For those who enjoyed my previous posts (here and here) on avatars in Hinduism, here’s something I’ve done recently for a class I’m teaching – excerpts of the long (78 part!) ultra-hit Indian tv series Ramayan into movie form. (Here’s the whole series.) Yes, I watched the whole thing, over a couple of months, so you don’t have to. Grab some popcorn and check it out. My notes in the comment below will help you to bridge the plot-gaps.
This doesn’t directly have to do with Christian theology. My interest here was to illustrate the Hindu tradition for my students, specifically a popular, present-day, devotional Vaishnavite form.
Still, one can fruitfully apply philosophical analysis and comparison with Christian theology here:
- What’s presented here, despite appearances, is supposed to ultimately be monotheism. The one god is Vishnu, and the other gods and goddesses are just manifestations of him, him acting in different forms. This is clear when at one point the three functions of creation, preservation, and destruction are assigned to Vishnu. It’s modalism on a massive scale.
- The series asserts the primacy of Vishnu, even while bending over backwards to exalt Shiva as a great god and proper object of worship (and also the Great Goddess). He’s a perfect self, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, a se.
- Ram (aka Rama, pictured here – but in the movie, he’s not blue) is Vishnu’s manifestation as a human being, Vishnu incarnate, or in their terms, a descent (avatar) of Vishnu. The screenplay reflects the tensions in the various versions of the Ramayan – Does Ram know that he’s Vishnu? Is he merely feigning ignorance? Why does he keep saying he’s just a man? Is he in the end a real human being, or does he only appear to be one? Or does this not matter, since at bottom in some sense everything is Vishnu/Brahman?
- The screenplay repeatedly says that Vishnu and his descent as a man, are unfathomable, mysterious, beyond logic, etc.
- At the end, the movie presents Ram as the one god, the one ultimate being, of which the rest of the Hindu pantheon is a manifestation. (I’m talking about the worship song scene were Ram appears in the middle of a bunch of faces and bodies lined up all together.) But that’s because Ram is supposed to be numerically identical to Vishnu – they are one and the same.
- There are even parts of the series, not included here, in which Vishnu and Shiva seem to enjoy what some Christians call “perichoresis” or perfect fellowship; they worship each other, and dwell in the hearts of one another.
- The third member of the Trimurti (aka the “Hindu Trinity”) Brahma gets short shrift, like the Holy Spirit. While Brahma appears in a number of scenes (floating on a big pink lotus flower), he isn’t really worshiped, at least, not like Vishnu and Shiva are. At any rate, he’s presented as a manifestation of or attribute of Ram/Vishnu. This reflects the practice of Hinduism – my understanding is that Brahma as such (as opposed to as a member of the Trimurti) is not really a focus of devotion there.
- Ram is very much meant as a model of human behavior, an ideal human being, the way that Christians view Jesus. In many or most cases, Christians would agree with Hindus that his behavior in the Ramayana is indeed virtuous, though there would be some disagreements in the areas of filial piety, honor, and idolatry.
- As with Calvinism, here one is saved by grace, through faith. Note the ultimate fate of the villian Ravan here.
No, this doesn’t include anything from the 39-part 1989 follow-up series. I believe this features Ram un-descending back into Vishnu, but I haven’t gotten around to watching that one yet.
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This is truly splendid; I will definitely have to watch this.
So splendid, evidently, that some, um, helpful person complained it was a copyright violation, and it was removed with no appeal. Never mind, the whole series is all over youtube and many other sites. Will see if I can get it back up.
Link now fixed. Sorry – the ads on this site are quite annoying.
Some notes and links – if you keep the notes open in a browser as you watch, they’ll help you follow what’s going on.
Watch all episodes here or here.
Buy the DVDs here or here.
The blue guy reclining = Vishnu (“the preserver”) understood by the filmmakers as the ultimate reality (Brahman / God / the high god) present in all things. The woman is his wife, the goddess Lakshmi.
The guy floating on the pink lotus flower is the god Brahma, “the creator.”
Terms: The word “dharma” here roughly means “righteousness” or “moral goodness.” “Demons” are a mythical race of beings much like humans, some of whom are good, others bad. But they’re supposed to feed on human flesh! An “ascetic” is a person who lives an austere life for religious reasons. A “boon” is a supernatural favor bestowed by a deity.
On Ravan’s boon from the god Shiva – note, the loophole, mentioned by Vishnu!
Shiva “the destroyer” is the god with the trident, wearing the wild animal skin. He’s perhaps the most popular god in Hinduism, but in this movie, he’s portrayed as ultimately a manifestation of Vishnu.
The guy in pink is King Dasarath – father of Ram (and of Ram’s 3 brothers, by three different queens).
The two commenting on that Ram-as-toddler scene are Shiva and his wife the godess Parvati (aka Gauri, Uma), watching from Shiva’s holy mountain. (They add to the avatar theory propounded by the movie.)
How does Shiva decide to get in on the avatar action?
The scene with the four boys (Ram and his three brothers) with shaved heads; they’re undergoing traditional education by a guru, an ascetic. They wear ascetic robes, and beg for food, be separated from their parents. This part of the movie expound sa good bit of traditional Hindu philosophy.
Saraswati is the goddess of wisdom, hence, worshipped by students. She is so great that even Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma worship her.
The boys now grown – Ram is the square-faced, best looking one, second from right.
Many Hindus worship the sun as it rises, considering it to be either an important deity or a manifestation of the high god Vishnu.
“Yoga” can be any spiritually beneficial exercise; yes, it includes those stretching exercises people do nowadays.
In this new scene, the beautiful woman is Ram’s wife Sita, avatar of Lakshmi. She and Ram (and his brother Lakshman) have been exiled, so they are traveling in the orange robes of ascetics, even though Ram is a prince, next in line to be the king of Ayodya. The old man is someone in disguise as a holy man, begging…
The guy with the monkey face and big mace is Hanuman. Ram and Lakshman, searching for Sita, have teamed up with him and a whole army of money-men, including their king Sugriv. Hanuman is a model devotee of Ram. He’s just heroically penetrated the city of Lanka and found Sita; he’s reporting back. The scary dark thing is supposed to be a bear!
Sita’s not Hanuman’s mother; it is just an honorific to refer to her that way.
Note that Mandoori (Ravan’s wife) attributes creation, preservation, and destruction all to Vishnu. She also says some things about Shiva and Brahma which make it plain that the theology of this movie is Vaishnavite.
The arrows are supposed to be supernatural, “divine weapons.”
“Shri Ram” – “Shri” is an honorific word. It means, basically, “Lord Ram.” According to the movie, why is it important that Ravan says this?
The old lady in white is Ram’s mother. He’s just been reunited with her, as they’ve gone back to Ayodha. Their exile as ascetics is over.
Floating in the sky: four eternal Vedas, personified as gods like Brahma. Ram is superior even to them.
The end song restates many Vaishnavite themes. (about 1:20)
The old shirtless guy singing (also dressed in orange) is the producer/screenwriter/director Ramanand Sagar.