Diwali: Let’s learn about Ramayana and what Rama stood for

Diwali celebrates the triumph of dharma over adharma. It marks the day when a victorious Prince Rama returned to Ayodhya after rescuing Sita from the clutches of the wicked Ravana. Although Rama lived thousands of years ago, his homecoming is celebrated by millions with great enthusiasm even today.

The Ramayana is a literary masterpiece that narrates the story of an ancient ancestor who was an exceptionally principled man. It also lauds Sita’s fidelity, Lakshmana’’s devotion, Bharata’s greatness, Shatrughana’s dedication, and Hanuman’s service. Rama enacts the great words of the Mundaka Upanishad: Satyameva Jayate, teaching us that truth ultimately triumphs and wrongdoing is eventually punished. This teaching is what we associate with the Ramayana, and while it is all this, it is much more.

The Ramayana can be understood at two levels. On the surface, it is a thrilling tale with all the nine rasas or flavours that make for an exciting and enduring saga, but at a deeper level, it is about the journey toward liberation and the inner battle for spiritual success. Rama and Ravana are within. Each of us has divine qualities as well as demonic ones. At every step, we choose between what is ultimately correct (Shreya) and what is instantly satisfying (Preya).

The Ramayana is about choosing virtuous action and vanquishing vice. It is not easy to defeat our evil tendencies, just as it was not easy for Rama to kill Ravana. Every time Rama took off Ravana’s head, a new one appeared. He seemed to get more powerful rather than weaker with each assault. Finally, Rama garnered his spiritual power with the special invocation taught by Rishi Agastya and hurled the Brahmastra at Ravana, ridding the world of his menace.

Valmiki composed the Ramayana to inspire us to banish our base inclinations and replace them with goodness in thought, word, and deed. The victory of Rama in us is in giving up selfish actions performed out of attachment to the body. We know we are winning the inner battle when we embrace contentment, compassion, forgiveness, sincerity, equanimity, tranquility, and self-control. So, when we light our diyas this Diwali, let us remember Rama’s message and what he stood for.

Priya Arora is a vedant scholar and author of ‘Rama: A Man of Dharma’ (Penguin India). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.