Treatment Of Selflessness In Devdutt Pattanaik’s The Book Of Ram

Abstract

Mythology refers to the myths that are associated with the sacred stories of a particular culture. Indian mythology is a vast collection of tales which are predominantly featured in religious texts like the Vedic literature and the Puranas. Mythological narratives play a crucial role in effectively imparting the essential message to people and guide them towards a fruitful life. Every religion and philosophical system in India is imbued with ethical elements. Indian ethos refers to the guiding beliefs and noble notions of Indian culture. One can adhere to the ethos of the culture to enhance his or her life. Devdutt Pattanaik is an Indian mythologist, speaker, illustrator, columnist and an author of more than fifty books. Some of his important works are Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana, Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata, The Book of Ram and Shiva to Shankara: Giving Form to the Formless. His works deal with the areas of religion, mythology and management.  The present study aims at an analysis of The Book of Ram of Devdutt Pattanaik so as to highlight the importance of selflessness in one’s life. The author provides a new perspective to the Ramayana in his novel by focusing on the selfless life led by Ram. The present study analyses the selfless deeds of a few characters such as Lakshman, Bharata, and Vibhishana. They act selflessly in order to uphold dharma.