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14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
Ramayana is the story of Sri Rama as an ideal human being, with every aspect of His life in perfection. Sri Rama is described as an ideal man who is married only once and gives up the kingdom, which was rightfully His, to His brother Sri Bharatha and goes to the forest to fulfill the wishes of His father following a royal family intrigue involving his step-mother who wanted her son Bharata to become the ruler of Bharat in place of Rama. As a dutiful son he left for his Vana Vasa (Life in deserted to fulfil his fathers promises) with his wife Sita and his other brothers. It was during this period of travel all along the Southern India visiting hermitages that his wife was abducted by Ravanna the Asura King of Sri Lanka. In the ensuing war he befriended the Monkey King Hanuman in exchange for getting his Kingdom back. With the help of the loyal Monkeys of South Indian Kingdoms he crossed over to Sri Lanka and defeated Ravana and retrieved his wife Sita.
The story does not really end there because Rama getting jealous of his wife (in spite of her going through the fire test successfully) eventually divorced her and left his pregnant wife in the forest and left.
Lord Rama is in harmonious agreement with Manusmrti 7:145-153. While lecturing his brother Bharata on how to govern the kingdom, Lord Rama says women are not trustworthy creatures:
"[Rama:] 'Do you keep your womenfolk pacified? Are they duly protected by you? I hope you do not repose excessive faith in them and do not confide your secrets to them.'" Ramayana 2:100.
Rama was a traditional Vedic with strong belief in the caste system. This was considered the highest ideal in that period. The story of how Lord Rama, the sat-purusa (ideal man), the great upholder of dharma, held the dharamic law even to the extent of slaughtering a Sudra because he was performing asceticism (tapas) whch was not lawful for the Sudras. We hear defense of caste system from our Hindu brothers these days who insists that caste system was a labour division and there was no regidity to it. But at least that was not the understanding of Ramayana. The Caste system is first mentioned in the Dharmashastras. This is the ideology that Vaishnu Avatar of Rama who came to reestablish dharma as is seen in the story below. "Caste is a pre-ordained and hereditary institution which has divine sanction."
"Thereupon approaching him, Rama said, 'O you of good vows, blessed are you; I do ask you, now, O highly effulgent and grown old in asceticism, in what Varna (caste) are you born? I put this question out of curiosity. I am the son of king Dasaratha and my name is Rama. For what are you 345
