Like many stories in various cultures, the Ramayana deals with many dilemmas that the human race constantly tries to cope with. A central theme of the Ramayana is that of the struggle between good and evil. For Hindus, following one’s dharma is good, and not following one’s dharma is evil. If you are good, you are rewarded, but if you are evil, you will be punished. When the story begins, the reader may struggle to understand why Rama, who has always lived his life in accordance with his dharma, would be forced into exile by his father instead of being crowned king as was planned. For many people, if something bad like this happened, they would become angry and upset because of the unjust action and may stray from the righteous path. Rama, however, does not do this. He accepts his exile with grace and dignity. Another terrible misfortune befalls Rama when Sita is stolen away by the evil Ravana. Through this difficult situation, Rama lives in accordance with his dharma as he works to find Sita and rescue her from Ravana. In the end, Rama is rewarded for always following his dharma when he eventually frees Sita and comes back home to rule as king. Ravana, who has acted against his dharma by splitting up Sita and Rama, is ultimately punished by death at Rama’s hand. At its core, the Ramayana is a moral lesson that reminds the reader to always strive to do good, not evil, and, if successful, one will be rewarded.
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