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Sugriva
(Oct 09th2001)
Sugriva's character evolves slowly from here to a great
organiser, benevolent master, a very brave warrior and a devotee
in the last…
Haughty,
was he? (Oct 10th2001)
Sugriva does sound like a perfect businessman there. The term
business is not to be understood to mean, ‘skilfully selfish
or scheming or cunning.’
Was
he insincere, then? (Oct 11th2001)
The second charge against Sugriva is somewhat serious and could
not be taken as lightly…
Vali,
Sugriva and Ravana (Oct 12th2001)
Ravana lived there like Sugriva! The Sloka is very specific
about that. There was no difference made between Sugriva and
Ravana…
Pardonable
lapse or palpable offence? (Oct 13th2001)
Let’s assume that it was a wilful concealment. What could have
been the motive behind such an act? Was Sugriva trying to stop
the flow of information…
Consoling,
not concealing (Oct 14th2001)
Sugriva was trying to be supportive and was in fact pacifying
Rama, whose mind is really agitated on seeing the jewels of his
beloved…
Where
time is the essence (Oct 15th2001)
Hanuman shows the simple way of executing any contract
successfully…
Sugriva
the organiser (Oct 16th2001)
John Adair says, “The only test is whether or not you can
speak in such a way that you move the group to the desired
action.” Sugriva passes that test very well…
Minor
lapses and major flashes (Oct 17th2001)
What often seems to be an innocuous and minor error often
avalanches into a ‘what could been an avoidable but serious’
consequence…
Mending
his ways (Oct 18th2001)
Sugriva does not hesitate to stoop low before a junior and
repent for what he did. That’s where we see the purity of
heart…
The
hangover! (Oct 19th2001)
Kamban adds his own touch of humour to the scene with a
remarkable gift for observation of human nature…
The
seeds that did not sprout (Oct 20th2001)
Ravana is informed of the advance of the Vanara army and sends
his emissary-cum-spy with a special message for Sugriva…
Friend
of my enemy is my friend (Oct 21st2001)
‘Bedha’, one of the four expedients by which the friend of
one’s enemy is befriended or the enemy and his friend are set
against each other…
The
blunt denial (Oct 22nd2001)
‘I disown you. I have got nothing to do with you. You are not
my benefactor, as you seem to think.’ Sugriva’s reply to
Ravana’s emissary…
Task
management (Oct 23rd2001)
Task is a general word. It needs to be broken down into
objectives, aims and purpose, says John Adair. Sugriva’s
effectiveness as leader tested…
The
Madhuvana incident (Oct 24th2001)
Valmiki paints a beautiful picture of Sugriva as a benevolent
master. It was after Hanuman returned from his mission to Lanka,
spotted Sita…
The
Madhuvana incident II (Oct 25th2001)
Angada suddenly lost his temper. He pounced on his granduncle,
Dadhimukha and pounded him. “Blinded with intoxication, he did
not show mercy to him…”
The
Madhuvana incident III (Oct 26th2001)
“Difficult tasks do not preclude enjoyment and fun,” says
Ann Mansell. Sugriva is an example of the kind of leader who
fits in beautifully well…
Using
fear as a tool… (Oct 27th2001)
The mood of the team both before and after completion of a task
can testify to the character of a leader. Sugriva’s success
examined…
Judgement
errors (Oct 28th2001)
It is not that Sugriva was without flaws one hundred percent. In
fact the epic does not show a single character who is sieved
through a particular filter…
The
art of wise counsel (Oct 29th2001)
Sugriva could not take risks in advising his ally on an
important matter. But that is not sufficient. The matter should
be explored, analysed threadbare…
Rash
or brave? (Oct 30th2001)
The line separating an act of courage and an act of rash is thin
indeed…
Rash
or brave? Part II (Oct 31st2001)
A king - or a business chief in the changed circumstances of the
days - has special responsibilities to consider before he could
act…
The
first four steps to any venture (Nov 01st2001)
A person should consider among others, four things, before
undertaking any venture (or a project for that matter)…
Even
anger has to be channalised (Nov 02nd2001)
Rama lamented, ‘Your anger, and the consequent misjudgement
and precipitate action, has spoiled all my plans, purposes and
my whole mission.’
Rama
in agony (Nov 03rd2001)
What is Lakshmana, Bharata or Satrughna or even Sita for that
matter to me, if you are lost? How would go back to Ayodhya and
rule without you, Sugriva?
The
realisation (Nov 04th2001)
Let us give Sugriva the benefit of doubt and conclude that he
was shy because he realised the seriousness of his folly.
The
censure (Nov 05th2001)
Though Rama was happy that Sugriva came back and was sorry for
his condition, he was not happy with what the latter did…
When
emotions run high… (Nov 06th2001)
Kamban plays beautifully with the surge of emotions and the way
in which each player acts and reacts…
The
Reconciliation (Nov 07th2001)
Rama is now able to read the pain in the heart of his closest
ally - he cannot be called a mere ally now…
When
an army goes berserk… (Nov 08th2001)
When an army loses its morale in the battlefield and when
loyalty is shaken out when in action, what could be more
difficult for the commander-in-chief?
When
an army goes berserk… II (Nov 09th2001)
“Terrible havoc has been made of us by the ogre Kumbakarna. It
is not the moment to stay. We are going; for life is dear to
us…”
Very
brave, and rash too… (Nov 10th2001)
The situation was now one that which could be handed by none
other than Sri Rama himself. There was no stopping this
Kumbakarna…
The
conflict (Nov 11th2001)
When a war is in progress, such things matter more. It sends
shock waves all around and breaks down the morale of every
individual warrior…
Of
hierarchy and protocol… (Nov 12th2001)
It is not unusual for deputies to act as saviours of situation
when things take a turn for the worse. Even Ravana was saved
from the battlefield…
Bakkiyam
Thandhadhu (Nov 13th2001)
The verse is an example of Kamban’s artistry at work. It
sounds at the surface level to mean, ‘It is my good fortune
that I found you…’
A
gem held under shade (Nov 14th2001)
Sugriva is an example of a character that starts with
not-so-bright beginnings, develops and matures but still retains
some of the old qualities in him.
Sugriva
and Angada (Nov 15th2001)
Once Angada learnt the intricacies of the job, he was given the
most important assignment that nobody else would have dared to
experiment…
When
the going gets tough (Nov 16th2001)
At least Sugriva had his kingdom at the time of the above
incident. Vibishana’s very survival depended on Sri Rama.
A
mixture of extremes
(Nov 17th2001)
As we mentioned earlier, Sugriva is a mixture of extremes.
Though one of the main characters of the epic, his role is
second only to Hanuman…
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. 23rd 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!
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