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1. India's Epic Tale:
The Ramayana
Ms. Tricia A. Paras
EMC 104: Mythology and Folklore

2. The Ramayana
Character List

3. Rama Sita
•son of King Dasarathaand Queen
Kausalya, Rama is the prince of
Ayodya.
•He is an avataraof Vishnu, the
Blue God and the sustainer of
worlds.
•He is also a virtuous, strong, and
just man in his own right.
•He is married to Sita, whom he
loves deeply. He has a strong
bond with his brother Lakshmana
as well.
•Sita's father, King Janak, found
her lying in a furrow on sanctified
ground and decided to raise her
as his daughter.
•She marries Rama and loves him
so much that she follows him into
exile.
•She is famed for her virtue and
beauty and is regarded as an
avataraof the goddess Lakshmi,
Vishnu's consort.

4. Ravana Lakshmana
•Ravanais a rakshasa who
performed penance for the God
Siva for many years, and in return
received a great blessing from
the God: he cannot be killed by
any God, demon, or other divine
being.
•His arrogance combined, with
great intelligence and power, has
led him to rule over much of the
earth, spreading terrible evil
everywhere he goes.
•Son of King Dasaratha, and
brother of Rama.
•He is deeply devoted to his
brother, whom he follows
through many dangerous
adventures and quests.
•He is married to Sita's
younger sister, Urmila.

5. King Dasaratha
Viswamitra
•King of Ayodhya, father of
Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata,
and Shatrughna.
•Of all his three sons, he
loves Rama most deeply,
and tries to shelter the boy
from any danger.
•He is a good king: kind, just
and well-liked by his people.
•is a great sage and wise
man who was once a king.
•Through long meditation, he
gained a number of magical
powers.
•He takes Rama on a quest to
defeat a demon and to lift
the bow of Siva, the first
step in the future king's
great journey.

6. Ganga
Siva
•Ganga is a goddess, the
daughter of Himavan.
Because of her
incomparable beauty, she
was given to the Devas,
and she became the Milky
Way.
•Later, Siva brought her
down to earth and she
became the river Ganges.
•Siva is part of the great trinity in
Hindusim, along with Vishnu and
Brahma.
•He is a great ascetic, and often sits
in meditation.
•He can tame the power of other
gods, devas, and supernatural
beings, and he often grants
blessings and wishes to those who
sit in dedication meditation
('tapasya').
•His wife is Parvati.

7. Lava Kusha
•Along with Kusha, one
of the youths to whom
Valmiki taught the
Ramayana that he
received from Narada.
•He is one of the sons
of Rama, but he does
not know this.
•Along with Lava, one of the
youths to whom Valmiki
taught the Ramayana that he
received from Narada.
•He is one of the sons of
Rama, but he does not know
this.

8. Vasishta Rishyaringa
•Guru to King Dasaratha,
he offers religious
advice to the king and
the royal family.
•A great rishi: he presides over
the sacrifice that King
Dasarathaoffers in order to
get a son.
•He is sometimes depicted as
a combination of a deer and a
man.

9. Tataka Kaikeyi
•A beautiful woman who was
transformed into a demon
(rakshasi) when she tried to
seduce the rishi Agastya.
•As a demon, she drinks the
blood of living creatures and
kills anything she can see.
•In one of his first great acts,
Rama breaks her curse by
slaying her.
•The third and youngest wife of King
Dasaratha, and mother of Bharata.
•She is famed for her beauty.
•After she saved the life of
Dasaratha in battle, he offered to
grant anything she would ask of
him.
•She later calls in this favor to have
Bharata crowned king and Rama
sent into the forest, inspired by the
worlds of her maid, Manthara.

10. Sumitra Kausalya
•Second wife of
Dasaratha. She is the
mother of Lakshmana
and Shatrughna.
•The first wifeof Dasarathaand
mother of Rama.
•She is the oldest wife, and very
kind and wise.
•She does not have a close
relationship with her husband,
but she loves her son Rama
very deeply.

