Ram

The Son (Penguin Petit)

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Dashratha is heartbroken when Kaikeyi asks for her two boons because it means letting go of his favourite son and having him live in exile for fourteen years. However, as the sun-king of the sun-city, he is also the upholder of dharma, one who keeps his word. He has no choice but to let Ram go.

It is this legacy that Dashratha leaves Ram with, which sets the precedent for all of Ram’s actions. As a Raghuvamsi, a descendent of the Raghu clan, Ram is the very definition of living according to dharma. Ram is first and foremost a son before he takes on any other role, and this is evident throughout the journey of the Ramayana.

In Ram: The Son, Devdutt Pattanaik highlights the foundation of Ram’s commitment to keeping not only his but also his father’s word while traversing the vagaries of life. Pattanaik has the unique ability to convey complex ideas in the most straightforward manner and nowhere is it more evident than when he tells the story of Ram.