SITA IN THE TV UTTARAMAYANA 71 an ulterior motive. If this is connived at by society then such new and tendentious myths will go on being invented, and soon we shall have the older stratum of Hinduism serving as a receptacle for any number of vicious new myths. In the name of Hinduism what is served up in the TV version is a new set of values basically rotten, highly injurious to society and eminently suitable for the ruling class. If this is tolerated, then this licence will be used for inventing suitable myths and broadcasting them through the media whenever the ruling class—which controls the TV—or the upper echelons of society find themselves in a crisis. The epic tradition is too precious to be thus vitiated and lent as a peg for hanging new fangled myths which are so detrimental to society because they successfully hold up secularism and progress.