…… let joy breeze in softly

Valmiki’s Ramayana, “the most beautiful and moving of all stories in literature”, expounds Dharma—which revolves round the twin poles of compassion and renunciation—as the axis of the universe.

The Ramayana has something pertinent to say on all the aspects of Dharma—its relevance to the social order, the cosmic order, the sense of mutual obligation that brings the universe together with the Karmic ties…”

That aside, the poet has woven a fine fabric of life around the composite personality of Rama—taking us through an infinite variety of cultures such as sage-culture, Vedic culture, work ­culture, family culture, royal culture, rural culture, tribal culture, animal culture, and forest culture explains how man-making, non-­killing, sacrifice, sanctity, simplicity, integrity in thought, word and deed and a firm faith in human dignity have to be carried forward.

Valmiki also emphasizes such human qualities, the cultivation of which is sure to put a man in the orbit of excellence. For instance, as Hanuman is crossing the sea to search for Sita in Lanka, the poet makes a minor character pronounce: “yasya tvetaani chatvaari vaanarendra yathaa tava / dhritirdrishh tirmatirdaakshyam sa karmasu na siidati (5:19-8)—O best among Vanaras! Whoever like you has the four qualities of courage, vision, intellect and skill, such a person will not fail in any task.”

Is it not lovely to let the New Year flow on quietly—like some unnoticed water through a brook—sprinkled with these flowers!