The Ramayana is the story of Rama and his wife Sita as they went into exhile, accompanied by Rama’s brother, Lakshmana. Sita was then abducted by the demon-king Ravana, and rescued by Rama with the help of Hanuman, the monkey king.
The Ramayana is also an allegory for the principles of Yogic living. Lord Rama was the supreme Yogi; firmly wedded to Dharma, or Righteous Living; an upholder of satya, or Truth at all costs. A supreme ascetic, or tapasin, he was firmly in control of his senses. His one-pointed mind manifested itself in his ‘skill in action’ as a warrior, a king, a husband, a son, a friend and a companion. Lord Rama is the role model for all yogic qualities.
The Ramayana is a ‘practical yoga manual’ showing mankind how to live a spiritual life. Proper attitudes to take towards all the challenges of wordly life are elaborated in detail in the work. The author interpretation is an absolute delight, successfully bridging time and space to bring us the wisdom, adventure and eroticism of this enduring classic.