11. Manthara Guha
•An old maid of
Kaikeyi's.
•She is a wicked woman
and gives Kaikeyithe
idea to ask Dasaratha
to exile Rama and
crown Bharata king
instead.
•King of the hunters, he
rules near the wilderness in
Shringiberapura.
•He is fiercely loyal to Rama.

12. Bharata Shatrughna
•Son of King Dasarathaand
Queen Kaikeyi, he is half-
brother to Rama,
Lakshmana, and
Shatrughna.
•He is devoted to his
brother Rama, and he tries
desperately to undo the
damage committed by his
mother Kaikeyi.
•Son of King Dasarathaand
Queen Sumitra (she drank two
sips from the sacred cup, and
consequently had twins).
•His twin brother is
Lakshmana, and his half-
brothers are Rama and
Bharata.
•He follows his brother Bharata
everywhere.

13. Sumantra Surpanakha
•Chief counselor of
Dasaratha.
•He is the one who
unwillinglybrings Rama
into exile.
•The sister of Ravana, she is a
powerful rakshasi.
•She attempts to seduce Rama
and kill Sita, but the princely
brothers attack her.
•She tries to muster the
rakshasa army against Rama.

14. Maricha Khara
•A rakshasa, uncle of
Ravana.
•Rama defeated him with
a purifying magical
weapon, and he
renounced his evil ways
to become a rishi.
•A rakshasa, cousin to Ravana.
•He rules the area of
Janasthana, near the forest of
Rama's exile.
•He is very powerful and likes
to kill rishis and despoil
sacred rituals.

15. Jatayu Kabandha
•A powerful golden eagle
who speaks in the voice
of a human being.
•He was loyal to King
Dasarathaand pledged
his service to Rama.
•He dies defending Sita
from Ravana.
•A terrible rakshasa who has
the form of a body with no
legs or head--only arms and a
gaping mouth.
•He was transformed into this
ugly shape by Indra; formerly,
he was a celestial archer.
•He tells the brothers to seek
Sugriva, the prince of vanaras.

16. Sugriva Hanuman
•The rightful king of the
vanaras, a race of
magical monkeys.
•He was usurped by his
brother Vali and pledges
his service to Rama and
Lakshmana if they can
restore him to his
throne.
•Advisor to Sugriva. He is the
son of the wind god Vayu and
a vanari woman.

17. Angada Vibheeshana
•A vanarayouth, son of
Vali and nephew of
Sugriva.
•He is brave and
intelligent.
•Young brother of Ravana.
•Though he is a rakshasa, he is
wise and good.
•When Ravana refuses to listen
to his counsel, he joins
Rama's army.

18. Sampati Jambavan
•A great golden eagle,
brother of Jatayu.
•His wings were burned
when he flew too close to
the son.
•King of the Riksharaj (magical
bears).
•He is an ally of Sugriva and
Rama.
•He is known for his gentle
wisdom and quiet strength.

19. Indrajit Kumbhakarna
•The favorite son of
Ravana, and his most
powerful warrior.
•He earned his name
after he captured Indra,
the king of the gods.
•Ravana'sbrother.
•He is a giant with infinite
strength who sleeps for six
months at a time before
waking up and eating
everything he can see.

20. Agastya
•An elderly and extremely powerful rishi who blesses Rama.
•Later when Rama is king of Ayodhya, he comes to Rama's
palace and tells him secret tales about the people he met
on his journeys.

21. GLOSSARY

22. •Adharma-Not according to dharma; evil.
•Adharmi-A person who doesn't act according to dharma.
•Agni-Fire; also, the name of the Hindu god of fire.
•Anjali-An offering.
•Artha-Wealth and possessions. Artha is one of the four goals in life (the
others are dharma, kama, and moksha).
•Asrama-A hermitage: a place where wise men live.
•Astra-Divine weapon.
•Asura-One type of demon or supernatural being.
•Atman-The individual soul.

