Monday, October 8, 2012

Similarity Between Rama's rule in Yuddha 131 in the Indian Section of the Norton and Augustus's rule of Rome

While reading the the Norton pages for India, I noticed that there are similarities between Rama's rule of the world after rescuing Sita from Ravana and Augustus's rule of Rome.  On page 761 in the Norton, it says "During the period of Rama's reign, there was no poverty, no crime, no fear, and no unrighteousness in the kingdom."  Romans also claimed this about Augustus.  They believed that as soon as Augustus gained power in Rome that suffering and fighting would come to an end.  It turned out to be true as Augustus established the time known as the Pax Romana in Roman history which was a time of peace and prosperity for the Roman people.  I found it interesting that although from completely different societies, both Rama and Augustus were very popular figures that brought times of peace with their ruling.

2 comments:

TSHAH said...

I believe that these prosperous times that came about with the rise of rulers such as Rama and Augustus can be explained by that fact that their rules both had to do with divinity or a higher being...in a way. Rama's rule was justified by his dharma as he followed all the acts that his dharma required despite the fact that some took everything away for him. In the end he was meant to rule, so prosperous times followed. In the case of Augustus, he was thought to have descended from divine rule, and thus his rule is justified by the idea that the gods put him in power because they supported him.

TSHAH said...

I believe that these prosperous times that came about with the rise of rulers such as Rama and Augustus can be explained by that fact that their rules both had to do with divinity or a higher being...in a way. Rama's rule was justified by his dharma as he followed all the acts that his dharma required despite the fact that some took everything away for him. In the end he was meant to rule, so prosperous times followed. In the case of Augustus, he was thought to have descended from divine rule, and thus his rule is justified by the idea that the gods put him in power because they supported him.