ETHICAL LEGITIMACY AND THE IDEAL CROWN PRINCE IN THE RAMAYANA

The concept of kingship in ancient Indian epic tradition is fundamentally inseparable from ethics, spirituality, and cosmic responsibility. This article examines the image of Rama as the ideal crown prince and investigates how the epic transforms political succession into an ethical and metaphysical process. Drawing upon mythopoetic criticism, archetypal theory, and Indian philosophical traditions, the study argues that Rama represents a unique model of princely legitimacy in which moral self-sacrifice becomes superior to political ambition. Through comparative analysis of succession motifs, exile narratives, and ethical kingship, the article demonstrates that the Ramayana redefines sovereignty not as domination but as spiritual responsibility. The study further argues that the Ramayana transforms the crown prince archetype into an embodiment of cosmic ethics and civilizational harmony. Ultimately, the article establishes Rama as one of the most influential mythopoetic models of ethical legitimacy in world literature.