23. •Avatara-Incarnation of a God, especially Vishnu.
•Bhakti-Love, devotion. ('Bhakta' refers to a devoted person.)
•Bharatavarsha-The land of Bharata; India.
•Brahmana-Member of the priestly class; one of Brahma's people.
('Brahman' refers to this caste as well.)
•Deva-Any of a class of celestial, elemental beings.
•Dharma-Truth, justice, duty. The right path.
•Guru-Spiritual teacher or guide; master.
•Gyana-Knowledge, wisdom.
•Hatya-Murder.

24. •Jitendriya-One who has conquered his senses.
•Kavya-Poem.
•Kshatriya-A member of the caste of royal warriors.
•Kula-Clan.
•Maharathika-A great warrior.
•Mantra-A sacred incantation.
•Maya-Cosmic illusion ('Maya' also refers to the goddess of illusion).
•Muni-A sage or seer; silent one; knower of minds.
•Moksha-Liberation from this lower earthly realm; freedom from the cycle
of death and rebirth; enlightenment.

25. •Pativrata-A devoted wife.
•Puja-Ritual worship.
•Punya-Virtue; merit.
•Rakshasa-A vicious type of demon (feminine form is 'rakshasi').
•Rig Veda-The first Veda, one of the most holy books in Hinduism.
•Rishi-A sage, mystic; a wise man who meditates in the forest or in an
ashram.
•Samsara-The world of illusion; the world we inhabit presently.
•Shakti-Feminine power or weapon.
•Shastra-Scripture; holy text.

26. •Sudra-A member of the fourth Hindu caste; one of the laborers or
workers.
•Tapasya-Act of penance or forbearance (fasting, enduring heat or cold,
etc.) that develops one's spiritual powers and wins favor with the gods.
•Vabdhi-A singer, sage, or bard.
•Vana-Jungle; forest.
•Vanara-An ancient and magical race of monkeys.
•Vina-An ancient Indian stringed instrument, similar to a lute.
•Vrata-A vow.

27. •Yoga-Literally, "Union." Refers to the union of the self with God through
spiritual exercises (a male who practices yoga is called a 'yogi'; a female is
called a 'yogini').
•Yatra-A journey, often with religious significance.
•Yagna-A ritual or sacrifice.

28. The Ramayana
Summary

29. Born during an age when the demon
Ravanaterrorized the world, Rama is the
virtuous, wise, and powerful prince of
Ayohya.
As a young man, he is able to accomplish
what no other man has ever done: he lifts and
strings the bow of Siva, and by so doing her
earns the right to marry the beautiful Sita.
The Ramayana Summary

30. Just when he is about to ascend the throne
of Ayodhya, his father Dasaratha is forced to
exile him for fourteen years to the forest due
to a vow made long ago. Unruffled, Rama
accepts his exile; his wife Sita and his loyal
brother Lakshmana accompany him.
In the forest, the princely brothers kill
many demons and visit many wise men and
women.
The Ramayana Summary

31. The evil demon Ravana hears of Sita's
beauty and kidnaps her. He has fallen in love
with her and tries to seduce her, but she
rebuffs his advances for nearly ten months.
The Ramayana Summary

32. Desperate to win her back, Rama and
Lakshmana form an alliance with the monkey
king Sugriva and invade Lanka with an army of
monkeys. After many violent battles, Rama
defeats Ravana and wins back Sita.
He is concerned that she has been unfaithful
during her long captivity, and so Sita undergoes
a trial by fire to prove her chastity. Rama takes
her back, and they return to rule Ayodhya for
many wonderful years.
The Ramayana Summary

33. In another version of the tale, Rama hears his
people gossiping about Sita's imagined
indiscretions, and he banishes her to the forest,
where she gives birth to Rama's twin sons.
Sita and the children confront him years later;
he tries to explain his harsh actions to Sita, but
she vanishes into the earth to escape him.
The Ramayana Summary

