THE RAMAYANA

Ramayana

an ancient Indian epic (a very long story-poem) written in Sanskrit by Valmiki around the 5th century BCE.

It tells the story of Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, his exile, the kidnapping of his wife Sita, and his fight to bring her back.

has about 24,000 verses and is called the Adi Kavya (“the first poem”).

Reincarnation

The belief that after death, the soul is reborn in another body.

Gods like Vishnu appear in different forms (avatars) to protect the world

Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva-Rudra

Their are 3 forms of Vishnu

1. the creator of life on earth

2. preserver of life on earth

3. the destroyer of life on earth

Brahma

the creator of life on earth

Vishnu

preserver of life on earth

Shiva-Rudra

the destroyer of life on earth

Dharma

The duty of each person is to live according to his or her dharma

A definite pattern of behavior required by that person’s society.

Vishnu establishes dharma as a way of preserving civilization. Without

it society disintegrates, war results, and civilization destroys itself.

Cycle of Time

The universe is believed to go through repeating cycles of creation and destruction.

Ages of the world are called Maha Yuga:

Krita Yuga

(The Golden Age)

One of the type of MAHA YUGA

It was the first age of the world and the best one.

People were perfectly good and always did the right thing (followed dharma).

Vishnu, in the form of Brahma (the creator), was the main god.

People didn’t need houses because the world was safe and kind.

Magical trees gave people food, clothes, and things they needed.

Everyone was happy, unselfish, and beautiful.

People spent their time in meditation (thinking deeply about God).

There was no sadness or suffering at all.

like paradise on Earth – no problems, no sadness, everyone was good and lived peacefully.

Treta Yuga

(The Silver Age)

One of the type of maha yuga

This is the second age of the world.

Dharma (goodness/duty) is weaker now – it only stands on 3 legs instead of 4 (meaning goodness went down by 25%).

Vishnu is the main god in this age.

People value knowledge more than anything else.

At first, magical trees still gave food and clothes, but greedy people tried to keep them for themselves.

Because of that, the trees disappeared, and for the first time, people had to work hard to survive.

People became more selfish, greedy, and angry instead of peaceful and content.

was still good, but not as perfect as the Golden Age. Greed appeared, life got harder, and people started to feel anger and dissatisfaction.

Dvapara Yuga

(The Bronze Age)

One of the type of maha yuga

This is the third age of the world.

Dharma (goodness/duty) is even weaker – it only stands on 2 legs out of 4. Good and evil are now almost balanced.

People believe the best way to live is through sacrifice (offering things to the gods).

Life becomes much harder: there is disease, suffering, bad luck, and death everywhere.

People are greedier and more emotional, and wars happen often.

Religions and teachings are created to remind people about dharma, but the world keeps getting worse.

is a time when good and evil are almost equal. People face sickness, wars, and greed, and the world becomes more difficult to live in.

Kali Yuga

(The Dark Age / Present Age)

One of the type of maya yuga

This is the fourth and last age – the worst one.

People are respected not for being good, but for how much money and property they own.

Marriage is often based only on physical attraction, not love or loyalty.

Many people succeed in life by lying and cheating.

Life is full of hunger, sickness, and fear of death.

The only good people left are usually the poor, and the main virtue left is charity (helping others).

Some people escape to the mountains to avoid the corruption of society.

Life is so hard that if someone reaches 23 years old, they’re already considered old.

is the age of greed, lies, and suffering. Money is valued more than goodness, and life is short and full of hardship

Rama

Prince of Ayodhya, avatar of Vishnu.

Sita

Rama’s wife, symbol of loyalty and purity.

Lakshmana

Rama’s devoted brother.

Ravana

Demon king of Lanka, kidnaps Sita.

Hanuman

Monkey god, brave helper of Rama.

Bharata

Rama’s brother who rules Ayodhya while waiting for Rama’s return