The Dharma of Love in the Time of Injustice

As Americans gather for Thanksgiving in the wake of the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse and the vindication of Ahmaud Arbery, many are considering the complicated and often violent legacy that is the American story. In that light, I find myself reflecting on the Rāmāyaṇa and its message about justice, itself not a straightforward morality tale.

Many have heard the story of Rāma and had varying reactions from admiration for his magnanimity and bravery, to harsh criticism of certain actions he takes which are seen as arbitrary. I won’t go in detail here, but…