In this enlightening discussion, Jessica Frazier, a lecturer in the study of religion specializing in Hindu epics, and Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, a distinguished professor of comparative religion, delve into the timeless tale of the Ramayana. They explore Sita's banishment and Valmiki's influence, while examining the epic's cultural significance and themes of virtue and kingship. The conversation highlights the narrative's evolution and its profound impact on regional adaptations, showcasing the complexities of Rama and Sita’s relationship within ever-changing moral contexts.

Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad explores the balance between spiritual pursuits and royal duties in ancient Indian traditions. The podcast delves into the complex relationship between being in the world and withdrawing from it, highlights the importance of considering gender in the conversation, and examines scenes from the Mahābhārata that challenge concepts of spiritual freedom and material power.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origins of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, and of the traditions that have built around her for over 3,000 years. According to the creation story of the Puranas, she came to existence in the churning of the ocean of milk. Her prominent status grew alongside other goddesses in the mainly male world of the Vedas, as female deities came to be seen as the Shakti, the energy of the gods, without which they would be powerless. Lakshmi came to represent the qualities of blessing, prosperity, fertility, beauty and good fortune and, more recently, political order, and she has a significant role in Diwali, one of the most important of the Hindu festivals. With Jessica Frazier Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Kent Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies at the University of OxfordJacqueline Suthren-Hirst Senior Lecturer in South Asian Studies at the University of Manchesterand Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad Professor of Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Lancaster UniversityProducer: Simon Tillotson.