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 The
Song of Rama: Ever since Sage Valmiki composed the Ramayana many
thousands of years ago, there have been many occasions during which
the epic was rewritten and reinterpreted by many scholars from various
parts of India. Along with Buddhism and the ancient trade routes,
the story also traveled out of the country and became an
integral part of the native traditions of many other countries in
Asia.
Perhaps, on the world stage, in the literary
history of any country, past or present, no other epic of such
grandeur, length, poetic beauty, vastness of human vision and
elevation of human thought, has been written and rewritten so many
times, in so many ways and so many languages, in so many parts of the
world, over so long a period of human history.
Perhaps no other epic attracted the kind of
attention and acceptance on a vast scale as the Ramayana did from
divergent peoples belonging to different traditions and complex,
cultural and historical backgrounds.
There is no exaggeration when we say that those who
recomposed the epic in their own ways after Valmiki, did so for
altruistic reasons. They were driven not by a desire to prove their
scholarly merit, but by an intense passion to express their deep
devotion to Lord Rama and their admiration for the ideals he
symbolized.
Whether it was Tulsidas, or Kamban, or Molla, this
was true. Whether it was in Sanskrit or in native languages, the
composers of Ramayana were undoubtedly great champions of truth
and followers of Lord Rama. They believed in the eternal values
of human life and the central value of righteousness in the
affairs of the human world. They were intuitively aware that in the
character and personality of Lord Rama was a glimmer of hope and a
supreme example to emulate for the entire humanity.
Men of great integrity and inner purity, with
unflinching faith in the triumph of truth over falsehood and the
divine nature of man, the very thought of Rama filled them with deep
devotion and positive emotions. They believed in the spiritual value
of the epic, in its ability to hold the attention of the masses and
its capacity to transform their lives. For them the composition of
Ramayana was an opportunity to be in touch with God, to meditate upon
Him, to speak to Him, to visualize His form, to contemplate upon
His deeds and spend their time fruitfully in His all absorbing
company. Besides, rendering the great epic into ordinary human
language in itself was a deed of great merit, a great service to the
humanity.
Obviously, the book, the Song of Rama by Devi
Vanamali is borne out of similar motives. It is written out of intense
devotion and veneration for Lord Rama as is evident from the selection
of words and the style of her expression. In line with the true
tradition of her predecessors, Devi Vanamali has presented the
Valmiki's version of Ramayana with the humility of a true devotee and
the simplicity of the truly detached. Her language does not interfere
with the pace of the narrative and her style is unaffected. She
portrays Lord Rama both as a warrior king and as a divine being with a
human heart. The book is not a mere translation of the Valmiki's
Ramayana. Although it draws its content mainly from the latter, the
author has included some stories from "the wealth of oral
tradition."
The story of Ramayana generated a lot of
controversy in the past, partly because of the inherent
inconsistencies in the narrative and partly because of some
contradictions in the character and actions of Rama Himself. To the
erudite and scholarly, who are driven more by reason than by devotion,
Lord Rama is a bundle of contradictions and weaknesses. To the devoted
and the faithful, however, the deeds of Rama are as mysterious
and enigmatic as those of God himself and should be construed not as
the foibles of Lord Rama but as the play of God.
In the Introductory chapter of the Book, Devi
Vanamali tries to resolve some of the controversial points using
some arguments and explanations. As the author of a book on the
Ramayana and as a humble devotee of Lord Rama, perhaps she must
have taken upon herself the responsibility to clarify a few issues.
Whether we agree with these arguments or not, we
must not forget the simple fact that creation itself is full of
inherent contradictions and that the human mind is simply incapable of
understanding them or interpreting them to the entire satisfaction of
all. As human beings, we lack the all encompassing, holistic
vision, in which all differences and contradictions resolve themselves
harmoniously into one indivisible whole.
From the human point of view, God Himself is a
bundle of contradictions and His creation is not different from it.
We see contradictions everywhere because we have not learned to
resolve the differences and see the whole as one truth. The
problem is not actually with God or with the world, but with us.
This is how we are shaped. This is the way our minds work. We cannot
see the whole truth. We cannot identify ourselves with the whole
universe. We can only see the divided reality, the parts. We perceive
the diversity by comparing and contrasting, by measuring one against
another. We cannot understand a truth all by itself, but only in
comparison with one another.
This fragmented vision is responsible for all our
problems and misfortunes. In the role of a human being even, God
suffers from this divided vision. This is the moral of the epic
Ramayana and in this moral is also hidden the warning that we should
be aware of the pitfalls of human existence and the limitations of
human consciousness.
For example, when we see Rama killing Vali to help
Sugriva, we SEE three different characters playing three different
roles, but not the play of One God in three different forms. So, in
the process, with our narrow vision, we suffer, arguing and worrying
about things we should not and perceiving differences that do not
actually exist. No wonder in the character of Rama also we see many
contradictions, though in reality there are none. The wise who knows
this accepts the story and ignores the contradictions.
The Song of Rama provides a great opportunity to
all those who want to refresh their memories of the Ramayana. To the
western readers who have not read the Ramayana before, this can
be recommended as one of the best versions of the Ramayana available
in English. To those who have not earlier read the Valmiki's version
of the epic, this is an opportunity to do so. Finally to all of us who
are interested in the spiritual possibilities of human life,
this book offers a great opportunity to spend some quality time in the
company of God and charge our minds with positive and spiritually
powerful vibrations. (Review by Jayaram V for Hinduwebsite.com)
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