Difficulties: Character of Rama (Critics)

By: Sujith.S
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Introduction
Ramayana was secular origin. It was popular story that to be usual and popular in
ancient days. In later stage, it was given a divine color. Periyar believed that, in order to
establish Brahmanism, the Aryan poets imported Brahminic ideas in to the old stories and made
Rama as avatara1.

Short Story of Rama

Once upon a time there was a prince of the royal house of Ayodhya and his name was
Rama. Due to the cheating of his step-mother, Rama was ejected for a time to the forests. He
went into exile and his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana gladly went with him. While they
were living in the forest an Unknown Man kidnapped Sita. Rama released his faithful Sita, but
only after many adventures and only with the help of friendly local tribes. Then the time came
for his exile to end and for him to return to his kingdom. He returned to Ayodhya, was crowned
and reigned for many years.2

Critics the character of Rama in historical approach

Rama’s only witness is Ramayana. So first we made critical approach to Ramayana
(Rama’s Story). There are so many Ramayanas. But scholars believe the main source of
Ramayana is Valmiki’s Ramayana. So we discuss about Valmiki’s Ramayana.

Historicity of Rama
Valmiki’s masterpiece has suffered much at the hands of uncritical interpolators by
introducing many hyperbolic descriptions and endless repetitions.3
D.G Sen finds the origin of Valmiki’s Ramayana to three Sources: (1) the Dasharatha Jataka, (2)
a cycle of legends from south India about Ravana, a grand a noble Brahmana hero, (3) a floating
group of legends relating to ape-worship once widely current in India.4
Ramayana Story is not meant to imply that Valmiki wrote an historical chronicle. But it does
accept an historical foundation for the main outline of Rama-story as found Valmiki’s work. we

1
S.Robertson, Approaching religion in a Pluralistic Context (Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI,2009), p160
2
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p251
3
Ibid, p252
4
ibid, p18
have to evaluate the vulgate Ramayana, cutting away interpolations, in order to find what
probably was composed by Valmiki himself5

Date:
Probably Rama lived in the eighth or seventh centuryBC. This opinion is based on the
fact that in Vedic literature (Vedas, Brahmans, etc.), surely up to the- sixth century B.Cthere is
no reference to the Rama-story. This absence might seem topoint to a later date. Theballads of
the Rama-story had become wide-spread by the fourth century BC. Consequently, we place
Rama in the eighth or seventh century B.C., contradicting Hindu puranic tradition which places
him in the vicinity of 2000 BC.6
The Ramayana Contain
1. Bala Kanda
2. Ayodhya Kanda
3. Aranya Kanda
4. Kishkindhya Kanda
5. Sundara Kanda
6. Yuddha Kanda
7. Uttara Kanda7

Critics the Vulgate of Ramayana

There are three widely different recensions of the vulgateRamayana.
They are:
TheSouthern Recension, the Bengal Recension andthe North-Western Recension.8
Dr. H. Jacobi in his Das Ramayana classifies the differences in thesethree main Recensions
under the following heads:
(1) Each recension has a large number of verses, even longerpassages and entire cantos, which
are not to be found in one, or, attimes, even both of the others. Comparing the Southern and
Bengalrecensions we find that one third of the verses are proper to eachrecension.
(2) Each recension differs from one, or at times, even both of theothers in the common verses;
the Southern recension usually has themore original text.
(3) The sequence of the verses is often different even in all threerecensions.

5
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p 253
6
Ibid, p 252
7
Monier Williams, Indian Wisdom: The religious, philosophical and ethical Doctrines of the Hindus (New Delhi:
Cosmo Publications, 2003), p337
8
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p 256
 The important thing is it proves conclusively that we have not got the
poemascomposed by Valmiki, and that later interpolators have made substantial additions to
what must have been the original Valmiki-Ramayana. Later stage the epic fell into the hands of
Brahmin interpolators who must be held responsible for the puranic sections in both these
books which show a distinctly priestly bias. The vulgate must have been complete in second
century A.D9
Generally accepted by modern scholars that books II to IV along with parts of books I
constitute the original nucleus of the Ramayana.10

Evolution of Ramayana
The authentic Ramayana must have been composed towards the end of the fourth
century B.C. then came the interpolations by the poets, starting with an introduction which
eventually became the Balakanda.The oldest portions of the Balakanda belong probably to the
first century B.C. and the divinization of Rama probably took shape somewhere at the end of
the same century. Finally the priestly bias must have been incorporated in the first centuries
A.D.So that by the second century A.D. the Ramayana had reached the last stages of its
development.11

Critics the genuine five book of Ramayana (interpolations)

