Georgia Military College Ramayanas Embrace of Dharma Principle Questions The Ramayana is a didactic epic that teaches people, especially the ideal king and

Georgia Military College Ramayanas Embrace of Dharma Principle Questions The Ramayana is a didactic epic that teaches people, especially the ideal king and ideal wife, how to honor dharma through proper behavior. Choose and analyze one specific passage that highlights a dharma principle that offers advice on how people should behave, whether explicitly or implicitly. Consider the following questions to guide your analysis.

How did the advice resonate with you?
How would the contemporary reader react to the advice?
How would this advice impact today’s world?

150-250 word, cite all sources in MLA format and Do not use direct quotes!

https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/dharma-hinduism

http://veda.wikidot.com/dharma

https://www.ushistory.org/civ/8c.asp RÁMÁYAN of VÁLMÍKI
Translated into English Verse
by
Ralph T. H. Griffith, M.A.
CONTENTS
Book I. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Canto I. Nárad. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Canto II. Brahmá’s Visit …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16
Canto III. The Argument. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22
Canto IV. The Rhapsodists. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 27
Canto V. Ayodhyá. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31
Canto VI. The King. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34
Canto VII. The Ministers. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 39
Canto VIII. Sumantra’s Speech. ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41
Canto IX. Rishyasring. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 45
Canto X. Rishyasring Invited…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 55
Canto XI. The Sacrifice Decreed. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 59
Canto XII. The Sacrifice Begun. ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 62
Canto XIII. The Sacrifice Finished. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 67
Canto XIV. Rávan Doomed. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 75
Canto XV. The Nectar. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 81
Canto XVI. The Vánars. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 84
Canto XVII. Rishyasring’s Return. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 89
Canto XVIII. Rishyasring’s Departure. ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 94
Canto XIX. The Birth Of The Princes. …………………………………………………………………………………………. 97
Canto XX. Visvámitra’s Visit. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 101
Canto XXI. Visvámitra’s Speech. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 104
Canto XXII. Dasaratha’s Speech. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 107
Canto XXIII. Vasishtha’s Speech. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 111
Canto XXIV. The Spells. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 113
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Canto XXV. The Hermitage Of Love. ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 116
Canto XXVI. The Forest Of Tádaká. …………………………………………………………………………………………. 119
Canto XXVII. The Birth Of Tádaká……………………………………………………………………………………………. 123
Canto XXVIII. The Death Of Tádaká. ………………………………………………………………………………………… 126
Canto XXIX. The Celestial Arms. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 131
Canto XXX. The Mysterious Powers. ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 134
Canto XXXI. The Perfect Hermitage. ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 137
Canto XXXII. Visvámitra’s Sacrifice. …………………………………………………………………………………………. 140
Canto XXXIII. The Sone. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 144
Canto XXXIV. Brahmadatta. …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 146
Canto XXXV. Visvámitra’s Lineage…………………………………………………………………………………………… 153
Canto XXXVI. The Birth Of Gangá. …………………………………………………………………………………………… 156
Canto XXXIX. The Sons Of Sagar. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 159
Canto XL. The Cleaving Of The Earth……………………………………………………………………………………….. 162
Canto XLI. Kapil. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 166
Canto XLII. Sagar’s Sacrifice……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 169
Canto XLIII. Bhagírath……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 172
Canto XLIV. The Descent Of Gangá. ………………………………………………………………………………………… 176
Canto XLV. The Quest Of The Amrit. ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 183
Canto XLVI. Diti’s Hope. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 190
Canto XLVII. Sumati. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 192
Canto XLVIII. Indra And Ahalyá ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 195
Canto XLIX. Ahalyá Freed. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 198
Canto L. Janak. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 200
Canto LI. Visvámitra. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 203
Canto LII. Vasishtha’s Feast. …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 207
Canto LIII. Visvámitra’s Request……………………………………………………………………………………………… 210
