We have completed the chapter-wise summary of Ramayana in its entirety few weeks back. The last post is on the summary of all the seven books of the epic. We can think this should complete our study of Ramayana spread over three and a half years. I think we should also move onto what comes next. I had few plans to rewrite certain blogposts in the epic which can be improved a lot. This rewriting will be limited to certain posts and may not be the entire blog. This will be one exercise. Another exercise I am thinking is to start a blog on another ancient holy epic(which is close to my heart as well). This will also be a summary of the verses in the epic. I am thinking if I am really suited to write on multiple epics one after the other without being judged or thought about in a wrong way or if one might think of it as too much. One might also think that I should be devoted to one epic with all energy and time to effect any positive change rather than touching many. For whatever reason and multiple conflicts, I couldn’t begin this next holy exercise and kept myself guessing what will be next. For all these reasons, I am thinking about filling this space of post on the epic with another general post like I did last week. It will still be two posts a week, but both on general topics of interest. So there are different open exercises which are running through my mind to decide on which one to fix upon.
Till the time, something long-term emerges, I will continue to write on Ramayana epic. We had summarized all the chapters and it is time to recollect all the learnings in one place. The next series of posts will pertain solely to learnings from the soul of the epic. Each one dedicated to one feature or quality. Sri Ramayana is considered the most sacred and essential because God Himself, as Sri Rama, has shown us the path to leading a good life. When there is an example set by God himself as Rama in human form, we all should learn and imbibe from him foremost. Even the home page heading of this blog is ‘Lessons from Ramayana’, though I had narrated the entire story. What started as an exercise to learn from the epic has evolved into learning the summary of each chapter. Let us begin with an exclusive series of learning the lessons from the epic to complete the blog.
I can think about these fourteen topics as the main takeaways from the epic. Expect one every week, with the excerpts from the story followed by learnings. The series of topics are presented below:
The 16 qualities of an ideal person
How to get kids and get a kid like Rama
An ideal kid – education, raising up and getting all the skills correct way
An ideal son
An ideal husband
An ideal wife
An ideal brother
An ideal servant or devotee – Hanuman.
An ideal friend or friendship
The qualities which needs to be discarded – from the villain
How to choose company wisely(Kaikeyi & Manthara)
How best to talk - from Hanuman, Rama and other examples
An ideal king
An ideal kingdom
While this list is the lessons drawn from the entire epic, one can also recite verses in a particular book to get innumerable benefits. Those who yearn to be blessed with progeny can recite Bala Kanda. Ayodhya Kanda will relieve all sorrows (sarva dukha prashamanam). Aranya Kanda is called Moksha Kanda. Those who want to be redeemed from the fatal sea of recurring births and deaths can recite the same. Reading of Kishkinda Kanda, which will help a person get good protagonists, as Sri Rama had friends such as Sugreeva, Hanuman, Jambavan, and Vibheeshana. Yuddha Kanda enables one to conquer enemies and obtain all goodness and safety. Sundara Kanda is the most important one. People may sometimes think that they may not be able to achieve what they aspire to, but with the blessings of Sri Hanuman, they can. Thus, reciting the verses and understanding the meaning, taking life lessons are the dual benefits there for everyone. Let me begin with the second part from this post.
The first lesson is to understand the 16 qualities of an ideal person. This is the starting point of the epic and beginning of the story of Ramayana. I had already published the 16 qualities at the beginning of the blog. Let us recollect again and try to nurture these.
Valmiki approaches the divine sage Narada, who is known for his omniscience, clarity, and ability to speak truth without hesitation. The sage Valmiki is struck with a question to sage Narada, “Is there any man in this world who is virtuous, pious, ever truthful and tenacious? Is there anyone who wishes well of all living creatures and who is also a hero and a scholar? Such a man should be free from jealousy and be a man of invincible valor. He should be the most handsome among mankind. If there is such a man, please let me know.” Valmiki queried Narada if he knew someone who is currently alive and has all the 16 virtuous qualities that a man can possess. He then lists 16 qualities — not as abstract ideals, but as a practical checklist for the perfect human being. These qualities include truthfulness, courage, compassion, self-control, gratitude, and many others.
