Discussion/Explanation/Queries on Indian Epics-

sudarshana · Nov 6, 2008

Hi Friends,

We all know about Ramayana and Mahabharat.These are our two main epics.Many of us watched it in their childhood as well now a days also.Whatever the epic writer showed us we read that,watched that and believed it also...Ravana is addressed as a villian ....we believed it..and RAM who is addressed as the God...We too believe it and worship him ...so Ram is popular as a hero and Ravan is a popular villian in our eye...

BUT.....friends...when I watch the Ramayana sometimes queries come to my mind....why Ravan is termed as a villian...Ravan didnt take any unfair way to defeat Ram in the war.Ram did take in some cases..why was laxman sent to Indrajit's cave when he was in a yajja and he unfairly defeated indrajit...why did Ram take help of Bibhisan,,,wasnt that unfair ?
Ram somehow played many of the tricks but Ravan himself was a victim in his own brothers hand.Are Ram and Ravan are real heros or villians...I think nobody is hero or villian..

For MAhabharata also....if Krishna wasnt there to play tricks Pandava would have never wont the battle....then why do we term the PAndavas as heros?

I am sorry if anybody is hurt by this thread of mine as i shared my feelings with you all...i may be wrong or right..or maybe i am missing with some info...which can clear out....so dont take is by heart...

manasa_gs · Nov 7, 2008

Hi Sudarshana,
I do understand your confusion, but one way u cannot be blamed , coz the way it has been told to us is really the problem.
Well i would like to tell my opinion,
In Mahabharata, the kauravas were the bad ones, coz they literally cheated the pandavas, and they wanted to enjoy everythg by themselves.
In Mahabharata, wat Lord Krishna wanted to convey is, There is nothing wrong in using some tactics for some good purpose.
And also, he conveys that , nothing is in our hands, u do ur duty and the rest will happen.
And as u said, it was never termed Pandavas as heroes . Pandavas and kauravas are just two characters in the epic, telling us about the good and bad parts of life.

nabanitapain · Nov 11, 2008

I fully agree with you about the confusion.But the matter is there are epics....somekind of stories....and we from our childhood used to watch it on the national channel on sundays....so its more like believing the facts put up in front of us from our childhood days...but its true what you said...

IT would reviewed in terms of heros and villians...

MadhumitaIndia · Nov 19, 2008

Hi Sudarshana,

You really put up a different aspect of the epics...Whatever you say is true but the other half of the coin ,,,,,the so called heros as per you ,,,have also done any good things for which they are worshipped ....so since they are epics ...even if we confusion or arguments...its really hard to make people undersand who blindly worships them....but what you say is true ....I agree with u.....

I think thats why the idiom say...."nothing is perfect."

sumasandeep · Nov 20, 2008

Hi,

I feel both the epics were great. There is no such heroes or Villans in any of that. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder...the same thing applies here.

Have u read a poem wriiten by the great poet Ranna (i don't remember its name)who calls Dhuryodana as Suyodhana!! Its just in the name... if u call him as Suyodana he becomes good

No one is born with a tag as villan or hero... they are made by their deeds. Ravana was not a villan he was great king and his kingdom was wealthy and all his pepole were happy and great worshipper of lord shiva too. Dhuryodhana on other hand is a great hero and great friend too. He was a person with a great heart who give a special place for karna!!

Rama and Krishna as u said are heroes not because they are GOD!!!

They are not GOD!!! they are the incarnication of Lord Vishnu...in two different periods of time.. they were also Human beings... God wants us to learn good deeds and things through such epics. Thats it.

In both the epics...it was the only thing "Aaase"/ their bad intension/thinking of getting something which was not theirs... which made ravana and kauravas as bad. In life...one or the other day each one of us can urge for things in lfe which is not ours... sometimes some people do go to that extend where they become just blind. Those extremities and their consequences are so beautifully picturised in these 2 great epics. May be i suggest you to read both epics in a very broad mind...then u can really appriciate why valmiki the very furious hunter was changed and made to write Ramayana

We celebrate Krishna Janmashatmi & Ram navami not becoz they are GOD... we celebrate in thier memory, remembering their good deeds and we pray to Lord Vishnu on that day to come to each and everyone's house in Krishna or Rama avathara and bless us.