While the protagonists are vindictive and spiteful of those who harm them in the epic of Rama, they are also incredibly forgiving to those who followed the leading antagonist (most namely Ravana). It is made clear that Ravana is the king of the demons, and it was by his doing that Sita was kidnapped. Ravana is punished for his deeds, but his cohorts and those who aided him in his tasks were forgiven immediately after Sita was rescued and Ravana was killed. Immediately following Ravana’s death Ravana’s own brother, Vibhisana, spoke to Rama. Vibhisana requested that Ravana would have a burial in accordance with the scriptures for his welfare in the other world. Rama responds, “Hostility ends at death…He is your brother as he is mine, too.” Even in the instant immediately after Ravana’s death, Rama has forgiven him, and is even delighted when Vibhisana asks for a proper burial for Ravana. Rama is so pleased that he commands and arranges for a coronary to allow for Vibhisana to become the rightful king of Lanka. In other parts of the world (most namely Europe and the Western world) the conquering of a warring society is a cause for your ownership of their land.
Rama is not the only one who is capable of compassion after a death. Sita, who was tortured by the demonesses, is given the opportunity to have the very same demonesses vanquished. Hanuman offers to kill the demonesses for Sita, but she stops him and says that she has forgiven them. Sita claims that they were following orders from Ravana, as they were supposed to. Sita does not mention the fact that they were intent on killing her even after Ravana had commanded them to keep her alive for another two months. Rama and Sita developed their ability to forgive through the society they live in. The society as a whole holds great value in forgiveness after vindication, and following the path of dharma.
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