Representation of Mahajanaka
Keywords:
Mahajanaka, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Dhamma Raja, the Righteous King, Dasarajadhamma, Ten Principles of a Righteous KingAbstract
The study’s objective is to examine representation of between of King Mahajanaka, in the story of Mahajanaka in The Story of Mahajanaka; and its author, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Though the Story of Mahajanaka is His Majesty’s third literature after Nai In Phu Pid Thong Lan Phra (1994) and Tito (1995), it was mentioned to be His Majesty’s the most beloved and was featured during the ceremony dedicated to his 50th year accession to the throne. Therefore, it is inevitable for readers to make perceive the meaning of kingship between the fictional kingships of Mahajanaka to that of His Maesty.
This study applied Gadamer’s hermeneutical approach to language whereby hermeneutical experience is less that of language and language can never succeeds in exhausting everything that wants to be said and understood because of the speculative structure of language. In term of representation, the researcher applied Dyer’s typography of representation concerning what receiver think being represented to them, and Hall’s constructionist approach where meanings are constructed based on material reality.
The study found that Mahajanaka’s kingship in the Story contained the elements of kinship, great being, and Dhamma Raja (the Righteous King), through practicing of Dasarajadhamma (The ten principles of the Righteous King). Considering the kingship of King Mahajanaka as the “unsaid” representation of His Majesty, both kings shared the similar background from their kinship and childhood socialization although different in the process of being crowned. Both were believed being a great being and practicing merit to overcome the obstacles as well as applying wisdom in benefitof their people. As the Lord of Life and the Lord of the Land, both kings improved the quality of life of the people and the quality of land via their concerns regarding the ignorance of the noble men and people. As a result, both kings founded educational centers which focuses on agricultural oriented and self-reliance. Moreover, His Majesty expanded his Lord of the Land duty by reaching out to people in every region of the country. It could be concluded that Dhamma Raja of King Mahajanaka represents that of His Majesty, and proved that His Majesty had lived up to the oath on May 5, 1950, the day he was crowned, which said, “I shall reign with Dhamma for the benefit and happiness of all the Siamese (Thai people).
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