The Ramayan of Válmíki (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Ramayan of Válmíki

The subject of the Rameyan, the great national epic of the Hindus. Their one com mon and everlasting possesssion. Is, as the name implies,l the life and adventures of Rama. These adventures are bried y summarized in the introductory cantos of the poem and do not require to be dwelt upon here. The great exploit and main subject of the epic is the war which Rama waged with the giant Ravan the fierce and mighty King of Lanka or Ceylon and the dread Oppressor of Gods and nymphs and saints and men. The army,' to borrow the words of Gorresio, which Rama led on this expedi tion was, as appears from the poem, gathered in great part from the region of the Vindhyan hills. But the races which he assembled are represented in the poem as monkeys. Either out of contempt for their barbarism or because at that time they were little known to the Sanskritspeaking Hindus. The people against whom Rama waged war are, as the poem indicates in many places, different in origin, in civiliza tion, and in worship, from the Sanskrit Indians but the poet of the Rameyan, in this respect like Homer who assigns to Troy customs, creeds, and worship similar to those of Greece, places in Ceylon, the seat of this alien and hostile people, names, habits, and worship similar to those of Sanskrit India. The poet calls the people whom Rama attacked Rakshasas. Rakshasas, according to the popular Indian be lief, are malignant beings, demons of many shapes, terrible and cruel, who disturb the sacrifices and the religious rites of the Brahmans. It appears indubitable that the poet of the Rameyan applied the hated name of Rakshasas to an abhorred and hostile people, and that this denomination is here rather an expression of hatred and horror than a real historical name.

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