Canto LIV. The Battle…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 214
Canto LV. The Hermitage Burnt. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 217
Canto LVI. Visvámitra’s Vow. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 220
Canto LVII. Trisanku. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 224
Canto LVIII. Trisanku Cursed. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 226
Canto LIX. The Sons Of Vasishtha……………………………………………………………………………………………. 230
Canto LX. Trisanku’s Ascension. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 233
2
Canto LXI. Sunahsepha………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 237
Canto LXII. Ambarísha’s Sacrifice. …………………………………………………………………………………………… 240
Canto LXIII. Menaká. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 243
Canto LXIV. Rambhá. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 247
Canto LXV. Visvámitra’s Triumph ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 250
Canto LXVI. Janak’s Speech. …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 255
Canto LXVII. The Breaking Of The Bow. …………………………………………………………………………………… 258
Canto LXVIII. The Envoys’ Speech. ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 261
Canto LXIX. Dasaratha’s Visit. ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 264
Canto LXX. The Maidens Sought. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 266
Canto LXXI. Janak’s Pedigree………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 273
Canto LXXII. The Gift Of Kine………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 275
Canto LXXIII. The Nuptials. …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 278
Canto LXXIV. Ráma With The Axe.254 ………………………………………………………………………………………. 283
Canto LXXV. The Parle. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 286
Canto LXXVI. Debarred From Heaven. …………………………………………………………………………………….. 290
Canto LXXVII. Bharat’s Departure. ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 293
3
BOOK I.
Canto I. Nárad.
OM.
To sainted Nárad, prince of those
Whose lore in words of wisdom flows.
Whose constant care and chief delight
Were Scripture and ascetic rite,
The good Válmíki, first and best
Of hermit saints, these words addressed:9
“In all this world, I pray thee, who
Is virtuous, heroic, true?
Firm in his vows, of grateful mind,
To every creature good and kind?
Bounteous, and holy, just, and wise,
Alone most fair to all men’s eyes?
Devoid of envy, firm, and sage,
Whose tranquil soul ne’er yields to rage?
Whom, when his warrior wrath is high,
Do Gods embattled fear and fly?
Whose noble might and gentle skill
The triple world can guard from ill?
Who is the best of princes, he
Who loves his people’s good to see?
The store of bliss, the living mine
Where brightest joys and virtues shine?
Queen Fortune’s10 best and dearest friend,
Whose steps her choicest gifts attend?
Who may with Sun and Moon compare,
With Indra,11 Vish?u,12 Fire, and Air?
4
Grant, Saint divine,13 the boon I ask,
For thee, I ween, an easy task,
To whom the power is given to know
If such a man breathe here below.”
Then Nárad, clear before whose eye
The present, past, and future lie,14
Made ready answer: “Hermit, where
Are graces found so high and rare?
Yet listen, and my tongue shall tell
In whom alone these virtues dwell.
From old Ikshváku’s15 line he came,
Known to the world by Ráma’s name:
With soul subdued, a chief of might,
In Scripture versed, in glory bright,
His steps in virtue’s paths are bent,
Obedient, pure, and eloquent.
In each emprise he wins success,
And dying foes his power confess.
Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb,
Fortune has set her mark on him.
Graced with a conch-shell’s triple line,
His throat displays the auspicious sign.16
High destiny is clear impressed
On massive jaw and ample chest,
His mighty shafts he truly aims,
And foemen in the battle tames.
Deep in the muscle, scarcely shown,
Embedded lies his collar-bone.
His lordly steps are firm and free,
5
His strong arms reach below his knee;17
All fairest graces join to deck
His head, his brow, his stately neck,
And limbs in fair proportion set:
The manliest form e’er fashioned yet.
Graced with each high imperial mark,
His skin is soft and lustrous dark.
Large are his eyes that sweetly shine
With majesty almost divine.
His plighted word he ne’er forgets;
On erring sense a watch he sets.
By nature wise, his teacher’s skill
Has trained him to subdue his will.
Good, resolute and pure, and strong,
He guards mankind from scathe and wrong,
And lends his aid, and ne’er in vain,
The cause of justice to maintain.
Well has he studied o’er and o’er
The Vedas18and their kindred lore.
Well skilled is he the bow to draw,19
Well trained in arts and versed in law;
High-souled and meet for happy fate,
Most tender and compassionate;
The noblest of all lordly givers,
Whom good men follow, as the rivers
Follow the King of Floods, the sea:
So liberal, so just is he.
The joy of Queen Kau?alyá’s20heart,
In every virtue he has part:
6
Firm as Himálaya’s21 snowy steep,
Unfathomed like the mighty deep:
The peer of Vish?u’s power and might,
And lovely as the Lord of Night;22
Patient as Earth, but, roused to ire,
Fierce as the world-destroying fire;
In bounty like the Lord of Gold,23
And Justice self in human mould.
