Chapter 1.2 - Importance and relevance of the study of the Epics

An epic is a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero. In other words, an epic is a protracted poetic composition focussing on a hero who has achieved many great triumphs in his life. Epics are an established traditions which narrate the deeds of old heroic figures. They tell us the past of a certain group, religion or nation. In India, the word epic brings to the mind two very famous works, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Both of these epics were scripted in the ancient Sanskrit language.

Ramayana was written by Valmiki which narrates the story of Lord Shrirama who was sent to exile for 14 years with his wife and younger brother. Ramayana brings out many quintessentially principal values which are taught to every child by his parents in India. These are the values which form the backbone of the Indian culture.

The Mahabharata is the longest epic written in Sanskrit language. It is a collection of more than 74,000 verses and it is divided into 18 books. It was written by Vyasa. It throws light on the politics played in the ancient times. It teaches us why we should meticulously follow the duties assigned to us. It tells us the calamities that will befall us if we tell lies or when we commit sins. It shows how ruthless people can betray their own family members, their kith and kin, to fulfil their selfish desires. There are many good lessons that we can learn from these widely popular epics. They teach us how to become a good human being and the importance of relationships in life. They explain the meaning of love. Epics can also fill you with patriotism. Everyone should read at least one epic in his life time.

The epics point to us the right way to live our lives. They explain the actual meaning of life. They tell us the significance of telling the truth. They teach us how to live a moral life and we should do our work without fear or favour and not expecting any reward. They teach us not to be greedy and avaricious. In an interesting way, the epics teach us the good qualities we should imbibe to live a contented life. These epics have stories that illustrate principles and lessons which are taught to the children in India from their very childhood.

These stories are told to them so that they can learn why it is important to become good human beings. The heroes in the epics become our role models and they are worshipped. In India, religious epics are often read as people think such reading will fill their minds with knowledge and wisdom. The bed-time stories of children are told by their grandparents are usually from these epics or closely related to them. Through this, they can nourish the child with knowledge, wisdom and spirituality that are quite necessary for proper growth in their childhood and later life.

Depicting the happenings of the ancient past epics tell us of the events that shaped our culture and morals and the past history of a nation. Epics are considered to be the milestones of achievements reached by our ancestors. If these epics were not written, we would never know about our past history or about how the happenings in the past shaped the country of which we are citizens right now.

Epics can tell us why this world is divided and why things happen the way they do. They give us a clear picture of the land we live in and a good picture of its past. So many questions regarding our past are answered in these epics and thus they are a treasure-house of information related to the ancient times.

By reading these epics we get to know why our culture is like this or why we consider certain things very special and sacred or why some days are considered differently from others. We are strongly influenced by our past history, by our ancestry. They include our beliefs, customs, traditions and festivals which are actually a carry-over from the past. The epics often give answers to questions “Why” and “How” related to many of our beliefs and festivals.

The religious epics portray the complete history of a religion. Even minute details about the various beliefs, their reasons, rituals, etc... can be found in them. Ramayana can be considered as the biography of Lord Rama and his family. Everything about them can be found in Ramayana. Mahabharata, on the other hand, tells us about the life of Lord Krishna. It describes his fantastic powers and the deeds he did. It shows how wisely he handled everything. The life and activities of gods and goddesses can be found from the epics.

Epics are full of vivid stories about heroism and acts of bravery. They motivate us by giving us a sense of adventure and optimism and the spirit to face our troubles and tribulations with equanimity and strength. Epics show us that nothing is impossible if we have selfconfidence. We need to trust ourselves and then we can make even seemingly impossible things possible. Epics also provide us with idols. By following the steps of our heroes in the epics we can win even battles that look well-nigh impossible to win by surmounting all kinds of menacing impediments that stand on our way. The heroes in the epics face hatred, betrayal, losses of all kinds and horrible tragedies. But they stand firm in their belief and fight their adversaries with unflinching faith in themselves and their competence. Their strength of character can motivate us when similar situations they faced come to us also. When faced with such situations, we will have a model to follow and act accordingly to successfully overcome our predicament. Their lives teach us not to lose hope and face every situation, however adverse or dire it might be, with courage, wisdom and buoyant optimism.

Epics play yet another important role in our lives. They help us to understand the true meaning of life. They often give us insights into the things which are beyond normal human comprehension and understanding. They give answers to most of our questions which look puzzling and mysterious. They can be a real motivation in our lives. They can kindle hope in us when we feel desperate and hopeless and are immersed in the boggy mire of helplessness and hopelessness. They give us hints to make our lives satisfied and contented, peaceful and joyous. They give us a better understanding of the meaning and purpose of life. In the final analysis they tell us how to live meaningful and rewarding lives.