Manunggaling Kawula Gusti in Dewa Ruci Story of Cinema Wayang Performance

Abstract

This paper aimed to explain the concept of Manunggaling Kawula Gusti in the performance of cinema wayang, Dewa Ruci story. Manunggaling Kawula Gusti is a perspective of Javanese people to express the union between humans and God. Manunggaling Kawula Gusti behavior can be carried out by humans with clean souls. The problems regarding the concept of Manunggaling Kawula Gusti are significant to be examined by the hermeneutic approach, by interpreting the values ​​of the nature of life's journey contained in the dramatic structure of Dewa Ruci story. The results of the research showed: (1) Dewa Ruci story has a complex structure related to the nature and problems of human life; (2) Bima figure is a symbol of human beings who was able to find the essence of life through the process of inner behavior to find tirta pawitra; and (3) Manunggaling Kawula Gusti became the core concept of the union of Bima with Dewa Ruci, as well as being the goal of Bima's mystical practice. The findings of this research showed the concept of Manunggaling Kawula Gusti is believed by the Javanese community as the main concept in the arrangement of the relationship between humans and God. The concept of Manunggaling Kawula Gusti becomes divinity value which leads humans to live in harmony between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Manunggaling Kawula Gusti is characterized by the degree of human being as human being and the success of finding the essence of his life.

Keywords: Manunggaling Kawula Gusti, Dewa Ruci, human beings, the water of life

DOI: 10.7176/ADS/83-05

Publication date:July 31^st 2020