Good deeds are the means to reach a higher plane and similarly bad deeds lead to destruction and doom — are the ultimate message that the Ramayana teaches.
The truth that each one is responsible for his acts, good and bad and will have to face the consequences is strongly stressed in the immortal epic.
Rama’s qualities of compassion and kindness, his readiness to lend a helping hand to all, his nature to pardon the faults in people, and his adherence to truth stand as the very basis of this grand epic.
It is shown in Ramayan that even birds and animals will be of assistance to one who treads the right path; but to him who chooses the wrong path, even one’s kith and kin cannot be of any help.
Ravana’s glories are innumerable and even Rama and Hanuman heap spontaneous praises on his attainments and achievements. But he commits the sin of coveting another man’s wife and scripts his own self destruction.
Rama and Sita in their role as mortals show that human sorrow is inevitable and affects all, whatever may be one’s temperament, scholarship, lineage, etc. Lakshmana on many occasions ponders on the unfairness of the happenings in Rama’s life.
Rama too breaks out in despair when Virata carries away Sita in a trice. He tells Lakshmana, “This is unbearable. Kaikeyi must have known all this when she sent us to the forest.” Rama’s reaction only reflects the psychological reality of an individual in trying circumstances.
Sri Rama’s vow to protect those in distress is another straight message of hope to humanity. When Rama accepts Vibhishana against much opposition from Sugriva, Lakshmana and others, he quells their doubts about any possible foul play on the part of the rakshasas and states that even if it is Ravana in Vibhishana’s form, He would protect him.
Source - discourse by Sri R. Krishnamurthy Sastrigal published in the faith-column of the Hindu newspaper.