6-BOOK REVIEW: THE LAST WORD ON RAMAYANA:
VENTAKESTWARA RAO NARLA (2004) [257P] VISALANDHRA PUBLISHING HOUSE
BOOK REVIEW: BY KAVNEET SINGH
Narla Ventakeswararao a writer, journalist and humanist – one of the finest I have come across. His varied interests lay in religion, politics and social welfare of the downtrodden. He was the editor of the Andhra Jyoti and the Andhra Prabha dailies who wrote in
English and Telugu. A critical luminary of politics, history and religion has turned the flashlight on in a mostly dark dungeon of Ramayana apologists to find the kernel of truth and reveal it to the masses.
Part-1
Chapter 1 – Myth and History
_I have no problem with those who read or chant Ramayana as a religious text……my_ _problem is with those who in their ignorance and arrogance, consider it not merely as a_ _poetic work, but also as a book of history ….[Page 29]_
Sir.R.G.Bhandarkar an eminent historian who has the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute of Poona named after him has conceded that the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are only epics and not history.
_Bhandarkar has said in this context: Though people who belong to our universities, are_ _receiving proper psychological training and are acquiring ability to discuss many_ _literary works…….fail to see the consequence of some of the fundamentals in Hindu_ _Jurisprudence….the national arrogance has taken seep roots…They want to believe even_ _to this day, that Europe does not, know beyond what our ancients had known…[Page 31]_
There is a vast difference between being educated and being able to critically and dispassionately examine religion or history by being brutally honest. Unfortunately the bombastic ego of the overwhelming supposedly educated Indians, with a heavy dose of self glorified ancient past, clouds their vision substantially, thereby unable to be critical.
Chapter 2 – Popular Versions, The Original Text
_If Rama is coronated, all of Rama’s fine women will dance in joy, Bharata will be devoid_ _of riches, so your daughter-in-law will land in misery……[Page 33]_
Surely one cannot imagine Rama to have only Seetha as his wife! Kings till the recent past, had hundreds of concubines and wives, so it is not difficult to digest that many shapely belles surrounded Rama to keep him young. Yet Rama apologists have changed it to, ‘several fine servants’. Since when does a god-king hug his female maid-servants? Many qualities of Rama were pretty (un)god like and more like an unethical human.
Chapter 3 – Food Habits
_Even has he entered the forest after crossing the Ganges Rama killed four animals, a wild_ _pig, a buffalo, an ordinary deer and a deer with black spots. He and brother Lakshmana_ _did the cutting and cooking and filled their bellies 952nd_ _Sarga:Ayodhyakanada)…..Apart_
_from pork, venison, beef and meat of birds, what Rama relished was shrimp, prawns and_ _fish….Rama’s mouth watered (73rd_ _Sarga-Aranyakanada)…..Seetha, Rama andLakshmana too were eating the flesh of squirrels, hares and tortoises (47th_ _Sarga Aranyakanda)…..[Page 39]_
It is abundantly clear that Rama the god-king ate everything that walked, flew and swam in around the forests of his self imposed exile. Further his entire retinue enjoyed the meaty delicacies thoroughly. Yet modern day Hindus espouse vegetarianism when the opposite is true based on their various texts.
_To the specific question “Can cow’s beef be consumed?” Yagnavalkya Rishi has_ _answered “No, should not be consumed unless it is tender!” He considered_ _the_ _flesh of_ _cow’s thighs as the best. Agastya Rishi who extended hospitality to Rama at_ _Dandakaranya, sacrificed one hundred bulls, in one of his yagnas (sacrifices)…[Page 41]_
There are lots of references to the meat eating and drinking habits of the characters in the Ramayana epic. Unfortunately, most do not read, and the ones that do, ignore the facts.
Chapter 4 – Drinks
_Seetha prays for the safety and pledges that if they returned safely after the_ _vanavasa….she would offer thousand pots of intoxicating drinks and delicious rice_ _cooked_ _with mutton (52nd_ _Sarga-Ayodhyakanda)….Later…she promised one thousand_ _cows and one hundred barrels of drinks (55th_ _Sarga-Ayodhyakanda)….Like Rama, Seetha_ _too used to take drinks and she was well aware of difference in the tastes of different_ _drinks…..[Page 43]_
Liquor or Soma Rasa has been mentioned in the Rig Veda hundreds of times clearly indicating an intoxicating drink, the same is mentioned in the Ramayana, yet this fact seems to get shoved under the rug as though it is an aberration. Even today among the poor all across India the women consume liquor just like men except not as openly.
Chapter 5 – Seetha’s Abduction
_“Women have no ethics! Their minds are hopelessly unsteady! They are cruel! They set_ _fire and flames between friends.”(45th_ _Sarga-Aranyakanda)…….[Page 44]_
The god-king Lakshmana was short tempered and not too wise to say the least. These actions do not behoove a god. In the Sanskrit Ramayana Lakshmana did not go out in search of Rama on his own. It is only after much protest and belly beating by Seetha, did he go in search of Rama, after much trepidation. This is the same Lakshmana who instead of thanking a lady, cut off Ravana’s sister’s nose and nipples just because she paid him a compliment. What a nut!
Chapter 6 – Incongruities
_According to the story of Ramayana, Ravana fought with Kubera, threw him out of_ _Lanka…with the magical-aerial chariot the Pushpaka Vimana…it could move with the_ _speed of mind; it could sooth the mind of its occupant; it would not get too hot or too_ _cold…its steps_ _were made of gold (15th_ _Sarga-uttaraknada)…It required neither a driver_ _or operator. It could fly to any place that its occupant desired (130th_ _Sarga-_ _Yudhakanda)….[Page 49]_
A chariot which moves at the speed of thought, perpetually air-conditioned, without a pilot and best of all runs on heavenly energy to move it, unfortunately it has disappeared due to Nardumuni and Yamraj’s connivance. If Ravana had such an incredible flying machine then why would he need a chariot driven by donkeys (_27th_ _Sarga Sundarakanda_)? Furthermore Ravana could make himself invisible as he knew witchcraft. Then there would be no need for any animal drawn chariot which could walk on water while crossing the Palk Strait from Lanka to the mainland.