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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kalassagarsur Gyanmandir
Introduction
been delineated with such perfect art that it has facinated the Indian people for all the times. The reason for this was that in Räma people saw the combination of the grace of God and the ethical height of a great man (Purusottoma). He had exhibited righteousness and renunciation not only in his own person, but had kindled them in others as well, by precept and example. In short we find living example of the highest morality in Ramayana. As such it has inspired in the past, is inspiring today and will inspire in the future millions of ones in India and abroad.
country and people were happy and prosperous. Even when Rama returned to Ayodhyā after the victory and exile, he ruled the kingdom so well that his reiga has become proverbial for good government Mahatma Gandhi always wished to establish Ramarajya in lodia. During Råma's rule there was no thefts, no diseases, no premature deaths, no widows, and no fear from drought and other calamities as well as from beasts and venomous reptiles The main taxes were levied on land and trade. Other sources of revenue were salt, mines, tolls and customs etc. The taxes and compulsory labour were to be utilised for the good of the people. There is no mention of foreign kings taking part in the war.
The study of the Ramayana is also important from historical point of view because it gives us an account of the state of Aryan civilization in ancient times. It also gives an insight into the political conditions of ancient India. During the age of the Ramayaņa there was no paramount power in the country. The country was divided into small kingdoms ruled by petty kings. The king bad a council of ministers which included the priest (purohita) who had an influential voice in all political matters. The king always consulted him in difficult matters and followed his advice. Order of succession in the epic was by the rule of primogeniture. In Rāmāyana age the approval of the council of ministers was nece- ssary. During the reign of Dasaratha, there was peace in the
The aim of the epic was to popularise philosophical and ethical ideas and cultural practices. Among its objectives was to represent all that was best in the soul and thought or true to the life, or real to the creative imagination and ideal mind.
The leading motive of the Rāmāyana is the Indian idea of Dharma. In this the vedic notion of the struggle between the godheads of truth and light and unity and the powers of darkness and division and falsehood, is brought out from spiritual and religious and eternal into the outer intellectual ethical and vital plane. All the features of vedic religion are portrayed in the Ramayana. That
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