I do not know what input the AI tool that generated an image of Rama received, which went viral on 11 April 2023. A week ago, the media had gone berserk, reporting several images from the wall of an Instagram user. While the image that went viral on 11 April had a cute/lovable face, I doubt that is how He is supposed to look.
There was a ‘happier’ version as follows:
The images that were generated a week ago looked like the visualisation of Treta Yuga by Mira Nair or Girish Karnad, given the way they treated ancient India respectively in the films Kamasutra and Utsav.
So, I consulted Sundara Kanda from the Valmiki Ramayana where Sita wants to make sure Hanuman is a true messenger of Rama. So she asks him to describe the Lord.
Anjaneya says:
रामः कमल पत्र अक्षः सर्व भूत मनो हरः।
रूप दाक्षिण्य सम्पन्नः प्रसूतो जनक आत्मजे॥5.35.8॥
“O Sita, the daughter of Janaka, Rama has eyes resembling the petals of a lotus. He is handsome, attracting the hearts of all living beings. He is endowed with grace and dexterity by birth.”
तेजसा आदित्य सम्काशः क्षमया पृथिवी समः।
बृहस्पति समो बुद्ध्या यशसा वासव उपमः॥5.35.9॥
“He is equal to the sun in splendour, earth in endurance, Brihaspati in intelligence and Indra in fame.”
रक्षिता जीव लोकस्य स्व जनस्य च रक्षिता।
रक्षिता स्वस्य वृत्तस्य धर्मस्य च परम् तपः॥5.35.10॥
“Rama, the tormentor of his adversaries, is a protector of the world of beings, further protecting his own people. He is the protector of his own behaviour and righteousness.”
रामो भामिनि लोकस्य चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षिता।
मर्यादानाम् च लोकस्य कर्ता कारयिता च सः॥5.35.11॥
“O Sita, Rama is the protector of the four castes of the world. He is the doer and also the agent for the people’s propriety of conduct.”
अर्चिष्मान् अर्चितो अत्यर्थम् ब्रह्म चर्य व्रते स्थितः।
साधूनाम् उपकारज्ञः प्रचारज्ञः च कर्मणाम्॥5.35.12॥
“Rama is a resplendent man. He is respected exceedingly. He is established in a vow of chastity. He knows how to do good to virtuous people. He knows the application and advantage of his actions.”
राज विद्या विनीतः च ब्राह्मणानाम् उपासिता।
श्रुतवान् शील सम्पन्नो विनीतः च परम् तपः॥5.35.13॥
“He is well trained in statesmanship. He honours Brahmins, the priestly class. He possesses sacred knowledge. He is endowed with good conduct. He is a modest man. He torments his adversaries.”
यजुः वेद विनीतः च वेदविद्भिः सुपूजितः।
धनुः वेदे च वेदे च वेद अन्गेषु च निष्ठितः॥5.35.14॥
“He got trained in Yajurveda, the sacrificial Veda. He is highly honoured by those well-versed in Vedas. He is skilled in Dhanurveda, the science of archery, other Vedas and the six limbs of Vedangas.” [What is implied by “limbs” is explained a few paragraphs later — in the translation of verses 5.35.17 to 5.35.20.]
The verses above, however, would be difficult for AI to turn into an image. But then clear descriptions of Rama’s physicality begins in the words of Hanuman via Valmiki:
विपुल अंसो महाबाहुः कम्बु ग्रीवः शुभ आननः।
गूढ जत्रुः सुताम्र अक्षो रामो देवि जनैः श्रुतः॥5.35.15॥
दुन्दुभि स्वन निर्घोषः स्निग्ध वर्णः प्रतापवान्।
समः सम विभक्त अन्गो वर्णम् श्यामम् समाश्रितः॥5:35:16॥
“He has broad shoulders, mighty arms, a conch-shaped neck, a charming countenance and coppery eyes. His collar bones are concealed and he is known to the people as ‘Rama’. [He has a voice (deep) like the sound of a kettledrum and glossy skin, is full of glory] His skin is glossy. He is square-built, with well-proportioned limbs. His complexion is dark brown.”
I have put the part that is not visual in nature even in this part in parentheses.
Caution: The following verses have some graphic descriptions, which may hurt the sensibilities of a section of the readership.
त्रिस्थिरः त्रिप्रलम्बः च त्रिसमः त्रिषु च उन्नतः।
त्रिवलीवान् त्र्यवनतः चतुः व्यन्गः त्रिशीर्षवान्॥5.35.17॥
“He is ever firm in three limbs (namely the breast, waist and fist), long in three (namely the breast, waist and fist), long in three (namely the eyebrows, arms and soles), uniform in three (namely his locks, testicles and knees, elevated in three (namely his breast, rim of his navel and lower abdomen), coppery in three of the navel and the lower abdomen), coppery in three (namely the rims of his eyes, nails, palms and soles), soft in three (namely the lines on his soles, hair and the end of the membrane virile) and always deep in three (namely the voice, gait and the navel).”
