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 Scholars have been repeatedly emphasising that the story of Rama was not created by Valmiki. It was found by him. Rt. Hon'ble Srinivasa Sastriyar says:
Valmiki was not perhaps the creator of either Sri Rama or his story. He only presents him to us as he had him presented to himself. Nor is it possible to maintain that he invented or devised many of the incidents and episodes, which illustrate he character of his hero and his heroine. They too must have come to him from ages before. I am considering Valmiki and his story in the ordinary human light. Of course, tradition has it that he was Sri Rama's contemporary and composed the poem in Rama's own day. Whether that be exactly true or not, it is certain that Valmiki's imagination was not brought into play in portraying Sri Rama or in detailing the narrative.
Rajaji remarks in his Mahabaratha 'though the word story is associated with Mahabaratha, it is not a story in the usual sense of the word. It is unlike a novel that is usually written for the enjoyment and pastimes of its readers. It existed even before Vyasa wrote it…Grass germinates only from grass and it is not within the power of humans to create it. The Ithihasas were in existence even before they were written.
What he says about Mahabaratha is true of Ramayana also. The characterisation of Rama is unparalleled in human history. Sri VVS Aiyar, the great freedom fighter and scholar, who carefully carried volumes of Kamba Ramayana in his hand baggage, even when he was hounded by the British Police on charges of sedition, wherever he went from England to France, Germany and other countries, compares Sri Rama with all the other heroes of various epics.
And where is Rama's like or superior in epic story? Can we name Nestor along with him? Can we name Ulysses? Can we name the pious Æneas? … … … We think every one of these falls short by many an inch of the stature of our Rama. Rama has the valour of Achilles, but is free from the littleness that would, for instance, conjure Jove to hurl the Greeks, his own countrymen.
Rama has the dignity of Nestor and the cleverness and skill of Ulysses, but Nestor lack the fire and delicate moral sensibility and Ulysses the straightness, of the Prachanda Kodanda Rama, who will go through fire rather than go back upon his pledged word. The Messiah is not worked up by Milton with the same power with which he has worked up his Satan and Beelzebub or Adam and Eve, and his figure does not leave a lasting impression upon the readers' imagination as does the figure of Satan; and there is a shadowiness about him which takes away a great deal from him, though as literary creations the impress the reader with no less force than the character of our hero.
 Rama was an embodiment of perfection. In fact, the Valmiki Ramayana begins with the search of Valmiki for the ideal hero whose achievements he could work out into a Mahakavya. Narada suggests him the name of Sri Rama. Of course, every character has its imperfection and a certain amount of imperfection is woven deliberately round his story, at least for us - ordinary mortals - to feel comfortable with Him. And, the intention was to make us feel one with Him, to see Him in our everyday garb and to feel that such perfection is possible of attainment, if we had the desire and the will.
We will take a quick look at his character and return to Hanuman. We will however come back to our hero, Sri Rama once again, to study him in detail, for the very purpose of the study of the epic will not otherwise get fulfilled.
(To be continued)
Hari Krishnan
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