34. The Ramayana
Themes

35. Romantic Love
•A central focus is the love between Sita and Rama. As
incarnations of the goddess Lakshmi and the god Vishnu, they
have literally been made for each other.
•They fall in love at first sight, and their relationship is
characterized by harmony and devotion.
•Sita follows Rama into exile out of her love for him, and she
refuses Ravana'sadvances at great risk to herself because of
her loyalty to her husband.
•Rama, in turn, defends Sita fiercely and cares for her tenderly.
For centuries, the love between Rama and Sita has been a
model relationship for South Asians.

36. The Perfect Man
•Rama is the time-honored symbol of the perfect man: he
is generous, just, merciful, the master of his emotions,
and a valiant warrior.
•He is a dedicated son and a loyal husband. Other
characters exemplify perfect virtues as well.
•Sita, with her perfect devotion to her husband, is the
eternal symbol of the perfect woman and wife.
•Lakshmana, who never leaves his brother's side despite
the horrible dangers, is the image of the perfect brother.
•Hanuman, witty, loyal, and wise, is the perfect advisor.

37. Dharma
•A central concept in Hinduism and Indian philosophy,
dharma may be translated as truth, justice, and duty.
•It refers to the central purpose of a particular being, as
well as the correct path that she or he should follow in
this world.
•Dharma also describes a conduct defined by truth and
justice, which is divinely commanded.
•Populated with perfect characters, the Ramayana offers
a playbook for how to behave with virtue and dharma in
the world.

38. Brotherly Love
•Lakshmana is an exemplar of brotherly love. He is never
enviousof his more accomplished brother Rama and
supports him in his every adventure.
•When they are still boys, Lakshmana accompanies
Rama into the forest to defeat the rakshasa Tataka,
having full faith in his brother despite their youth and
inexperience.
•Rama tells Lakshmana that he is like part of his own
body; Rama is never more devastated than when
Lakshmana falls injured on the battlefield.

39. Good and Evil
•In the Ramayana, good and evil are diametrically opposed
forces, locked in eternal combat. They are frequently
represented as a contrast between human/god and rakshasa.
•The rakshasas exhibit a number of vices (violence, blasphemous
impulses, sexual indiscretions), while the righteous humans are
exemplars of every virtue.
•Though good and evil are opposed, the Ramayana suggests that
they are not innate but rather the result of choice.
•Some rakshasas have been turned into demons as punishment
for a transgression, while previous virtuous human beings can
become wicked when they choose to abandon the path of
dharma.

40. Combat
•Large portions of the Ramayana describe incredible
battles between Rama and various wicked rakshasa.
•These battles are intense and described in evocative
prose, featuring a great deal of violence and magical
weapons. Rama's success in combat is part of his identity
as the perfect man, an unconquered warrior.
•The centrality of combat in the Ramayana may also be
symbolic: the rakshasas symbolize the evil impulses in
every person, which must be destroyed in order for the
soul to be made pure.

41. Human and Divine
•The differences and similarities between human and divine
are a major theme in the Ramayana.
•Rama himself is the incarnation of a god, but much of his
goodness is the result of his own personal choices rather than
this divine heritage.
•Rama has been born into the world because an enormously
powerful rakshasa, Ravana, cannot be killed by any deity or
supernatural creature; the gods themselves are unable to
defeat them.
•In some ways, some human beings and vanaras(magical
monkeys) are superior to the gods in their virtuous conduct.
However, the gods still have the power to offer boons to
mortals, such as weapons and invincibility.

42. The Significance of
The Ramayana in
Indian Culture
The Ramayana is an epic story that illustrates the triumph of
good over evil. It teaches about love, loyalty, and respect for
one's duty. Rama and Sita are the main characters who embody
these values.

43. The Ramayana is not just a story,
it's a lesson that teaches us to be
virtuous, to love deeply, and to
make sacrifices when necessary.

44. Thank you!