Q.- How Ramayana is different from Ramcharitmanas ?
Ans : There are many different aspects between Ramana and Ramcharit manas which have been explained below :-
1. Authorship and Language :
- The Ramayana was written by Sage Valmiki in Sanskrit, around the 5th century BCE.
- The Ramcharitmanas was written much later by Goswami Tulsidas in the Awadhi (Hindi) language, during the 16th century CE.
Thus, Valmiki’s work is ancient and classical, while Tulsidas’s version is medieval and devotional.
2. Nature and Purpose :
- Valmiki’s Ramayana is an epic poem and a historical narration (Itihasa) that focuses on Rama as a human hero — an ideal man who upholds truth and duty (Maryada Purushottama).
- Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas is a devotional scripture (Bhakti Granth) that presents Rama as God Himself, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It inspires love and devotion (bhakti) among common people.
3. Religious and Philosophical Focus :
- The Ramayana emphasizes moral values, human ideals, and duties (Dharma). It shows how to live a righteous life.
- The Ramcharitmanas focuses on spiritual devotion (Bhakti Yoga) — surrendering oneself to God with faith and love.
4. Style and Audience :
- Valmiki wrote for the learned scholars and royal audience of his time; hence, the language is classical and poetic.
- Tulsidas wrote for the common people of North India who did not know Sanskrit. He used simple Awadhi so that everyone could understand the divine message.
5. Depiction of Characters :
- In Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rama appears more human, experiencing emotions like grief, doubt, and anger, yet staying righteous.
- In Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Rama is shown as fully divine, free from human weaknesses and always perfect.
6. Overall Significance :
- Ramayana is considered the original source of the Rama story.
- Ramcharitmanas is a retelling with devotion, spreading Rama’s message of love and faith to the masses.
In short, Valmiki’s Ramayana is an epic of duty (Dharma), while Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas is an epic of devotion (Bhakti).
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