In this wonderful extract, bestselling author, Devdutt Pattanaik draws our attention to the story of Ram in its entirety—‘…the one who upheld the code of civilisation and refused to succumb to animal instincts despite every provocation.’ As the King of Ayodhya, the author draws our attention to the ‘controversial conclusion of the Ramayana’ : the abandonment of Sita after she was held captive by Ravana. Devdutt Pattanaik asks a very significant question about the complexity of dharma –‘ Is Ram the King of Ayodhya first or husband of Sita? Even as the nation witnesses a tug-of-war apropos the building of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Ram’s Secret helps us understand what made Ram a righteous king and most importantly, an avatar of Vishnu.
Author
Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010). He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY. He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India
