32 SOCIAL SCIENTIST becomes an incarnation of Vishnu in the addition. At the beginning of the Adi Kanda, Valmiki asks Narada: "Who in this entire world is so full of merit, courage, piety, gratitude, truthfulness, steadfastness, integrity... who looks after the welfare of all creatures — who is learned, able, handsome, self controlled, radiant, free of anger and envy? Whom do even the god fear when he is enraged in battle? (1/2 - 4). Narada replies: "I am going to describe the being who possesses all these virtues and who equals Vishnu in heroic qualities" (1/2/18). In another version Narada replies: "There is none who embodies all these qualities even among the gods. But there is one such man among men; listen to his account as I narrate it." (1/11). Ramachandra is the "embodiment of these infinite virtues55. If we discuss certain aspects of his character, we will perhaps acquire a better grasp of the social meaning and significance of the Ramayana. In the narrative he first appears as a son. We see him at the beginning as an obedient child who at the behest of his father, goes to kill demons who were disrupting the sacrificial rites of Vishvamitra. Lakshmana accompanies him. An additional segment was appended here to prove his divinity. This deals with the Ahalya episode. Rama hesitates to kill Tadaka and Vishvamitra tells him: there is no sin in killing this woman (1/25/27). The killing of demons establishes Rama^ valour. Then Vishvamitra leads the two princes to the royal court of king Janaka where the wedding of his daughter was being organised. The daughter was actually the child of the Earth Goddess (Dharitri), King Janaka discovered her while tilling the soil. Hence she had been named Sita (the ploughshare). She was going to be won for marriage through a test of martial valour. It is important to note that this form of marriage was really a variant of dowry which prevailed in earlier societies. Rama could effortlessly string and break the Haradhanu -(the bow of Shiva) - at the court, and he was married to Sita. Among other wedding gifts he received male and female slaves and one hundred girls. The four brothers came home with their four brides and lived very happily for some time. Then Dasaratha desired to anoint Rama-as the young heir apparent. Even though, legally Rama, the eldest son was entitled to the throne, we find that Dasaratha had sent Bharata away to the Kekaya kingdom and he had not invited king Janaka for the ceremony. Nor had he sent him any message. When Kaikeyi evoked two old, unredeemed pledges to make Bharata the heir apparent instead of Rama and when Lakshmana was beside himself in rage about this, Rama tells him: "Brother, long before this, when father married our mother Kaikeyi, he had promised our