A BOOK I HAVE READ
Of all the possessions in the world, books are the most valuable, especially to those who are the lovers of books. Books contain a priceless treasure which friends cannot match, brothers cannot give and time cannot destroy. A good book is a good friend. Many books written by great authors led to the downfall of many empires and rise of new nations. “The Social Contract” written by Rousseau brought about the French Revolution. Karl Marx’s “Das Kapital” gave birth to the communist movement and socialist governments.
Reading is my hobby and I have read many books. The book I read recently is the Malayalam version of the Ramayana. This great book has acted as a source of culture and civilization for more than two thousand years. It is written in a simple language which any one can understand. The story is simple, but enlightening. The book has many charms of its own. It has a philosophical value. It provides a moral code for the people to follow.
The story is centred round Rama, the legendary hero of the ancient India. Its starts in the kingdom of Ayodhya in the north part of India in the early period of the Aryan settlement. As directed by his father Dasaratha, Rama went into exile for fourteen years with his wife Sita and his stepbrother Lakshmana. Ravana, the cruel king of Lanka stole away Sita treacherously. Rama, with the help of a monkey army, invaded Lanka, defeated and killed Ravana and set Sita free. He came back victoriously after fourteen years and ascended the throne of Ayodhya and ruled for years in a just way.
The Ramayana teaches us a great moral lesson. It upholds the ideal of duty and sacrifice. Rama went into exile in order to obey his father as a dutiful son. Lakshmana sacrificed his comforts for his brother. The Ramayana sets a good example of womanhood in Sita. Besides these, the book gave me a deep understanding about the social and political conditions of ancient times. Thus the book has historical importance. The story unfolds the social and religious life of the people in the entire sub-continent. The great victory of good overall is a theme running through this great epic.
The book contains noble saying of great sages. The poetic beauty of the verse makes the book immortal. The Ramayana teaches us virtues and morals and thus it helps in building up one’s character. It advocates truth, love, sacrifice and bravery. It upholds justice and duty. The book has ever been a source of inspiration for the people of India.
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