatened society during that period? Certainly not!

The firm belief that Ravana was the primary antagonist and embodiment of evil is an idea I have scrutinised several times due to my intense fascination and interest in the epic. I started reading about every character intensely and examining them from different perspectives, leading to me a new paradigm. This new paradigm demonstrated how acts of greed and regression invite destruction.

Continuously embodying Ravana as the story's villain makes people overlook other unjust acts in the epic committed by characters we think aren't immoral, such as abandoning a daughter to ensure the birth of sons. Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya and father of Lord Rama, pleaded with his only daughter, Shanta, to get married to the celibate sage Rishyasringa—who would later conduct the 'Putrakameshti' ritual for Dasharatha to ensure the birth of sons in his family. The Valmiki Ramayana, Vishnu Purana, and Bhagavata Purana all mention Shanta's existence. 

An intriguing fact that I noticed after reading numerous accounts of the Ramayana is that all 'evil' didn’t end with the killing of Ravana. After defeating Ravana and finishing 14 years of exile, Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya; however, soon after, the citizens of the kingdom began questioning Sita’s chastity, leading to her banishment from the kingdom and a painful separation from her husband. Despite disagreements over religious faith, this event highlights the regressive mindset and lack of courage to alter or influence the subjects' views and beliefs, which persisted even after Ravana's death. The mere fact that men implicated an innocent woman because they doubted her purity demonstrates the ongoing battle against evil. 

The Ramayana is such a powerful story that, in my belief, continues to inspire people through its plot and themes; for, its teachings remain powerful against the evil that persists due to the existence of greed. Learnings and lessons from the Ramayana are never-ending and a source of profound reflection on the way of life one has to lead, drawing inspiration from every character and event of this story.