Ramayana is rich and alive because of its many variants
Ramayana stands foremost in the list of new renditions of celebrated classics of the world. Latest is the French edition of 'Ramayana de Valmiki’ released on October 20, 2011 in India and a month earlier in Paris.
It contains the translation of Valmiki Ramayana along with commentaries. Noted scholars have worked for 10 years to bring the beauty of Indian magnum opus in French. Publisher, Diane de Selliers says “The Ramayana and its philosophy -- whether written or in oral tradition -- goes far beyond Hinduism; that’s why Jainism and Buddhism also revere it as do others. Ramayana is living today because of its many versions.”
The great epic Ramayana was put to writing in 500 B.C. after many hundred years of its creation by Valmiki and continues to be the unending resource for poets and writers all over the world. It has travelled far and wide, reached farther shores and got assimilated into the cultural psyche of many countries through music, dance, literature, sculpture etc.
Over the years they have created their own Ramayanas with some additions and deletions to the story. The study of such variants in India as well as in other countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, Sri Lanka, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines etc. along with Valmiki Ramayana have enthralled the scholars all over the world.
An observation by Prof V Raghavan about the need for variants is very significant here. He says, “The variants are created because the later poets felt the need to make amends to the main story in Valmiki Ramayana” It makes an interesting study to probe into these amends and counter amends created by various poets in different periods. What makes it more fascinating is to know its origin in Sanskrit literature despite the fact that those poets held Maharshi Valmiki in high esteem.
A celebrated Sanskrit playwright Bhasa (5th C.E.) brings in significant changes to Valmiki Ramayana in his play called ‘Pratima Nataka’. He thought, Sita who went to forest leaving behind all the luxuries of Ayodhya would not have demanded a golden deer. So, he makes amends to the Valmiki’s story. It is Rama’s personal wish to go for hunting the golden deer for performing annual ‘shraddha’ of his father. Such unusual advice was given to Rama by Ravana who approaches him in the garb of a sage! Moreover, there is no trace of Agnipravesha of Sita in his plays. It is significant here to recall ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam’ of Kuvempu where Rama also enters the fire along with Sita.
Major change
Another major change he has brought in is about Kaikeyi who is picturised with utmost reverence. She comes to know that Dasharatha’s end was imminent and she also knew about the curse on Dasharatha that he should meet the end due to the grief of losing his dearest son. So, she devices a plan along with Vasishta to send Rama away to forest to save his life so that the curse on Dasharatha may materialise with his son’s separation and not death.
Many poets have concluded their Ramayanas with Rama’s coronation. It is evident that they left out the seventh canto viz, Uttarakanda because quite a few topics in it have unjust accounts like abandoning Sita, Shambuka Vadha etc. However, a couple of early poets have taken up the task of creating variants in Sita’s account in Valmiki’s Uttarakanda. Sanskrit playwright Dingnaga (5th C.E.) and Bhavabhuti (8th C.E.) have excelled in creating spectacular divine incidents to prove the chastity of Sita in front of people of Ayodhya so that she goes back to Ayodhya as a queen and lives happily ever after.
Thai Ramayana called ‘Ramkin’ also follows the same sentiment and brings back Sita from her mother’s home to Ayodhya. Lakshmisha and Muddanna in Kannada Ramayanas and a number of modern writers also have followed them.
There seems to be no valid reason for the Delhi University to have withdrawn the essay of A K Ramanujan that carries the accounts of various variants. Many films in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada have taken stories from the same variants which he has listed.
The most significant among them is Sita's birth. People continue to regard Sita as the most noble lady despite such diverse versions about the mystery surrounding her birth and foster fathers, be it Janaka or Dasharatha. Another significant account is about depicting Ravana not as a villain but as a anti-Hero. In fact it goes well with the legendary account of Ravana’s origin as a door-keeper of Vishnu. He opted to be an opponent of Vishnu in his cursed life on earth to cut short the number of births from six to three!
What is important in all these variants of Ramayana is, that none of these poets intend any disregard to either Valmiki or Rama. The study of such different accounts tell us how Ramayana was and is dear to people of different regions, religions and periods. The prediction of Valmiki that his “Ramakatha would survive as long as the rivers flow and mountains stand erect” appears true when we see how the study of Ramayana has enthralled the scholars all over the world even today.
As Diane de Selliers, publisher of French edition of Ramayana says, “Reading or hearing the Ramayana is an experience in education -- it helps us get educated and go into fundamental truths and that is exactly what education is meant to do, to help you in your search for Truth.”
(The writer is a research scholar and language facilitator)
