Symbolism in the Ramayana

Scholars have offered different symbolic interpretations to the Ramayana. Sri Rama represents the embodiment of virtues. He acted His role as a dedicated son, a husband, a king, brother, a model citizen, and a good friend to perfection whereas Ravana represented the rajasic thamasic qualities in a person. According to one interpretation, when the animal instincts represented by Ravana concealed the consciousness represented by Sita Devi, the jivatma represented by Sri Rama, lost the goal of His life, Ayodhya. The two were brought together by wisdom, devotion and faith represented by Sri Anjaneya.

In another interpretation, Sri Rama represents pure consciousness or the paramatma and Sita Devi represents nature. According to Sankhya philosophy (Sankhya Darsana) propounded by Sage Kapila, nature is made up of three gunas (modes) which are in equilibrium. Guna means quality, but it is in the nature of energy. The three gunas are tamas (inertia, lassitude, and delusion), rajas (desires, passion, and action), and satwa (peace and knowledge). When this equilibrium is disturbed, the universe manifests itself, and the budhi (intelligence) and other evolutes manifest in man. When wordly desires arise he becomes rajasic. When he finds that these are futile, he craves for peace and knowledge, and becomes satwic. At a higher satwic state he comes by supernatural powers. When he transcends this satwic stage also the Great Insight dawns. Saints are those who have transcended the satwic state. The three gunas will be in varying proportions in different people. The proportions, however, can be altered by well-directed and conscious efforts.

When mind interacts with nature, the pure consciousness can not live in its source, represented by Ayodhya. It is forced to go to forest represented by the mundane life. It becomes extroverted and is diverted from Sri Rama (pure consciousness) to materialistic pleasures (the golden deer) represented by Mareecha, a close relative of Ravana (the ten senses). The paramatma’s greatness is forgotten for a while and the demoniac instincts are mistaken for the inner voice of the paramatma. By illusion, the mind worries about the safety of Sri Rama. Sita Devi (nature) asks tapasakti represented by Lakshmana to rescue Sri Rama. Tapasakthi draws a line cautioning the mind not to cross the limit. But when the tapasakti left, the mind represented by Sita Devi crossed the limit and was hijacked by the ten senses (the five pancha indriyas and the five karma indriyas) represented by the ten headed Ravana. The mind started wandering in the forest represented by Lanka. Lanka represents a rajas dominated mind.

Sita Devi became remorse and kept on contemplating on paramatma chanting the name of Sri Rama. Sri Rama sent His emissary Sri Hanuman as a token of assurance that divine intervention was forthcoming soon. Thus, Anjaneya represents the guru whose services are essential for self realisation. It also reveals that when the disciple is ready the teacher would arrive!

Yet another interpretation is that the union of jivatma and paramatma is possible only by meditation and breath control. Here breath is represented by Sri Hanuman, the son of Vayu, the deity of wind.

Other Characters

Kousalya represents icha sakthi, kaikeyi represents kriya sakthi and Sumitra represents jnana sakthi. The path of karma proceeds from icha (desire), through kriya (action) and ends with jnana (knowledge). Action represented by Kaikeyi grows to become instincts represented by Manthara, the servant maid. It becomes the cause for the prabdha. One should be very careful about such instincts.

Surpanakha represents the carnal urges in human beings. She was the sister of Ravana and both represented rajas. Kama esha krodha esha rajo guna samudh bhava: Bhagavad Gita - III-37. Desires often appear wearing a legitimate or attractive mask. Sri Rama rejected them and had to pay a heavy price in return but He won ultimately.

Sabari represents devotion. Ahalya represents a rocklike mind which was made sublime by a touch of divine consciousness.

The ogress that pulled Anjaneya by His shadow represents the materialistic memories from the past that people normally entertain. Anjaneya removed her by one blow. It means that one should remove such thoughts then and there in one stroke as they become obstacles to one’s spiritual progress.

Tataka, an ogress who was killed by Sri Rama while he was in forest with Sri Viswamithra, represents the initial obstacles a devotee/sadhaka would have during his/her spiritual pursuit.

The Ramayana depicts a human being (Sri Rama) appreciating a person born in a demon clan (Vibheeshana). It is a masterpiece of unity in diversity. Throughout the epic, Sri Rama moves shoulder to shoulder with Sabari (a low caste woman), Guha (a low caste boatman), Hanuman and Sugriva (monkey race), Jatayu and Sambathi (birds), and Jambavan (a bear).

Jatayu, who fought with Ravana and lost his life, became great by devotion to Sri Rama. Ego and arrogance represent the two wings of ignorance. Sambathi lost both his wings in the presence of Sun, representing jnana. The name of Jatayu became the cause for Sambathi’s enlightenment when he lost his wings of ego and arrogance.