Hanuman's Wisdom & Sita's Peace: A journey from divine thoughts to modern learnings through sacrifice in Ramcharitmanas

Abstract

Religious scripture like Ramcharitmanas and Ramayana, are considered as philosophical guides that shape modern human values and societal well-being. These holy scriptures not only provide the story of the divine life and virtues of the theological context, but also offer a comprehensive philosophical guide for compassion, justice, human values, and societal well-being. The current study examines the philosophical essence built in the chosen and selected couplets from the Sundar Kand of the holy scripture Ramcharitmanas, aiming via sacrifice, wisdom and peace as three important constructs. Further utilizing interpretive textual analysis, the study posits Hanuman’s journey as a spiritual and philosophical metaphor that exhibits the ideal integration of intellectual acumen, selfless devotion, unmatched sacrifice, and inner harmony. The analysis reveals that the Hanuman’s acumen crosses intellectual apprehension, rooted in faith-driven vision; the sacrifice portrays his relinquishment of the self-bizarre identity towards a divine service and cause. On the other hand, Sitaji’s character via peace reflects a state of calm endurance even after being hostage, expressing it as an act of grace and thereby dismantling the cruel opponent's courage and plan. The present paper significantly contributes to the limited extant literature on the contribution of Ramcharitmanas for propagating righteous living and everlasting harmony. Hence, this study thereby adds to the expanding interdisciplinary dialogue between ancient Indic literature and the contemporary psychological, human values, and leadership frameworks.