THE RAM AND SITA STORY

An Indian epic story called "The Ramayana" tells of a beautiful queen, Sita, who lives safely and happily with King Ram in their palace. The demon king, Ravan, wants to kidnap Sita, so he sends a golden deer near her palace. Sita is attracted to the golden deer and crosses the border into Ravan's kingdom to reach it. She was deceived by her attraction, her desire; under the skin of the golden deer was a demon and now she is Ravan's slave.

Discussion:

We all want freedom, no one chooses to be a slave, but it is a great paradox that we can become our own worst enemy. Only we can choose to be deceived and tie ourselves into bondages; that is, we make ourselves slaves and lose our freedom. We can also learn to become our own best friend.

The Prison Model

In this model, we have a prisoner and a prison officer. The prisoner is completely dependent on the prison officer for his food, entertainment, peace and happiness. The prison officer can choose to make the prisoner comfortable and happy or he can starve him and make him unhappy. The prisoner has no choice; someone else chooses for him.
Now let us take an example of a man who appears to be free and reasonably happy. Then he meets a certain woman. Initially, her behaviour did not affect him. Let's say that if she were to dye her hair pink, it wouldn't affect him.
As years go by, they get to know each other better, become close and eventually get married. Let's take up a scene a few years later. One day the woman comes home with pink coloured hair. How will he respond this time? His reaction will definitely be different. It may make him unhappy, angry even.
A few years earlier, the presence or absence of that woman did not affect him. Now her behaviour, attitude and words all affect him. What has changed? He has found a prison officer in the woman. She is now in charge of making him happy or unhappy. But she did not choose to become the prison officer, it was his ignorance that put him in prison and the prison presented itself the moment he created expectations of her. Once an expectation is created, a master is born. The word "expectation" represents 'a desire that is taken for granted'.