Research task (Hypotheticals & Philosophy):
Select several pivotal episodes from the Rāmāyaṇa whose moral tension you consider most acute. For each episode, supply a concise narrative outline, engage at least two variant tellings from other literary traditions, and articulate the dharmic conflict you discern. Situate that conflict within a broader philosophical conversation, drawing, at your discretion, on the Upaniṣads, the Bhagavad-Gītā, the schools of Nyāya or Mīmāṃsā, or comparable sources; then pose a substantive counter-reading and address it. Conclude by mapping the lesson onto a contemporary circumstance and tracing, step by step, the reasoning that would guide an ethically informed response.

Maintain a scholarly tone, coherent structure, and clear citations, but avoid prefabricated templates so that genuine interpretive thought is required.

Evaluation rubric:
criterion: The response presents the philosophical reasoning behind each story and makes it morally relatable to present-day scenarios (e.g., how Rajadharma, as depicted by Rama's devotion to his people, is relevant to the leadership that should be taken by current generations).
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response clarifies that there is no objective right or wrong in the Ramayana and acknowledges that everyone followed dharma (or duty) according to their life challenges (e.g., Ravana fulfilling his dharma of avenging his sister’s humiliation, Rama following his duties as a son, husband, brother, and Hindu).
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response discusses Ravana’s perspective (e.g., his devotion to Shiva, his discipline, his governance, his commitment to law and order, and his principle of not harming political prisoners).
weight: 4
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response explains Sita’s marriage ritual (in which a bow and arrow made by Lord Vishnu were placed at the center and how she asked all suitors to try to string the bow, with only Rama succeeding, thus demonstrating his character, strength, and resolve).
weight: 2
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response mentions Shabari’s berries, where an old woman tasted berries before offering them to Rama to ensure their sweetness, demonstrating true love and devotion.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response describes Rama’s upbringing during his studies when he was asked to kill a demoness, questioned his guru about killing a woman, and received an explanation about the necessity of ending her havoc.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response describes Hanuman’s tail being set on fire and his subsequent burning of parts of Lanka as part of the narrative.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response contains one of the following factual errors: (a) claiming Rama spent 12 (or any number other than 14) years in exile, (b) stating that Sita was Ravana's daughter, (c) describing Hanuman as a bear, (d) asserting that Rama was killed by Ravana.
weight: -5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response uses clear labels or headings that separate 'Story/Context' (or similar) from 'Moral/Philosophy' (or similar).
weight: 2
axis: Communication Quality

criterion: The response is not sequentially coherent and jumps between events when providing philosophical reasoning for each one.
weight: -2
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response provides contextual understanding of why Hanuman was sent back when Sita could have left with him and saved many lives, explaining the dharmic reasoning behind that choice.
weight: 3
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response explains the reasoning behind leading so many warriors into the final battle, articulating the philosophical truth of courage versus downfall.
weight: 4
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response states the importance of Jatayu, his karma, his role in saving Sita, and clarifies how significant his sacrifice is in the narrative.
weight: 2
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response cites Devdutt Pattanaik’s interpretation that dharma is neither good nor bad but the work and choices of each person facing life’s challenges (e.g., in the forest episode between Sita and Ravana, Ravana’s actions stem from duty, ego, or social pressure, which remain morally ambiguous).
weight: 2
axis: References & Citation Quality

criterion: The response includes multiple perspectives (e.g., filial duty with Rama obeying his father, feminism through Sita’s fire test, reverence in Rama’s worship of Ravana as a Brahmin, and warrior ethics in his battles).
weight: 2
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response discusses Sita’s role in teaching Luv and Kush, highlighting her acceptance and understanding of Rama’s decisions as expressions of devotion and dharmic insight.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response discusses Kaikeyi’s perspective beyond manipulation, emphasizing her insight into Rama’s destiny and her reasoning behind ensuring his confrontation with Ravana.
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response discusses Mandodari’s role as Ravana’s wife and her compassion toward Sita after the abduction.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response discusses Sita’s birth from the Earth, her warrior-like strength, and her sisters, emphasizing that she was not helpless but someone who fought for dharma.
weight: 2
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response interprets Bharata’s decision to follow his brother instead of his mother through philosophical concepts (e.g., patriarchy, fraternity, duty to the kingdom, and duty to an elder brother).
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response confuses dharma (one’s morally prescribed duty) with karma (the actions one performs).
weight: -3
axis: Implicit Criteria