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Unit 4 Discussion: Dharma, Vishnu

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Text: World Mythology: An Anthology of the Great Myths and Epics, 3rd edition ISBN: ISBN-13: 978-0-8442-5966-6 Author: Donna Rosenberg Publisher: McGraw-Hill Question 1: The Ramayana In preparing for this discussion the concept of dharma is extremely important. Note when the term is actually used throughout the epic and in what context. Try to determine to what extent evil or disruptive influences alter or attempt to alter a character's dharma and to what extent they are sucessful. E.g. Did the circumstances leading to Rama's exile deter him from living according to his true dharma? Please cite specific episodes from the story. What purpose does Vishnu serve by coming to Earth as a man? What purpose does the Ramayana serve as an instructional story for Indian culture? How do the four earthly appearances of Vishnu help the reader's understanding of dharma? Question 2: Kotan Utunnai (Ainu) According to the Ainu, life after death depends on the qualities that an individual displays in the actions of this life. What are those qualities? How do they compare with other cultures? With our present day view of society? How do heroic qualities represented in an epic such as this one improve and preserve society? In examining Kotan Utunnai you may wish to take note of several features of its composition: Is the fact that this story is told in the 1st person significant? How does blood kinship and/or nationality affect bonds of loyalty? How does the ambiguity of the characters' status as mortal or immortal impact their actions? How does the ambiguity of the characters' status as good or evil impact your understanding?

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Unit 4 Discussion
Dharma is a significant word in the Indian philosophy. Despite it not having a similar concise meaning among the various Indians religions, its concept is more or less alike. To the Buddhists it means ‘universal law and order', among the Sikhs, signifies ‘the path to righteousness' while to the Hindus, ‘the proper way of living'. Dharma epitomizes virtue and is usually thematically perpetuated in virtually all Indian myths, the Ramayana epic not excluded. Believed to be originally told by Valmiki, who was formerly a thief but later transformed into a virtuous being by a hermit, Ramayana narrates about a character named Rama, whose devotion to become king of Ayodhya had been, in a quirk of fate, protracted for fourteen years. Throughout these years of Rama's tribulations, he was able to keep his doctrine of nicety or rather ‘dharma'. The fourteen years depict the evil and disruptive influences that Rama went through in the forest in an attempt to sway his dharma but to no fruition.
Vishnu, the Supreme God in one of the religious sects of Hinduism, reincarnates to human form on earth and in this case as Rama, one of his forms in the ten avatars. It is perceived that Vishnu sojourns the earth in this form to ensure that dharma is not threatened by evil. He vanquishes all negative forces and exh...
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