In the following pages we present a study of various major and minor characters of the Ramayana as told by Valmiki and Kamban. This study attempts to go into the character sketch, analyse the different ways in which the two poets have constructed their drama with liberal direct quotations and interpretations. These pages are sure to delight the heart of the devotee as well as the litterateur. Click on a link below to access all the articles under each character. Happy reading!
Ramayana – a character study
By
Hari Krishnan
Epics Generalia
The epics and their
relevance - (Feb. 23rd 2001)
You must read the story as a human story, lived among human beings, by a human being, and, then, Oh, what rich treasures there are of wisdom in it!
Right to recall... - April 7th 2006
We were talking about the differences between an arrow and an astra...
In the hands of Power - April 6th 2006
Imaginary or real, the astras – or the missiles – did represent enormous power. Destructive power...
On missiles and divine weapons - April 5th 2006
Viswamitra was happy beyond measure. Obviously. He who was just walking his way through the jungles and deserts with the brothers,...
Abnormal woman, abnormal step - April 4th 2006
Even as Rama was contemplating his first move, Tataka hurled her terrible Sulam –trident – on him.
Tataka, Sürpanakhä and Ayomukhi - April 3rd 2006
We were discussing about the correctness or not, and the justification behind the act of killing of Tataka in the light...
He plays it mild - Feb 21st 2006
There are those who argue that Rama should have felt guiltyfor having killed Tataka
The theory and the practice - Feb 17th 2006
Would you kill only if the cruelty takes the shape of a male, goads Viswamitra
Of decisions and conviction - Feb 16th 2006
Viswamitra tells Rama he must uphold what is right and not worry about other considerations
Convince me first - Feb 15th 2006
Sage Viswamitra explains how Tataka has been terrorising the people of the place
An inseparable pair - Feb 14th 2006
This is the first instance when the utterance of Rama’s name also brings Lakshmana to the scene
For his good - Feb 13th 2006
Vasistha tries to impress on Dasaratha it is okay to send Rama with Viswamitra
Fire fuelled by water - Feb 10th 2006
Viswamitra’s reaction to the polite logic of Dasaratha was disproportionately harsh
What a choice! - Feb 9th 2006
Viswamitra came to seek the help of not Dasaratha but the inexperienced Rama
A strange situation - Feb 8th 2006
Father Dasaratha and son Rama were unaware of the divine nature of the hero
A penchant for truth - Feb 7th 2006
Rama was like Dasratha in upholding truth, says Hari Krishnan
A race destined to fight demons – III - Feb 6th 2006
Valmiki felt that Kaikeyi was well versed in statecraft
A race destined to fight demons – II - Feb 3rd 2006
Though Dasaratha had three wives, they were not actually equals
A race destined to fight demons – I - Feb 2nd 2006
Rama came from an inmpressive lineage which is mentioned by other books too...
An emperor in tears - Feb 1st 2006
Dasaratha always appears worried and , helpless in the epic, says Hari Krishnan...
An unusual boyhood - Jan 31st 2006
People had accepted Rama has their king long before the decision was made...
The boyhood - Rama and Krishna - Jan 30th 2006
Rama’s childhood is not celebrated by poets like that of Krishna, says Hari Krishnan...
A father’s child - Jan 27th 2006
Rama was the soul of Dasartha and indeed the frame that contained the soul
This is the detour - Jan 26th 2006
There are many times when Kamban differs slightly from Valmiki’s Ramayana
Did he mean it? - Jan 25th 2006
When Valmiki painted Rama as the ideal man, did he infuse him with feelings also?
The task and its magnitude - Jan 24th 2006
Kamban wrote several years after Valmiki which had its advantages and disadvantages
In the eyes of the poets - Jan 23rd 2006
Valmiki’s Rama is infinitely human with very human feelings, says Hari Krishnan
A look before the leap - Jan 21st 2006
Hari Krishnan promises to take up the study of minor characters along with that of Rama
Poetry is born - Jan 20th 2006
That which was born of soka (melancholy) became sloka (verse) in the case of Ramayana
The immunity that plagued - Jan 19th 2006
The seed of the epic lies in Ravana obtaining the boons, says Hari Krishnan
Three were the women - Jan 18th 2006
Manthara, Kaikeyi and Surpanakha steered the epic in its intended direction
Breathes here the man… - Dec 23rd 2005
Rama showed some human qualities in the course of his avatar, says Hari Krishnan
A legend that lived then - Dec 22nd 2005
Hari Krishnan proves through arguments that Valmiki was a contemporary of Rama
The story of a hunter - Dec 21st 2005
There are many interesting tales about how Ratnakara became Valmiki who wrote Ramayana
Sans Bala Kanda? - Dec 20th 2005
Both the Kandas are importtant and that is how we will continue the study of Rama
A story that belongs to all - Dec 19th 2005
There are divergent views on the antiquity of the Ramayana, says Hari Krishnan
As old as the hills - Dec 16th 2005
Cilappaddikaram and Manimekalai refer to Rama as an avatar of Vishnu
Ahalyä, Ravana and Sangam classics - Dec 15th 2005
Incidents referring to these characters are mentioned in Tamil literature
One from ‘puram’ - Dec 14th 2005
A song in Purananuru describes vividly a scene from the Ramayana, a 1,000 years before Kamban
The epics and ancient Tamil literature - Dec 13th 2005
There is reference to the two epics in Sangam and other literature
Like fire, like wind - Dec 12th 2005
Hanuman describes his friendship with Sugriva as that between wind and fire
The son-in-law of Dasaratha - Dec 9th 2005
The Mahabharata talks of Rishyasringa who conducted the aswamedha and putrakameshti yagas
The Parasurama incident - Dec 8th 2005
Hari Krishnan takes up this incident to prove that Rama is an avatar
How does that prove! - Dec 7th 2005
There is ample evidence to infer that Rama was a divine avatar, says Hari Krishnan…
A structure without cement - Dec 6th 2005
According to scholar Brockington, the Ramayana evolved through several stages
Proof by absence - Dec 5th 2005
Hari Krishnan contests some of the ideas put forth that Rama was not an avatar
A man or an avatar? - Dec 2nd 2005
According to Western scholars, Ramayana was the story of a king which grew into a epic
Rama the righteous - Dec 1st 2005
Rama lived for truth and all his actions were guided by righteousness, says Hari Krishnan