With him, his best and eldest son,
By all his princely virtues won
King Da?aratha24 willed to share
His kingdom as the Regent Heir.
But when Kaikeyí, youngest queen,
With eyes of envious hate had seen
The solemn pomp and regal state
Prepared the prince to consecrate,
She bade the hapless king bestow
Two gifts he promised long ago,
That Ráma to the woods should flee,
And that her child the heir should be.
By chains of duty firmly tied,
The wretched king perforce complied.
Ráma, to please Kaikeyí went
Obedient forth to banishment.
Then Lakshma?’s truth was nobly shown,
Then were his love and courage known,
When for his brother’s sake he dared
All perils, and his exile shared.
And Sítá, Ráma’s darling wife,
7
Loved even as he loved his life,
Whom happy marks combined to bless,
A miracle of loveliness,
Of Janak’s royal lineage sprung,
Most excellent of women, clung
To her dear lord, like Rohi?í
Rejoicing with the Moon to be.25
The King and people, sad of mood,
The hero’s car awhile pursued.
But when Prince Ráma lighted down
At ?ringavera’s pleasant town,
Where Gangá’s holy waters flow,
He bade his driver turn and go.
Guha, Nishádas’ king, he met,
And on the farther bank was set.
Then on from wood to wood they strayed,
O’er many a stream, through constant shade,
As Bharadvája bade them, till
They came to Chitrakú?a’s hill.
And Ráma there, with Lakshma?’s aid,
A pleasant little cottage made,
And spent his days with Sítá, dressed
In coat of bark and deerskin vest.26
And Chitrakú?a grew to be
As bright with those illustrious three
As Meru’s27 sacred peaks that shine
With glory, when the Gods recline
Beneath them: ?iva’s28 self between
The Lord of Gold and Beauty’s Queen.
8
The aged king for Ráma pined,
And for the skies the earth resigned.
Bharat, his son, refused to reign,
Though urged by all the twice-born29 train.
Forth to the woods he fared to meet
His brother, fell before his feet,
And cried, “Thy claim all men allow:
O come, our lord and king be thou.”
But Ráma nobly chose to be
Observant of his sire’s decree.
He placed his sandals30 in his hand
A pledge that he would rule the land:
And bade his brother turn again.
Then Bharat, finding prayer was vain,
The sandals took and went away;
Nor in Ayodhyá would he stay.
But turned to Nandigráma, where
He ruled the realm with watchful care,
Still longing eagerly to learn
Tidings of Ráma’s safe return.
Then lest the people should repeat
Their visit to his calm retreat,
Away from Chitrakú?a’s hill
Fared Ráma ever onward till
Beneath the shady trees he stood
Of Da??aká’s primeval wood,
Virádha, giant fiend, he slew,
And then Agastya’s friendship knew.
Counselled by him he gained the sword
9
And bow of Indra, heavenly lord:
A pair of quivers too, that bore
Of arrows an exhaustless store.
While there he dwelt in greenwood shade
The trembling hermits sought his aid,
And bade him with his sword and bow
Destroy the fiends who worked them woe:
To come like Indra strong and brave,
A guardian God to help and save.
And Ráma’s falchion left its trace
Deep cut on ?úrpa?akhá’s face:
A hideous giantess who came
Burning for him with lawless flame.
Their sister’s cries the giants heard.
And vengeance in each bosom stirred:
The monster of the triple head.
And Dúsha? to the contest sped.
But they and myriad fiends beside
Beneath the might of Ráma died.
When Ráva?, dreaded warrior, knew
The slaughter of his giant crew:
Ráva?, the king, whose name of fear
Earth, hell, and heaven all shook to hear:
He bade the fiend Márícha aid
The vengeful plot his fury laid.
In vain the wise Márícha tried
To turn him from his course aside:
Not Ráva?’s self, he said, might hope
With Ráma and his strength to cope.
10
Impelled by fate and blind with rage
He came to Ráma’s hermitage.
There, by Márícha’s magic art,
He wiled the princely youths apart,
The vulture31 slew, and bore away
The wife of Ráma as his prey.
The son of Raghu32 came and found
Ja?áyu slain upon the ground.
He rushed within his leafy cot;
He sought his wife, but found her not.
Then, then the hero’s senses failed;
In mad despair he wept and wailed.
Upon the pile that bird he laid,
And still in quest of Sítá strayed.
A hideous giant then he saw,
Kabandha named, a shape of awe.
The monstrous fiend he smote and slew,
And in the flame the body threw;
When straight from out the funeral flame
In lovely form Kabandha came,
And bade him seek in his distress
A wise and holy hermitess.
By counsel of this saintly dame
To Pampá’s pleasant flood he came,
And there the steadfast friendship won
Of Hanumán the Wind-God’s son.
Counselled by him he told his grief
To great Sugríva, Vánar chief,
Who, knowing all the tale, before
11
The sacred flame alliance swore.
Sugríva to his new-found friend
Told his own story to the end:
His hate of Báli for the wrong
And insult he had borne so long.
And Ráma lent a willing ear
And promised to allay his fear.
Sugríva warned him of the might
Of Báli, matchless in the fight,
And, credence for his tale to gain,
Showed the huge fiend33 by Báli slain.
The prostrate corse of mountain size
Seemed nothing in the hero’s eyes;
He lightly kicked it, as it lay,
And cast it twenty leagues34 away.
To prove his might his arrows through
Seven palms in line, uninjured, flew.
He cleft a mighty hill apart,…
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