Since it was Lakshmana's duty to protect Rama, he goes to rescue them. While he is gone, Sita is abducted.
Interestingly, however, the evil Ravana is ultimately defeated through an act of deceit. Although the Brahma promised he could not be killed by a god, spirit or demon, they make no such promise as to humans. However, Ravana, being a god, would not even think of being defeated by a human as this is impossible. Yet, when the Brahma see Ravana destroying the earth, they become disturbed and thus create the plan of creating Rama, as a human incarnation of a god and thus powerful enough to kill Ravana without breaking their promise. In a sense, this is the greatest deceit of them all.
In summary, the story of Ramayana is an expression of what the author feels is the code of being human. In other words, it tells the reader that life is evanescent and a hedonistic approach to it is meaningless. Thus, one must live a virtuous life for its own sake, not for personal gain. In other words, one must think of the consequences for every action, especially when one is making a promise. Although the author portrays Rama as an incarnation of a god, he is portrayed as being human and thus exhibits shortcoming and moral dilemmas, dilemmas that, in the end, are overcome due to his devotion to the virtuous way.
Purity and Deceit in 1001 Arabian Nights
Like its Sanskrit companion, 1001 Arabian Nights is also a story about good vs. evil and the overcoming of deceit through the characteristics of virtue and purity....
1001 Arabian Nights is unique in that it is a collection of stories all based on the general framework of its central story, which is the story of the ruler Shahryar and his wife Queen Scheherazade.
The role of Shahryar is as a judge of purity. Upon discovering his former wife's infidelity, he has her executed, after which he declares, feeling his wife deceived him, all women to be impure. This basic statement is along the lines of the deceive of Adam by Eve. Shahryar then goes through a spat of marrying virgins, only to execute them the next morning when they are no longer pure. This murderous rampage, however, is both deceitful to the virgin brides and deceitful to Shahryar himself as it makes him impure.
Eventually there are no more virgins and Scheherazade offers herself as the next bride. In order to keep his daughter alive, Scheherazade's father tells Shahryar a story without telling him the conclusion. In order to hear the end, Shahryar must keep Scheherazade alive. The next, Scheherazade finishes the last tale and begins another, only again to stop short of revealing its conclusion. Thus, the 1001 stories of the book are told. Although each of these stories involve their own tales of morals, purity and deceit, in an effort to teach Scheherazade a lesson, this act of telling stories itself is deceitful in that it is done as a method of tricking Scheherazade. However, this act of deceit, like the act of deceit done by Brahman in creating Rama to defeat evil, this act of deceit is also done for the greater good.
