In RK Narayan's 'The Ramayana', Rama is a perfect human being. He is banished from his kingdom shortly after learning that he would be king because one of his father's wives had asked her son to rule and not him. Rama is banished and must live fourteen years in the forests. His wife, Sita, and his brother, Lakshama. Throughout history, the story of Rama provides many examples of how to live ideally. According to “The Ramayana,” humans should live selflessly and seek fulfillment. They must also respond to new and difficult decisions with grace and humility. Humans should also avoid being tempted by things such as lust and greed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In “The Ramayana”, it is believed that humans should live without being selfish and seek their own personal fulfillment. At the beginning of the novel, Rama and Lakshama are taken by Viswamithra as bodyguards to perform a ritual while traveling. Under the supervision of Viswamithra, they are told stories and taught lessons about selfless living. Viswamithra tells his students that "he who is selfish is never worse than he who holds the hand is about to give him", meaning that being selfish could cause a lot of trouble. A good example of humans handling new difficult situations. ideally, it is when Rama is banished from his kingdom. Kaikeyi, one of the king's wives and Bharatha's mother, urgently wants her son to be the next king rather than Rama. To achieve her goal, Kaikeyi tricks her husband, the king named Dasaratha, into keeping two promises made two years ago. She says Dasaratha must keep two promises by banishing Rama to the forest for fourteen years and letting his son Bharatha rule instead. Dasaratha, although deeply saddened by these requests, fulfills his wife's wishes. When Rama hears the news, he takes it “with great grace” (Narayan 47). He does not act out of anger or greed, but accepts his new destiny. He is happy to leave the crown to his brother, but even happier to give command to his father. Rama says that Dasaratha's wives should stay and comfort him, as he seemed upset at having to forbid him from going to the forest. This story also teaches that humans should avoid the temptations of lust and greed. A good example of this in history is the character of Ravana. Ravana is the ruler of Lanka and begins to experience feelings of lust towards Rama's wife Sita. He hatches a plan to steal Sita from his two companions and bring her back to his palace. The plan succeeds and Ravana makes numerous attempts to make Sita succumb to his lustful needs, but to no avail. Once faced with an attack from Rama and his army of monkeys to save Sita, he discusses what he should do with a council of other members of his kingdom. Vibishana, Ravana's younger brother, tells Ravana that "a man loses his honor and his name only through lust and avarice" (Narayan 127). Vibishana expresses that the difficulty between Ravana and Rama comes from his lustful capture of Sita, and not anything to do with Rama. Vibishana says that this kidnapping of Sita is a misuse of her divine power and handing her over to her real husband would improve her morality. Of course, Ravana ignores this advice and ends up losing in battle. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The Story of Rama, 2006.