Valmiki isn’t asking for a god, a myth, or a legend. He is asking for a real human being who embodies these virtues in the world as it is. Narada responds by saying that such a person does exist — Rama of Ayodhya — and then narrates a concise summary of Rama’s life. This becomes the seed from which Valmiki composes the full epic.
The Sixteen Qualities (Ṣoḍaśa‑guṇāḥ) along with the Sanskrit term for the same are as below.
guṇavān — virtuous, endowed with noble qualities
vīryavān — courageous, powerful, heroic
dharmajñaḥ — knower of dharma; understands righteousness
kṛtajñaḥ — grateful; remembers good done to him
satya‑vākyaḥ — truthful in speech
dṛḍha‑vrataḥ — firm in vows; unwavering in commitment
cāritreṇa yuktaḥ — of exemplary conduct and character
sarva‑bhūteṣu hitaḥ — benevolent; wishes well for all beings
vidvān — learned, wise
samarthaḥ — capable, efficient, competent
ātma‑vān — self‑controlled; master of his senses
jita‑krodhaḥ — free from anger; has conquered wrath
dyutimān — radiant, charismatic, possessing inner brilliance
anasūyaḥ — free from envy or malice
kṣamāśīlaḥ — forgiving, patient
sama‑darśī — even‑minded, impartial, fair to all
Narada’s response to Valmiki is one of the most elegant narrative pivots in the Ramayana. When Valmiki asks whether there exists a human being who embodies all sixteen noble qualities, Narada replies with certainty that such a person does exist, and that person is Rama of Ayodhya. His answer is not just a name; it is a compact, luminous biography that becomes the seed of the entire epic.
Narada begins by describing Rama as the eldest son of King Dasharatha, born in the illustrious Ikshvaku lineage. He emphasizes that Rama is not merely a prince but the living embodiment of dharma. He is truthful, compassionate, courageous, and unwavering in his commitments. Narada highlights Rama’s mastery over his senses, his deep learning, and his ability to inspire devotion in everyone who meets him. He is gentle yet firm, radiant yet humble, powerful yet restrained.
Narada then sketches the major arcs of Rama’s life with remarkable brevity. He recounts Rama’s marriage to Sita, the daughter of King Janaka, describing their union as one of perfect virtue and mutual respect. He mentions the turning point of the story: Kaikeyi’s demand that Rama be exiled for fourteen years and Bharata be crowned king. Rama, true to his vows and his father’s word, accepts exile without hesitation, displaying the depth of his commitment to righteousness.
Narada continues with the forest years, the companionship of Lakshmana and Sita, and the tragic abduction of Sita by Ravana. He outlines Rama’s alliance with Sugriva, the friendship of Hanuman, and the great war in Lanka where Rama defeats Ravana, restoring dharma and rescuing Sita. Finally, Narada notes Rama’s triumphant return to Ayodhya and his just, compassionate rule—Rama‑rajya—a golden age of harmony and prosperity.
In this brief but powerful narration, Narada affirms that Rama is not only the ideal man but the ideal king, son, husband, and human being—perfectly answering Valmiki’s quest for the embodiment of virtue.
As mentioned, Valmiki’s dialogue with Narada appears right at the beginning of the Ramayana, in the Bāla Kāṇḍa, specifically in the opening chapter 1 of the epic. This chapter is often called the “Saṃkṣepa Rāmāyaṇa” — the concise Ramayana — because Narada summarizes the entire story in brief.
After hearing Narada’s summary, Valmiki goes to the Tamasā river with his disciple Bharadvāja. There he witnesses the tragic killing of a krauncha bird by a hunter. Moved by compassion, he spontaneously utters a verse in a new metrical form — the first śloka in Sanskrit poetry. This moment transforms him from a sage into a poet. Valmiki returns to his hermitage, still disturbed by the event. Brahma appears before him and tells him that the verse he uttered was divinely inspired. Brahma instructs Valmiki to compose the entire story of Rama in the same poetic meter, assuring him that:
He will know all events, past and future
Nothing he writes will be untrue
The poem will be immortal
This is the divine commissioning of the Rāmāyaṇa. Thus, the quest for a man with 16 qualities becomes the base to know about the life of a man with all those qualities. As learned throughout the epic, Rama becomes an exemplary embodiment of all these qualities, exhibited at various turns of his life. Let us hope for the rise of these virtues in all of us and move on to the next lesson in subsequent post.
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