Why does King Rama I’s play Ramakien begin with the episode of the demon Hiranyak rolling the earth?
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Abstract
The play Ramakien, composed by King Buddhayodfa Chulalok, is the longest and most complete Thai version of the story of Rāma. While its main objective is to narrate the heroic exploits of Rāma as an avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu, an additional story is included at the beginning of this version of Ramakien. It is the story about a demon called Hiranyak who brings a dreadful calamity to humanity by rolling the earth’s surface and hiding it in the underworld. It narrates Vishnu’s incarnation as a wild boar to defeat the evil demon and reclaim the earth. The story continues with the birth of Anomātan, a child born inside a lotus flower that grew from Vishnu’s navel. This narrative also subtly carries political implications to create legitimacy for the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, portraying him as a Vishnu avatar who descends to alleviate the plight of the Siamese people. This justifies his right to rule over Bangkok as the new Ayodhyā, the city of Rāma, replacing the fallen previous dynasty and capital of the Siamese people, which had been ravaged by the fires of war.
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