Quotes About Rama

From old Ikshváku's15line he came, Known to the world by Ráma's name: With soul subdued, a chief of might

Nahush begot Yayáti: he, Nábhág of happy destiny. Son of Nábhág was Aja: his, The glorious DaÅ›aratha is, Whose noble children boast to be Ráma and Lakshma?, whom we see.

with ever new delight The nectar-sea of deeds by Ráma done. Hail, arch-ascetic, pious

A bridge was thrown by Nala o'er The narrow sea from shore to shore.39 They crossed to Lanká's golden town, Where Ráma's hand smote

Over his brother's wide domain. To meet her husband Sítá came; But Ráma, stung with ire and shame, With bitter words his

Praise to Válmíki,2bird of charming song,3 Who mounts on Poesy's sublimest spray, And sweetly sings with accent clear and strong Ráma, aye Ráma, in his deathless lay.

Then lest the people should repeat Their visit to his calm retreat, Away from Chitrakúá¹­a's hill Fared Ráma ever onward till [pg 005] 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 And bow of Indra, heavenly lord: A pair of quivers too, that bore Of arrows an exhaustless store.

Still on his head, well trained in lore Of duty, Ráma's shoes he bore. Ráma's shoes are here

No ancient story, not even Homer's Iliad or Odyssey, has remained as popular through the course of time. The story of Rama appears as old as civilization and has a fresh appeal for every generation.

The story of Sita lifting the Shiva dhanushya, which it takes 5000 servants to fetch for Rama to break (Bala Kanda, sarg 66), signifies the onset of puberty. Yet, if we are to take this literally, we have to ask what happened to this strong woman after marriage that she let herself be abducted by Ravana without a fight.

It is the internal battles that Rama has to fight that interest me now, and there are many. Sadly, he loses the most important battle of all, the battle to be the person that he wants to be, irrespective of what his cosmic and public destinies have in store for him. It is this terrible dislocation of the self that gives rise to his anxieties about Sita and his treatment of her.