Ramayana - Another Great Epic

Folks
Let us not digress here.Please discuss the topic Ramayana only and the story of Ramayana.Thanks

Badri,
Do not argue with the likes of hehewalrus & blahblah. Anything pro hindu is anathema to them. They are "secular" & secular means "anti hindu".

So, ignore their comments & get on with the topic.

Folks
A humble request.
Please post on ramayanam only in this thread.Do not digress from ramayanam.Thanks

Viggop - I respect your request, Pa!! :D Yes, whether it's told with religious fervour or read with my brand of detachment, let the discussion continue....... :D

Now, as for the footprint, sorry!! I couldn't hold back the guffaw!!! Derision aside, it's simply because we have a similar footprint shape, hewn out of a piece of rock, right here in my neighbourhood too!! And guess what they call it?????

Hanuman's footprint!! :lol:

Thanks Raghu, Sudhamma Ji, & SRS for ur answers to me queries. :D

Now, Niro, :D

This whole thing is being completly mis-interpreted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Badri

Whenever we try to understand an epic or a legend, be it a Greek or Roman or Indian one, we need to put ourselves in mind of the times when they were written.

---

Badri Bro! :D
Things said in the Ramayan and Mahabarath have messages for humanity of all times. They HAPPENED to serve as a path for humanity to follow. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nirosha Sen

The Woman was abducted and kept incarcerated by a villain who had a score to settle with Rama. But despite everything she had endured, she had to submit to some sort of inspection of her chastity??!!! No way Jose!!

---

Keep in mind that Raghuji said she did it volentarily. (What in sweet heaven is wrong with my spelling? I don't know! :banghead:) Even if she didn't, That is the price paid for marrying a King. A King has to do whatever it takes, to be respected by his followers with utmost respect. I think that everyone here knows the story of the Convo of the commoner with his wife, which is overheard by Shree Ram. Which leads to the whole "Jumping into fire" phenomenon. Even if Ram knows that his wife's chastity if flawless, he has no choice. He needs to prove to his kingdom that he along with his wife, his other half, is perfect. :)

As a normal man, is that justified? NO!!

But as a King? Yes! In all ways! :)

You are looking at it as a normal woman. Don't. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Niro

Now, as for the footprint, sorry!! I couldn't hold back the guffaw!!!..blah blah...

---

"Ramayan really happened! It isn't just a story!" This is the belief of many many hindus including Me, SRS, Sudhammaji, etc. And there is nothing wrong, or foolish about it! It's up to u to believe it or not! SRS has provided substantial evidence for it! You may choose to take it, you may not, it's completly up to u. But making comments that potentially offend millions of believers is completly uncalled for!

Sanjay,
Let's not get into offencive posts here! :) We woulndn't want the thread to be locked now would we? :D

Regards Y'all!! 8)

....Devi SEETHA on FIRE !!

Punishment ?.. Suicidal- Immolation?... Sacrifice? .... Examination- Test?

Ramayana heroine Seetha-devi was an Ideal embodiment of Indian Womanhood of that Historic – era Thretha-yuga.. Two Yugas earlier to the present Kali-Yuga..

So we should not measure or evaluate the worth of the incredible events of those ancient days… based on our present day Yardstick…. Which is far and far different, irrelevant and unsuited for the purpose.

Some persons remarks here are ... CHEA... CHEA... CHEAP.. and INSULTING.!!

Let us try to understand what happened and under what Logic of the Time?

Seetha , an Ideal-Woman for Chastity conforming to the Moral-code of Indian-Ethics.. was deceptively captivated by the Villain, while she was under Sainthood.

She was under imprisonment at the alien’s custody.. for several years.

When she was got released by Rama… he declares to his Loyal-wife thus…

“ Seetha, I know undoubtedly .. that you are still now pure to the highest core… because you are basically such a chaste woman… if any wicked-man who forcibly tries to pollute you, will get himself burnt by means of your high degree of Chastity.

However.. to the World, I have to prove that my trust in you is not a SURMISE..but TRUE. .

Because I being a King… should set an Example for my Subjects (citizens)… making them believe that I have NOT taken undue advantage of my position as Monarch..

Nor that I am UNQUESTIONABLE... even as a King or Saint... Yes I too am bound by the Law of Righteousness

…common to any and every individual of the Society , irrespective of Status or any sort of Divisions or Disparities amongst the People.

