Thursday, October 17, 2013

THE RAMAYANA (A TRUE READING)- E.V.R.PERIYAR

The stories of Ramayana were foisted that the heroes, their relations and their helpers are regarded as gods and super human beings and venerated by the people as worthy of being worshiped. A careful and analytical study of the original legends would reveal that the happenings and the events alleged to have taken place are most uncivilized and barbarous. Evidently, these myths are written so that Brahmins may look great in the eyes of others. The originals of these stories are written in Sanskrit. This enables those Aryans to put their interpretations really imaginary, differently at different times to suit the occasions and according to the intellectual capacity of the people in the midst of whom they preached. They call these stories the essence of Vedas, the 5th Veda and so on. The original Ramayana contains nothing appreciable, nothing divine, nothing moral to be learnt and followed and nothing would stand to reason and that we should open our eyes and see for ourselves the fair pretences and hollowness of these stories. The Aryans when they invaded the ancient land of Dravidians maltreated and dishonored the later and had written a false colored history. The Hanuman, Sukriv and natives were called as monkeys and rakshasas. It is this they call Ramayana. While it is stressed that Ram the hero of the story should be valued as god descended from heaven in human form Valmiki the author depicts that Ram was wicked in thought and deed was an embodiment of lies, treachery, artifice, cunningness, greediness, murder, drunkenness and unmanliness and what not. The story of Ramayana is neither religious nor rational.
When we consider Rama and his character, he was nothing more than a casteist, patriarchal, cowardice, power hungry, selfish person. His amiable conduct towards the people his father and Kaikeyi was only motivated by his desire to usurp the throne. He was all along a snake under the grass. When Kaikeyi said to him, the king desired me to convey to you that Bharath should be crowned king of Ayodhya and you should go to forest. He replied the king has never told me that he would give the kingdom to Bharath. He told his wife Sita, ‘you cater to the taste of Bharath without earning his ill feeling. This will yield much benefit to us later.’ (Chapter 26, Ayodhya Kand) Bharath assured to Ram that he gave his claim to throne. Then only Ram disclosed to Bharath the secret that Dasrath had already handed over the kingdom to his mother Kaikeyi.(Chapter 107, Ayodhya Kand) Ram was ever suspicious of Sita’s character and ask her to plunge herself into the fire and come out to prove her chastity. Rama said, ‘Sita, how could Ravana have left you without being seduced and seeing her pregnancy Rama’s doubt increased. Rama took Sita to forest and left there when she was pregnant. Rama disfigured, mutilated many women by cutting of their noses, breasts, ear etc and tortured them (Surpanaka, Ayomuki). Rama also insulted women and said women should not be trusted and secrets should not be confided to wife (Chapter 100, Ayodhya Kand). Rama married many wives. Ram said to his mother, ‘it has been ordained that I have to lose the kingdom, forego the princely comforts and the tasteful meat dishes and to go to the forest to eat the vegetables and fruits.’ (Ayodhya Kand) Similarly Sambuka was killed by Rama because he was making penance which was forbidden to him by Vedas, as he was a Sudra (Chapter 76, Uttarkand) Looking at his hand Rama recited the Sanskrit slogan ‘O, right hand, you kill this Sudra, unhesitatingly as killing the Sudra is the only way to get back the life of deceased Brahmin boy.’ (Valmiki Ramayana). Rama stealthily killed Valli who had done no harm to him, from behind for the sake of Valli’s disloyal brother Sukriv. Rama who had not dared himself to fight face to face with Valli, is hailed as a hero by the ignorant masses and greatly praised by the Brahmins. The bow that was broken by Rama was Shiv’s bow. This bow was already a broken one. (Abhidana sindamani, pages 157, 331, 571,663, 894)
On the other hand Vibishna envious of the sovereignty of his brother Ravana, betrayed him, brought about his death. When Ravana died Vibishna overwhelmed with fraternal feelings fell on the corpse and wept paying tributes to Ravan and describing his nobel qualities and said, ‘you never failed to do justice, you respected the great men.(Chapter 111, Uttarkand) Similarly Hanuman himself described about Ravan’s character that he has not touched any women without her consent. (Chapter 9, Sundar Kand). Ravan fought against deva’s because they in the name of yagya committed the most heinous crime of killing the poor animals in a torturous manner. Ravana carried away Sita to lanka because his sister was tortured and humiliated by Ram. Even at the gravest provocation Ravana, said Valmiki, had not even thought of mutilating the ears, the breast and the nose of Sita as a revenge. Valmiki himself said, ‘Ravan was a good man and magnanimous, but he chastised Brahmins whenever he saw them performing yagya and drinking soma juice.’ (alcohol)



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