Guest guest Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Dear All: Since Valmiki did not mention any thing like the interpretation given below, every one of the readers can indulge in any type of fancy interpretations they wish. If you read the Critical Edition of Ramayana (Devanagari), it is clear that Sage Valmiki asked Narada if there exists a " Sat Purusha " and describes the qualities he was looking in a Sat Purusha. He ( Valmiki) may have taken these qualities from Chapter 11 of the Shikhavalli of Taittiriya Upanishad. Narada promptly gives an example of Raghu Vamshiya Rama and gives a brief account of Rama's life from birth till he returns to Ayodya after killing Ravana. Hearing the brief description of Rama's story from Narada, Valmiki was pondering over the details and set out to describe the details in Anustubh meter. There was no direct or indirect reference to Rama as an incarnation of Lord either by Narada or by Valmiki. Since it was believed to have happened in Treta Yuga, just after Satya Yuga, I think there was no need, at that time to mention this fact. Every one, I expect, believe in the Rg Vedic concept - 'Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma' every thing indeed is Brahman. Refusing to take Sita back even after she came out of fire unscathed, Rama simply said that he was just indeed a human, born to Dasharatha. " Atmanam manusham manye, Ramam dasharatha-atmajam " Ram 6.117.11 The above sloka in Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 117, verse 11 (Ram 6.119.11) is one of the often quoted verse along with the following verse from Bala Kanda, Sarga 23, Verse 2 (1.23.2) Kausalya supraja rama, purvasandya pravartate utthittha narashardula kartavyam daivamahnikam..Ram 1.23.2 where Sage Visvamitra instructs Rama to get up from bed as it was time to wake-up to attend to activities. The concept of Divinity of Rama was introduced in several of Puranic Ramayanas. These Puranic Ramayanas ( Adhyatma Ramayana from Brahmanda is the most popular of Vyasa Ramayanas). The story of Rama (Ramopakhyanam) in Aranya Parvan of Mahabharata is totally silent about the divinity of Rama. Most of the translations of Ramayana into vernacular languages follow Puranic Vyasa Ramayanas as opposed to Valmiki's original Ramayana. with best wishes Raja Dr. V. Raja Bandaru Cranbury, NJ, USA Raja Bandaru <vrb1981 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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