“Royal Righteousness in the Ramayana? Faithful Leadership in India’s Mythic Masterpiece,” by Benjamin B. DeVan

Reading revered, sacred, classic, and popular religious texts and stories together is one significant way to enrich inter-religious relationships. This essay explores the Ramayana as a Hindu resource for inter-religious conversation by examining the virtues or dharma espoused and exemplified by its leading characters. How do the Ramayana’s royal exemplars personify qualities essential to faithful leadership? What among their virtues might inter-religious and other leaders apply in their own spheres of influence? Doubling as a companion or discussion guide, this article utilizes R.K. Narayan’s user-friendly Penguin Classics edition as one succinct and accessible narrative for multi-faith settings. Read more of this article here.