9.1. The character of Rāma

The poet Śrī Dāmodara Miśra has represented all the characters skillfully in his Hanumannāṭaka.

The hero of the play is Rāma. The hero is presented in the drama as having the traits of a Dhirodātta hero. According to Viśvanātha Kavirāja, the hero of a Nāṭaka should come from a royal and famous family, he should be of either divine (divya) or mortal (adivya) origin.^[1] In a Nāṭaka, the hero should be of the Dhirodātta type.^[2] Dhanañjaya also says that one who never boasts, who is forgiving, full of selfcommand, resolute, whose self-esteem is concealed, who is faithful to his engagements, is called a high spirited but temperate and firm hero.^[3]

In the Hanumannāṭaka, Rāma is presented as having almost all of these qualities. In the first Act of the drama, the author presents the hero.^[4] Rāma is the incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, but is more a human being than a god, in the drama. He is characterized by a rare mobility of spirit. Self-sacrifice and abiding devotion seem to be the dominant traits of his character.

It comes to light from the statement given by Śunaḥsepa, a son of Viśvāmitra, that Rāma is a savior of the damage done by the demons. There is no doubt that Rāma is a powerful hero, but his heroism has its dignity and politeness. It is clearly visible, in the time of confrontation with Paraśurāma. Rāma lifts and strings and even breaks the Haradhanu^[5] (the bow of Śiva). Hearing the echoing sound of breaking of the bow, Paraśurāma, the disciple of Śiva with a thundering roar appears in the ‘svayamvara’ hall and enquires about the breaking of the bow ad promises to kill the broker.^[6] Rāma tries to pacify him politely. Rāma’s behavior towards Paraśurāma is very sober and gentle.^[7]

Rāma politely says that he is neither aware of his power nor of the weakness of the bow, but while lifting and stringing, it has broken.^[8] He requests Paraśurāma to excuse him for this work. But while Paraśurāma is not pacified at the request, Rāma becomes ready to fight and shows his heroism.^[9] Ultimately Paraśurāma comes to be overpowered. Rāma’s another virtue is also shown in the Hanumannāṭaka He never did any work two times.^[10] As a husband Rāma is very romantic and cute. He loves Sītā from the core of his heart. In the Hanumannāṭaka, the love of Rāma towards Sītā is also described.^[11] Rāma compares Sītā’s body with gold and the teeth with pearl.^[12] Rāma was no doubt very cool minded. Hearing about his exile he accepts it politely.^[13] To Rāma the call of duty is supreme and must be obeyed though his life would have no charm in the absence of his beloved.

Great and constant, indeed, is the affection of his heart. Nearly ten years after the exile of Sītā, Rāma is found wandering in the Naimiṣa forest lamenting over the fate of his deserted queen.^[14] He thinks that the subjects may make adverse comments about his lineage. So, he does not even hesitate to banish Sītā.

Rāma’s love towards Sītā, bears some admirable marks. Since Sītā’s exile he has been a stranger to happiness and pleasure. At the touch of the fragrant breeze from the Gomati he instinctively concludes that the change must be due to the proximity of Sītā.

Rāma is great without being ostentatious. He places his duty far above his personal comforts and feelings and in his attempt to preserve the glorious traditions of his family from ignomity due to a scandal, he counts no sacrifice as too great.

Thus, Rāma’s character is presented by Śrī Dāmodara Miśra as possessing some human qualities which are not commonly had of in common men. Though presented as a human being, Rāma’s greatness as an incarnation of the Supreme Being is also brought to light by the dramatist at the available contexts.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

prakhyātavaṃśo rājarṣirdhirodāttaḥ pratāpavān/
divyo’tha divyā divyo vā guṇavānnayayako mataḥ// Sāhityadarpaṇa VI.9

[2]:

avikathanaḥ kṣhamāvānatigambhīro mahāsatvaḥ/
stheyān niguḍhramāno dhirodātto dṛdhrabrataḥ kathitaḥ// ibid., III.32

[3]:

mahāsattvo’tigambhiraḥ kṣhmāvanavikathanaḥ/
sthiro nigūdharāhaṅkāro dhīradātto dhṛdhrabrataḥ// Daśarūpaka II.4, 5

[4]:

teṣāmīśvaratāgunaiśca januṣā jyāyānabhūdrāghavo rāmaḥ so’pyatha kauśikena muninā rakṣobhayādyācitaḥ/
rājānaṃ sa yaśodhano narapatiḥ prādātsutaṃ duḥkhita stasmai so’pi tamanvagādanugataḥ saumitrinoccairmudā// Hanumannāṭaka I. 6

[5]:

śambhou yadguṇavallarīmupanayatyākṛsya karṇāntikaṃ bhraśyanti tripurāvarodhasudṛśāṃ karnotpalagranthayaḥ/
svaṃ cāsphālayati prakoṣṭhakamimāmunmucya tāsāmaho bhidyante valayāni daśarathinā tadbhagnamaiśaṃ dhanuḥ// ibid., I.24

[6]:

paraśurāma -kenedaṃ kupitakāladantapatrāntarālamicchatā dhanurbhagnam/ ibid., I. p.18

[7]:

ayaṃ kaṇṭhaḥ! kuṭhāraste kuru rāma! yathocitam /
nihantuṃ hanta goviprānna śūrā raghuvaṃśajāḥ// ibid., I.39

[8]:

bāhorbalaṃ na viditaṃ na ca kārmukasya traiyambakasya mahimā na tavāpi saiṣaḥ/
taccāpalaṃ paraśurāma! mama kṣamasva ḍimbhasya durvilasitāni mude gurūṇāṃ// ibid., I.38

[9]:

purojanmā nādyaprabhṛti mama rāmaḥ svayamahaṃ na putraḥ pautro vā raghukulabhuvāṃ ca kṣitibhujām/
avīraṃ vīraṃ vā kalayatu jano māmayamayaṃ mayā baddho duṣṭadvijadamanadīkṣāparikaraḥ// ibid., I.47

[10]:

dviḥ śaraṃ nābhisandhatte dviḥ sthāpayati nāśritān/
dvirdadāti na cārthibhyo rāmo dvirnābhibhāṣate// ibid., I.49

[11]:

tadanu janakaputrīvaktramālokya rāmaḥ punarapi purarevāghrāya cumbanna tṛptaḥ/
stanataṭabhujamūloraḥsthalaṃ romarāji madanasadanamasīccumbitaṃ pañcabānaḥ// ibid., II.18

[12]:

svarṇaṃ suvarṇaṃ dahane svadehaṃ cikṣepa kāntiṃ tava dantapaṅktiṃ/
vilokya tūrṇaṃ maṇibījapurṇaṃ phalaṃ vidīrṇa nanu dāḍimasya// ibid., II.25

[13]:

māṃ bādhate nahi tathā gahaneṣu vāso rājyārucirjananakabāndhavavatsalasya/
rāmānujasya bharatasya yathā priyāyāḥ pādāravindagamanakṣatirutirupalākṣyāḥ// ibid., III.6

[14]:

bho! bho! kaṣṭam! atinirālambastapasvinyāh pravāsaḥ
pātayati sā kva drstng kasminnāsādya cittamāśvasiti
jīvatikatham nirāśa śvāpadabhavane vane sītā // Kundamālā, III.4