त्रिवलीवांस्त्र्यवनतश्चतुर्व्यङ्गस्त्रिशीर्षवान्।
चतुष्कलश्चतुर्लेखश्चतुष्किष्कुश्चतुःसमः॥… 18॥
“He has three folds in the skin of his neck and belly. He is depressed at three places (viz. the middle of his soles, the lines on his soles and the nipples). He is undersized at four places (viz. the neck, the membrane virile, the back and the shanks). He is endowed with three spirals in the hair of his head. He has four lines at the root of his thumb (denoting his proficiency in the four Vedas). He has four lines on his forehead (indicating longevity). He is four cubits high (96 inches). He has four pairs of limbs (namely the cheeks, arms, shanks and knees) equally matched.”
चतुष् कलः चतुः लेखः चतुष् किष्कुः चतुः समः।
चतुर्दश सम द्वन्द्वः चतुः दष्टः चतुः गतिः॥… 19॥
“He has fourteen other pairs of limbs (namely the eyebrows, nostrils, eyes, ears, lips, nipples, elbows, wrists, knees testicles, lions, hands, feet and thighs) equally matched. The four large teeth at both the ends of his upper and lower jaws are very sharp. He walks in four gaits (resembling the walks of a lion, a tiger, an elephant and a bull). He is endowed with excellent lips, chin and nose. He has five glossy limbs (namely the hair, eyes, teeth, skin and soles). He has eight long limbs (namely the arms, fingers and toes, eyes and ears, thighs and shanks).”
दश पद्मो दश बृहत् त्रिभिः व्याप्तो द्वि शुक्लवान्।
षड् उन्नतो नव तनुः त्रिभिः व्याप्नोति राघवः॥… 20॥
“Rama has ten lotus-like limbs (namely the countenance, the mouth, the eyes, the tongue, lips, palate, breasts, nails, the hands and the feet). He has ten ample limbs (namely the chest, the head, the forehead, the neck, the arms, the heart, the mouth the feet, the back and the ears). He is spread through by reason of three (namely splendour, renown and glory). He is doubly pure (on his paternal and maternal sides). He is elevated in six limbs (namely the flanks, the abdomen, the breast, the nose, the shoulders and the forehead). He is small, thin, fine or sharp in nine (namely the hair, the moustaches and the beard, nails the hair on the body, the skin, the finger joints, the membrum virile, acumen and perception). He pursues religious merit, worldly riches and the sensuous delight in three periods (namely the forenoon, midday and afternoon).”
Interpretation of graphic details of the physique of Rama
The description of Rama’s physical attributes by Hanuma (alternative appellation and spelling of “Hanuman”) in Valmiki Ramayana must be seen from the perspective of a total devotee, which Anjaneya was. Hanuman was so steeped in Rama that at a certain level, he had become Rama himself. This is why he was so aware of every part of Rama.
And it was necessary from Valmiki’s point of view to mention these details because of two reasons. One, the morals and sensibilities of the Treta Yuga were different from that in the Kali Yuga, more so that in India since the invasions by Muslims and then Christians who brought to this nation their duplicity about the human body (lust on the one hand and being squeamish about the anatomy on the other).
Two, Sita knows Rama wholly and, hence, Hanuma must convince her that he knows the Lord as much. For that, the description of Rama’s physicality cannot be censored.
The AI interpretation
Anyway, with the input in English text above, I got through a series of images, every time left unsatisfied by what the software got. Until “Rama”, “Treta Yuga” and “Ramayana” were mentioned, the AI apps picked the thorax satisfactorily but messed up with the face and ornaments. The first attempt looked like a downright ordinary man of the present times. My use of the word “ancient” did not help; “Treta Yuga” did though. The second attempt by the AI tool looked like a Greek warrior as if Rama were an actor who had been cast in the film 300.
Like Americans, Shutterstock thought I was referring to the native tribes of the United States when I wrote “Indian”.
Without mentioning “Rama” but including “Treta Yuga”, Shutterstock gave the following image.
When Rama was mentioned, it dug out images of idols like the following.
I refrained from mentioning the sexual organs for reasons the readership can relate to. But the upper part of the body, including the face and the complexion, successively turned closer and closer to the description in Valmiki Ramayana.
Some mobile applications gave better results. The following was generated by Imagine — AI Art Generator.
Does it match your imagination? Most probably not. It does not match mine either. But not much improvement upon this can be expected if one must stick to Hanuman’s description of Rama in Valmiki Ramayana. I received the above image after feeding these words to the app: “Rama of Treta Yuga from Valmiki Ramayana: broad shoulders, mighty arms, a conch-shaped neck, a charming countenance and coppery eyes, collar bones concealed, glossy skin with dark brown complexion, firm and broad chest, waist and big fists, gentle eyes, long fingers, thin waist, three folds in neck skin, six pack abdomen, four lines on the forehead, long legs, muscular thighs.”
Refreshing the image generated images that were worse, mostly with beard and moustache, of which there is no mention in Valmiki Ramayana.
The AI tools could not add the yajnopavita (janeu) and the bow and arrows did not gel with the image above. So, these elements had to be added manually.
Still, making lotus-blue eyes and turning the from the statuesque form it is in now to a more lively human form remains a challenge. Instead of a crown on the head, it should be three spirals of matted hair. The ears bear an influence of Buddhist art, which must be corrected.
