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5 November, 2010
The Ideal Individual in the Classic Age of India The Classic Age of India was an era where the values of society were based on the religious duty of one man and the purity of a woman. In "the Ramayana of Valmiki” , Rama and Sita are portrayed as individuals with ideal characteristics and ethical behavior in the view of the Indian culture. Rama is considered a reincarnation of divinity and a man of solemn duty; Sita is the symbol of obedience and chastity. The moral elements of each character are presented through many difficult challenges that test both Rama and Sita. The actions and decisions of both characters through the text show how Indian culture described its
Now let’s take in consideration the ideal man in India. A man in the Classic age of India was a person who followed the ideas of religious duty, dharma, in order to keep the balance of good and bad actions, karma. Rama shows respect and loyalty to his family as he accepts his exile that his father commanded. Instead of becoming furious, he gladly accepts the request of his father since he believes that is the way dharma was presented to him. He later states that “no religious activity or even moral excellence can equal service of one’s parents in bestowing supreme felicity to one” (902). Laksmana later recognizes the work and effort that Rama makes to follow his duty. Laksmana tells Rama that he “is full of gratitude, knows dharma; with such a man as his son, father is not dead but is eternally alive” (904). Rama is devoted to his wife, Sita, and he is determined to fight an army of demons so he can rescue her and be together once again. His loyalty to Sita is slightly different from Sita’s. Rama suffers physically and mentally when he lost Sita, he becomes anxious and cares less about his individual necessities as he “does not eat meat, nor drink wine; he does not even wish to ward off flies and mosquitoes that assail him” and he “even hardly sleeps” (p. 944). Both Rama and Sita suffer for one another. Rama persists in his quest