I was most interested in the section of today’s
reading when Rama ‘helped’ the brother to fight his older brother and
ultimately kill him. This scene was strange for me because I really did not
agree with Rama’s actions and I feel like Rama is supposed to be such a pillar
of good morality throughout the Ramayana Epic—as well as the entire Hindu
tradition, I suspect. The scene was complicated because at the end Rama
explained his reasoning for shooting the older brother whilst he was completely
unaware of Rama’s presence. Rama thought that it was right because the older
brother had completely mistreated the younger (who had taken on the role of
ruler while under the false impression that the older brother was dead). Rama’s
reason for shooting him without facing him was in order to avoid the older
brother attempting to plead with him after Rama had already made a promise to
the younger brother. I guess I was expecting something along the lines of Rama
acting as a mediary between the two brothers in order for them to work out
their differences and realize what a big misunderstanding it all was. But no,
Rama just killed the guy because that was “simpler”…. I did like reading the
fight scene though. I also enjoyed the jab the older brother made about how
humans fight with weapons while monkeys do not. I actually really, really agree
with the sentiment that winning a fight using a weapon does not make you a
strong warrior, and I think that’s something most people today forget. But I also
wished someone in the story would have pointed out the unfairness of the fight
between the brothers—one of which had an obvious advantage thanks to the gods!
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