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ABSTRACT: The essay explores the positive aspects of exile in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, in both of which the exiled heroes experience magical adventures quite different from those that we know from the exploits of exiles in Greek and Latin classics and European children's literature. These heroes also vividly encounter ancient Indian mythology and philosophy, and in the end undergo a transformation that prepares them for their ultimate entrance into heaven.
Wendy Doniger (Sat,) studied this question.