Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Drishtikone

Home
Hindu
Vijay Dashami: Ram’s war was NOT against Ravan, but FOR Sita

Vijay Dashami: Ram’s war was NOT against Ravan, but FOR Sita

Last updated on: October 13, 2013 at 12:42 am by Desh Kapoor

Vijay Dashami: Ram’s war was NOT against Ravan, but FOR Sita 2013-10-13T00:42:27-05:00 Desh Kapoor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When Ram had defeated Ravan, the Demon king; Ram walked over and bowed to him as a person of immense knowledge. Albeit gone awry.

If we are looking for Good vs Evil characterization of a fight, then it makes no sense for the “Good” to bow down to the “Evil”. But in popular parlance, that is how Vijay Dashami or Dusshera is characterized. We are told its a fight between “Good” vs “Evil”.. and the moral of the story is that “Good always wins”.

Ram’s behavior at the end of the war says something totally different.

For, one who has gone beyond the dichotomies of Good / Evil, the Right/Wrong and Likes/Dislikes; a war is not a statement of morality. A war is a necessity of maintaining social balance in human life, as life is lived in every moment sans ideas and morals. Beyond that war and violence has no significance nor relevance.

The problem with the world is that when one fights a war for greed of power or money or lust; he loves to posit moral dualities. Usurping the high road to himself. From Alexander to Muhammad to Babar to Aurangzeb to Hitler to Bush. Everyone was fighting a “Just” battle. And at the end of the battle, everyone of these generals demonstrated a hatred for the vanquished, as it was during the war. Whether it was in taking slaves, killing the opponents, or vilifying them. Or all of these actions together.

Making a war opponent as an Enemy is a moral necessity for the one who fights a war of greed.

Ram’s war was not a war of greed. He had not come to usurp anything from Ravan. He did not covet anything that Ravan had. He fought the war to take care of his love and responsibility – Sita, who had been abducted by a lusting man. It was not a war to even get “my woman back”. Where a woman becomes a property. For, if a woman is a property, then one evaluates the return of one’s very action. Is taking all this trouble even worth it? Ram had no such thought. If Ravan could have returned Sita, Ram’s love and responsibility, without a fight – none would have occurred. It wasn’t an action of calculation.

War was not ideological either. Again, if one looks carefully then one can see that a “Good vs Evil War” is fundamentally a war of ideologies. Because the concepts of Good and Evil are merely Ideological. Not Existential. Existentially, only two things are important. Truth and Untruth. Truth, not as an idea or as a statement of fact or one’s experience. Truth is objective. Truth is in every moment. Not in a moment as you experience or state it or me for that matter. But as it occurs Eternally and Perenially. Primordial is its existence, and Eternal its nature.

That which was there before the beginning of time, that which is during the reign of time, and that, which will still be existing after the end of time. That is the irrevocable, indestructible and inviolable. Only one that is Sanatan or Eternal is the Truth. Rest, because it is temporary – whether for a fleeting second or millions of millenia – is Untruth.

Truth is not found. Nor is it stated. Nor forced upon someone. Or proven to anyone. It is realized.

In a war, where Ram was fighting to unite with his love, the means and the end had chosen themselves. Even when he was for the option of no war, war for him was the only option left. Once on the battlefield, he fought to win. That is how life is. Life is NOT about winning or losing. Life is about playing each game that every moment presents to you. The game, its rules, its winning and losing, all are for that moment. They do not stretch beyond that moment of the game. That is why Ram bowed to Ravan.

In this realization – of living the life fully only in the moment, is the realization of the Truth. And, the establishment of the central character of Dharma. Living in the Now, without the baggage of mind.

Actually, if one sees it clearly then one will realize that Everyone lives in the now. Living happens ONLY in the now. It doesn’t happen in the past or the future. But the mind and our experience via the conditioned mind, doesn’t make it appear so. We continue to experience life in moments and experiences outside of the “Now”.

Realization of the Truth that living happens ONLY in the Now, is awakening to your Dharma. In that is the establishing of one’s Dharma.

If after collecting all the Army, getting battle ready, walking all the way to Ravan’s palace; the latter had come and handed over Sita without a fight and apologized, Ram would have simply walked back. Because fight wasn’t with Ravan. The fight was to establish love. The moment, unfortunately however, beckoned a war. So, the Realized One, fought a war. A war that wasn’t against Ravan. But for Sita.

And, in the whole drama of morally charged religious fervor; that is precisely what everyone forgets. That, Ram’s war was NOT against Ravan. But FOR Sita. “Against” is Hatred. For is Love.

One who is established in Love will do what is needed. Not to destroy. Even when others call it evil. For, Action of Love goes beyond the dualities of morality. It is established in the Truth. Of the moment. Of now.

Featured Image: Ramayana carving on a wooden door inside a temple

Related articles from External Sites

Previous Post

October 5, 2013

Navratri: Celebration of the Devi, the Feminine Divine

Next Post

October 16, 2013 How Republicans (America's "Poor man's Pakistan Army") can bring down American Democracy

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Aarti Achievement and Leadership AfPak Africa Annual and Year-end Asia Audio Australia Behavioural Sciences Bhagwad Gita Bhagwad Gita Blogging Blogs Business Business Intelligence Business Strategy Cannes Careers Chanakya China Conservation Corruption Creative Daily Links Desh Poems Development & Welfare Devotional Audio Devotional Songs Drama Earth Economics Education Entertainment Environment Europe Everyday Quotes Featured Articles Featured Songs Finance Flickr Pictures Food Geo-Political Global Warming Globalization Health & Medicine Hinduism Historic History Humour India Indian Culture Indian music Indian Weddings Israel Issues Legal Link Love Minorities Misc Motivation and Personal Development Movie Lists Movie Reviews Movies Mumbai terror attacks Natural Disasters Nature News Outsourcing Pakistan Parenting Personal Philosophy Poetry Politics Poverty Quotes Recipe Regular Blog Post Relationships Religion Religious/Spiritual Audio Sciences Showcase Slideshow South Asia Special Stories Spiritual Quotes Spirituality Sports Stories Strategy Technology Technology Terrorism Travel Uncategorized US Video Women Women_s Rights Worship Yoga

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 September 2014 August 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In Hebrews, what did Moses consider more valuable than the treasures of Egypt?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Eternal life God's covenant The promised land Disgrace for the sake of Christ