Breathes here the man… - Dec 23^rd 2005
Rama showed some human qualities in the course of his avatar, says Hari Krishnan

A legend that lived then - Dec 22^nd 2005
Hari Krishnan proves through arguments that Valmiki was a contemporary of Rama

The story of a hunter - Dec 21^st 2005
There are many interesting tales about how Ratnakara became Valmiki who wrote Ramayana

Sans Bala Kanda? - Dec 20^th 2005
Both the Kandas are importtant and that is how we will continue the study of Rama

A story that belongs to all - Dec 19^th 2005
There are divergent views on the antiquity of the Ramayana, says Hari Krishnan

As old as the hills - Dec 16^th 2005
Cilappaddikaram and Manimekalai refer to Rama as an avatar of Vishnu

Ahalyä, Ravana and Sangam classics - Dec 15^th 2005
Incidents referring to these characters are mentioned in Tamil literature

One from ‘puram’ - Dec 14^th 2005
A song in Purananuru describes vividly a scene from the Ramayana, a 1,000 years before Kamban

The epics and ancient Tamil literature - Dec 13^th 2005
There is reference to the two epics in Sangam and other literature

Like fire, like wind - Dec 12^th 2005
Hanuman describes his friendship with Sugriva as that between wind and fire

The son-in-law of Dasaratha - Dec 9^th 2005
The Mahabharata talks of Rishyasringa who conducted the aswamedha and putrakameshti yagas

The Parasurama incident - Dec 8^th 2005
Hari Krishnan takes up this incident to prove that Rama is an avatar

How does that prove! - Dec 7^th 2005
There is ample evidence to infer that Rama was a divine avatar, says Hari Krishnan…

A structure without cement - Dec 6^th 2005
According to scholar Brockington, the Ramayana evolved through several stages

Proof by absence - Dec 5^th 2005
Hari Krishnan contests some of the ideas put forth that Rama was not an avatar

A man or an avatar? - Dec 2^nd 2005
According to Western scholars, Ramayana was the story of a king which grew into a epic

Rama the righteous - Dec 1^st 2005
Rama lived for truth and all his actions were guided by righteousness, says Hari Krishnan

In the following pages we present a study of various major and minor characters of the Ramayana as told by Valmiki and Kamban. This study attempts to go into the character sketch, analyse the different ways in which the two poets have constructed their drama with liberal direct quotations and interpretations. These pages are sure to delight the heart of the devotee as well as the litterateur. Click on a link below to access all the articles under each character. Happy reading!

Ramayana – a character study
By
Hari Krishnan

Epics Generalia

The epics and their relevance - (Feb. 23^rd 2001)
You must read the story as a human story, lived among human beings, by a human being, and, then, Oh, what rich treasures there are of wisdom in it!