The Ramayana is India's oldest and most well-known epic. It is well-known not just for the Rama and Sita tales it contains but also for the numerous societal issues it addresses that are pertinent to Indian culture and with which viewers may identify. The narrative of Ram and Sita is a well-known and beloved
illustration of the search for one's inner truth. It's an exciting epic with all the essential elements,
including a strong protagonist (Ram), a lovely heroine (Sita), a villain (Ravan), occult powers, etc. And
then there are all the evergreen motifs present in every version of this story, like Sita’s feminine beauty,
Ram’s valor and strength, his sensuous nature, Ravana’s magic power, Ravan’s desire for power, Ram’s
quest for knowledge, and finally the conflict between good and evil.
One of the best-known Odia versions of the Ramayana is the Dandi Ramayana. It is regarded as one of
the earliest efforts to translate the Sanskrit Ramayana into an Indian regional tongue. It was written in Odisha around the sixteenth century. Because Lord Jagannath of Puri inspired Balarama Das to create the scripture, it is also known as Jagamohana Ramayana. In his famous epic Ramayana, Balarama Das cleverly used the story surrounding the battle between Ram
and Ravana to explore various themes and aspects related to life and human existence. Further, the story continues when Lord Rama cannot grant any boon to the rooster who wishes for a crown that can stand out from the others. He does not even accept his request for immortality. The story ends with a
dramatic point—the crown that was supposed to be on the rooster’s head turns up on Ram’s head. Rooster becomes dejected after this and runs after Ram, hoping the hero will bestow another valuable boon on him before leaving forever!
Several life lessons are there in Balaram Das' "The Epic of Sri Ramakrishna" that will help you enjoy a
contented and fruitful life. We will discuss some of the important lessons in this blog.
Truth ultimately triumphs:
If we look at the Ramayana, we find a story of truth and goodness prevailing against evil. The central message is that truth always triumphs over evil, regardless of its strength. This is one of the most significant lessons that we can learn from the Dandia Ramayana.
Forgiveness is better than anger and retaliation:
As Lord Rama and his army set out to look for Sita, they gave Ravana plenty of chances to give Sita back to Rama before threatening to kill him if he did not. Ravana, however, was avaricious and desired to take revenge on Rama for insulting his sister, Surpanakha. He eventually paid with his life for his refusal to give her back. As a result, we have learned that we too should have a big heart, comprehend the circumstances, and be prepared to forgive and let go.
No matter how bad things become, we must always remain united:
The three wives of King Dasaratha are very devoted to one another. Even under difficult circumstances, they remained close. So the moral is: never let an undesirable situation in life get you down. It is always better to be united, than alone. The power of a family is greater than any adversity, and it always supports each other through good and bad times.
Relationships have more significance than money:
It's not just about money. It's more about the relationship you have with it. When people treat you like a friend, money is no longer important. You will be treated as someone valued and respected. In the Ramayana, we see examples of value being based on loyalty and family. Rama is the epitome of someone who understands that relationships trump monetary value; he does not let money get in the way of his relationships and family. As a result, he went into fourteen years of exile. Sita, Rama's wife, and Laxman, Rama's brother, also accompanied him. Bharat, on the other hand, serves as an officer under Rama and assists with various tasks along the way, but when his brother Rama returns to the throne, Bharat immediately returns the kingdom to him.
Treat everyone equally:
The tale of Sabri, who gave him the already-tasted fruit while Rama was visiting, begins here. Rama was informed that Sabri had consumed some of the previously sampled berries while on the road and then offered Rama those berries. He didn't request anything in exchange, though; he just ate them. The entire hamlet was ecstatic about this. They expressed gratitude to Sri Rama for his generosity and modesty. The lesson of the story is to respect everyone and treat them fairly. As can be seen from the above passages, the Ramayana is filled with important life lessons. These values have been passed down from generation to generation since time eternal. Contemporary society is losing these values slowly and gradually. These values must be rekindled so that we can inculcate them in our children and at the same time learn something new too.