According to Valmiki, Ramawas a noble king, and a great warrior, but definitely not
divine. Veryfew verses is there in the five genuine books of the printed ValmikiRamayana which
refer to Rama as being an avatara of Vishnu. They occur in those portions which are proved to
be laterinterpolations for other reasons. Moreover, none of the characters ofthe Ramayana
(not excluding Rama and Sita) are aware of Ramabeing an avatara of Vishnu. Rama too is
pictured asconsidering himself to be a mere human being, who he is afraid of sin and of
punishment.But he is convinced that his present misfortunes are dueto the sins he committed
in a previous birth. This clearly shows that in the mind of Valmiki Rama waspurely human. For
several centuriesthe Rama-ballads had sung the praises of Rama. Then Valmiki’sgenius had
further idealized him and greatly increased his popularity.On the other hand, the old idea of
God becoming manifest on earthin various forms had received great impetus since the third or
theearly second century BC. The Jains created a vast Ramaliterature in which Rama is one of
the sixty three Mahapurusas.So we clearly understood Rama is not God in Valmiki’s Mind. All
those stories coming in Later Centuries.12

9
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p 257
10
Monier Williams, Indian Wisdom: The religious, philosophical and ethical Doctrines of the Hindus (New
Delhi: Cosmo Publications, 2003), p 318
11
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p 258
12
ibid, p 260
Critics the First and 7th book of Ramayana (interpolation)
Difficulties of Balakanda
Whole of this book to be an interpolation are as follows:
(1)The first canto of the Balakanda provides a summary of the whole poem without creating a
single reference to the subject-matter of the Balakanda itself. Later this unexpected thingis
corrected by the insertion of a second table of contents in sarga 3, in which the subject-matter
of the Balakanda is incorporated. 13
(2) The style and composition of the Balakanda lacks unity and contains much material that has
no direct bearing on the Rama-story.
(3)There are a few contradictions between the Balakanda and the following books. The
marriage of Lakshmana and Urmila, which is clearly mentioned in the Balakanda, is contradicted
in the Aranyakanda where, in sarga 18, Lakshmana is said to be unmarried.
Episodes referring to Rama as an incarnation of Vishnu did not belong to the original
Balakanda. The excellence of Rama and compares him to Vishnu in velour, but clearly states
that after his reign on earth Rama will go to Brahmaloka. If the author of this eulogy had been
aware that Rama was an incarnation of Vishnu, he would surely have mentioned it among his
qualities and he surely would not have placed him in Brahmaloka after his death.14

Difficulties of Uttarakanda
(1) The conclusion of Book Six shows clearly that at the time of its composition, the Ramayana
was considered to have ended there.
(2)ThefirstCantooftheBalakandadoesnotrefertoanyeventrelatedineitherthefirstorlastbook.
ItisonlylaterthatasecondtableofcontentshasbeenaddedincantothreeinwhichtheeventsoftheBala
kandaaregivenfairlycompletelyandtalk about, buttheonlyeventoftheseventhbookwhichistalked
abouttherejectionofSita. It would seem therefore that even at the time of composition of this
second table of contents, the Uttarakanda as still far from having reached its present extent
which mentioned as the chief events of the seventh book.
(3) There is also the fact that the narrative is very disconnected, that it contains many puranic
stories which have no direct bearing on the plot and that some of the contents go against those
of previous books.15

Criticism on the character of Rama

13
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p 258
14
Ibid, p 259
15
Ibid, p 263
Rama is not God
There is nothing in this story to make Rama the object ofworship. But Valmiki saw
somethingextraordinary in Rama and that is why he undertook to composethe Ramayana.
For Narada told him that the only person who can be said topossess these virtues is Rama, the
son of Dasharatha toaccept Rama as an object of worship as a God consider thefollowing facts:
If notdisreputable in its origin, is certainly unnatural.16
There are other incidents connected with the birth of Ramathe unsavory character of which it
will be difficult to deny.Valmiki starts hisRamayanabyemphasizingthe fact thatRama is an
Avatar of Vishnu,
According to Buddha Ramayana, Sita was the sister ofRama, both were the children of
Dasharatha. The Ramayana of Valmiki does not agree with the relationshipmentioned in
Buddha Ramayana. According to Valmiki,
SitawasthedaughterofthekingJanakaofVidehaandthereforenota sister of Rama. This is not
convincing for even according toValmiki she is not the natural born daughter of Janaka but
achild found by a farmer in his field ploughing it and presentedby him to king Janaka and
brought up by Janaka. It wastherefore in a superficial sense that Sita could be said to be
daughter of Janaka.
The story in the Buddha Ramayana is natural and notinconsistent with the Aryan rules of
marriage. If the story is true, then Rama’s marriage to Sita is no ideal tobe copied.
In another sense Rama’s marriage was not an ideal marriagewhich could be copied. Even
Valmiki refers to the many wives of Rama.

