The Ramayana , attributed to the sage Valmiki and composed approximately 2,500 years ago, is one of humanity’s longest and most influential epic poems. With 24,000 verses divided into seven Kandas (books), it follows Prince Rama’s exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by the demon-king Ravana, and the war that follows. However, reducing the Ramayana to an adventure story misses its core intellectual project: an exploration of dharma —a complex term encompassing law, duty, virtue, and cosmic order.
Below is a fully developed research paper template. You can copy this, add your name, and insert specific citations (chapter/verse) from the PDF you have. Dharma, Duty, and Dilemma: A Literary and Ethical Analysis of Valmiki’s Ramayana ramayan book pdf
In Ayodhya Kanda, Rama willingly accepts 14 years of forest exile to uphold his father King Dasharatha’s promise to Queen Kaikeyi. Critics note that Dasharatha’s demand is born from personal favoritism, not justice. Yet Rama argues, “I shall obey my father’s command even if it is unjust, for a son’s dharma is to honor the father’s word.” This reveals a hierarchical model of duty: the duty to family lineage supersedes the duty to one’s own kingship or comfort. The Ramayana , attributed to the sage Valmiki