As the Proverb goes… “Yathaa Raja .. Thathaa Praja”(The Way the King behaves.. so will be his People too)

So .. “Lakshmana, raise up an Agni-Kundam (Holy-Fire)… let Seetha get in and prove her UNPOLLUTED purity of her Chastity.”

Accordingly Seetha-devi enters the Agni-Kundam … praying to Agni-deva… thus

“Oh Agni-deva… If it is true that due to my captivation in an alien’s custody,

… my Chastity has been least polluted either by my Thoughts nor by my Physique…

… please DECLARE SO… such that not only all the Dignitaries and the People here, but also the three worlds know… that I am still IMMACULATE…

If Not… let this Fire burn me.. I am prepared to accept your DISCRETION whatever it be

…and this opportunity can also make myself sure about my Veracity of my Belief, Degree of Self-measure as well as the Propriety of my Yardstick on Myself.”

Then the Agni-deva comes out holding Seetha-devi on a Lotus-flower… and declares…

“Seetha-devi’s highest degree of immaculate Chastity.. is burning me… I am unable to bear it anymore… Oh Rama, accept her as radically unpolluted and the Purest.

All Devas appear on the Sky and bless Seetha-devi….appreciating her Forbearance and Fulfilment of the purpose of birth on Earth.

…By means of her duly effective Role of strict adherence to her duties as the Heroine of the Epic.

Rama feels satisfied that he has done his duty.upto the Best without any Complacency or Leniency.

All the Dignitaries as well as the People… praise Rama highly that he has performed his duty promptly and Properly

... as an Exemplary Man as well as the Role- model- King ..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SRS

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Surya

What is the message in making Seetha Devi walk on fire to inspect her chastity?

---

Ram did not believe Seetha when she said Ravanna had not used her. So... to prove her chastity, she walked into the flames... had Ravanna used her, the flames would have finished her. BUT the flames did not. Of course, there is a larger message. The controversial one, about the value of sati. I personally do not see anything wrong with sati. Marriage vows are made for a lifetime. Many times, especially during Seetha Devi's time, the man was the sole provider for the woman. If the man died, the woman could not provide for herself, unless she married again. But as I said before, the marriage vows are for a lifetime. So... sati was a perfectly natural choice when the husband died. Also, does one not walk around the fire when he gets married? So that is probably why in sati fire is used; the marriage ends in a similar way that it began.

---

NO No NO, Rama had great LOVE for his wife, he never ever doubted her, he NEVER asked Devi sita to cross the fire to clarify her purity, NO NO and NO, it was curse by some Rishe, sudhama sir pls help me on this one, besides the residence of Ayodhya gave really hell of time to Rama, but he NEVER ever doubted his wife's purity

and for those who ever said Ramayana & Mahabharth were just stories, they are NOT stories written by uncle Tom, they were REAL,one has to read the entire story with a maturity level, some Idiot has insulted Devi sita here so much, I am trying to keep my head cool, but there is a limit for everything

Sudhamma and Raghu Jis,
Thanks.

But that's not how it ends right? Please let me know if I'm wrong, After Agni Bhagavan brings Sita Devi out of the fire on a lotus flower, and proves her purity to the kingdom, and after all of that. Sita Devi says that she is had enough, She goes to the forest, she gets kidnapped, after she returns, she has her chastity tested, so she asks for Bhooma Devi to take her away from all of this, and the ground opens up, Sita Devi falls in and it closes again. And Ram is left shocked. He touches the ground where Sita Devi once stood, and says, "Sitee, Sitee."

That is the most saddening part of the Ramayan.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sudhaama

“ Seetha, I know undoubtedly .. that you are still now pure to the highest core… because you are basically such a chaste woman… if any wicked-man who forcibly tries to pollute you, will get himself burnt by means of your high degree of Chastity.

However.. to the World, I have to prove that my trust in you is not a SURMISE..but TRUE. .

Because I being a King… should set an Example for my Subjects (citizens)… making them believe that I have NOT taken undue advantage of my position as Monarch..

---

Thanks, Sudhaama sir.

Kudos to Badri for placing Ramayana on its rightful path; without compromising its past glory to accomodate the present.

What is the esoteric significance of the sandal that Lord Rama gave to Bharatha? Bharatha asked Rama to step on it and then step down once and then he took it back to Ayodhya.
This sandals are supposed to be very famous.
Vedanta Desikar(who belonged to VishistaDvaita school) is supposed to have written a sloka on Lord Rama's padam and the sandals.