Rama is not Good king

Rama committed the worst crime that history has everrecorded.The incident is known
as the murder of Sambuka, theShudra. It is said by Valmiki that in Rama's reign there wereno
premature deaths in his kingdom. It happened, however, that a certain Brahman’s son, died in a
premature death. Thebereaved father carried his body to the gate of the king’s place,and
placing it there, cried aloud and bitterly reproached Ramafor the death of his son, saying that it
must be the consequenceof some sin committed within his realm, and that the kinghimself
was guilty if he did not punish it, and finally threatenedto end his life there by sitting on a
dharana(hunger-strike)against Rama unless his son was restored to life. Ramaafter thattalked
to his council of eight learned Rishis, andNarada amongst them told Rama that some Shudra
among hissubjects must have been performing Tapasya (ascetic exercises. Rama was thus
convinced that itwas the sin committed by a Shudra in transgressing Dharma inthat manner,
which was responsible for the death of the Brahminboy. So, Rama mounted his aerial car
16
Dr. Babasaherb B.R. Ambedkar, Rama & Krishna (Bangalore: Dalit sahitya Academy, 1995), p12
approached the man, and with no more adothan to enquire of him and inform; himself that he
was a Shudra,by name Sambuka who was practicing Tapasya without a warningCut off his
head. A Shudra has no right to perform.17 Tapas to enter into the celestial abode for this act
Rama was congratulated by Agastya.

Rama is not moral man

Rama heard the maliciousgossip in the town that was reported by the court joker and
was overwhelmed with a sense of disgrace. To get rid of thisdisgrace he takes the shortestcut
and the swiftest means - namely to abandon her, a womanin a somewhat advanced state of
pregnancy in a jungle, withoutfriends, without provision, without even notice - in a
mosttreacherous manner. There is no doubt that the idea ofabandoning Sita was not sudden
and had not occurred to Ramaon the spur of the moment.18 The genesis of the idea,
thedeveloping of it and the plan of executing are worth somedetailed mention. Rama said I
cannot bear this dishonor and disgrace.To save myself from such dishonor and disgrace I shall
be ready even to abandon you. Rama did not count the life of Sita. What counted was his own
personal name and fame.19

Rama was killer

This murder of Vali is the greatest blot on thecharacter of Rama. It was a crime which
was thoroughlyunprovoked, for Vali had no quarrel with Rama. It wasmost cowardly act, for
Vali was unarmed. It was a plannedand premeditated murder.20

Rama wasa man after women

Rama included flesh and fruits and liquor. Rama wasnot a teetotaler. He drank liquor
copiously and Valmiki records that Rama saw to it that Sita joined with him in his drinking
bouts. Ram sat in the midst of these womendrinking and dancing. They pleased Rama and
Ramagarlanded them. Valmiki calls Ram as a Prince among women’s men. This was notaday’s
affair. It wasaregularcourse of his life.Even Valmiki refers to the many wives of Rama.21

Rama is incredulity husband

Rama does not ask Hanumanto bring her from Lanka. He asks him to inform her that he
is hale andhearty. It is Sita who expresses to Hanuman her desire to seeRama. Rama does not
go to Sita, his own wife, who waskidnapped and confined by Ravana for more than 10
months.Sita is brought to him and what does Rama say to Sita when hesees her? It would be
difficult to believe any man with ordinaryhuman kindness could address to his wife in such dire

17
Dr. Babasaherb B.R. Ambedkar, Rama & Krishna (Bangalore: Dalit sahitya Academy, 1995), p 24
18
Ibid, p 17
19
Ibid, p 18
20
Ibid, p 15
21
Ibid, p 22
distressas Rama did to Sita when he met her in Lanka if there was notthe direct authority of
Valmiki. This is how Rama addressedher.
“I came here to kill Ravana and wash off the dishonor. I did not take this trouble for your
sake.”
Could there be anything crueler than this conductof Rama towards Sita? Rama Said,
“ISuspect your conduct. You must have been spoiled by Ravana. Your very sight is
revolting to me. Oh you daughter of Janaka! I allow you to go anywhere you like. I have
nothing to do with you. I conquered you back and I am content for that was my object. I cannot
think that Ravana would have failed to enjoy a woman as beautiful as you are“
Quite naturally Sita calls Rama low and mean and tells himquite plainly that she would
have committed suicide and savedhim all this trouble. Sita undertakes to prove her purity. She
enters the fire and comes out unscathedis then that Rama agrees to take her back to
Ayodhya.22

Bibliography
Williams, Monier. Indian Wisdom: The religious, philosophical and ethical Doctrines of the
Hindus. New Delhi: Cosmo Publications, 2003.
B.R. Ambedkar, Dr. Babasaherb. Rama & Krishna. Bangalore: Dalit sahitya Academy, 1995.
Smet, R.De. Religious Hinduism. Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Society, 1997.
Robertson,S. Approaching religion in a Pluralistic Context. Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI, 2009.

22
R.De Smet,J. Neuner.,Ed, Religious Hinduism (Mumbai: The Bombay Saint Paul Socity,1997), p 261