Reading Notes: Ramayana A&B


Reading A
  • Setting: 2 Kingdom
    • Koshala with King Dasharatha and son Rama
    • Mithila with King Janaka and daughter Sita
  • In the beginning King D struggles to have a son
    • He sacrifices a horse and is promised 4 sons
  • Meanwhile in the heavens, Ravana, the king of the rakshasas is running rampant. However, the gods do not have the ability to kill him. He must be killed by a human or monkey. The gods beg Vishnu, the Preserver, to help them. Vishnu agrees and descends in human form as the baby Rama, son of King D.
  • Now that King D's sons are grown, a prophet asks for the help of Rama. Two demons, Maricha and Subahu, are destroying his sacred fires and sacrifices. This request saddens King D because he fears for Rama's life. He agrees, but also sends his other son, Lakshmana.
  • The two brothers fight the mother of the rakshasas in a dark, gloomy forest by cutting off her nose and her arms. She becomes invisible, but Rama uses the power of sound to sink an arrow that kills her
  • The prophet is so thankful that he shouts mantras that cause celestial weapons to appear before Rama. The weapons speak to Rama and promised their loyalty. 
  • The two brothers go to offer a sacrifice but are ambushed by demons. Rama uses the celestial weapons to kill them all
  • The prophet tells Rama a story:
    • There was a king who wanted sons. They did a horse sacrifice and had one great son and 60 brave sons. The 60 sons all died trying to fend off demons, but the son of the great son killed the demon. He went on to become an austere king and because of this, he was granted the flow of Ganga upon his head. This released the souls of the 60 sons from the underworld
  • And another one:
    • There once was a hermit that lived in a town near Rama's home. There once was a married couple, but Indra saw the wife and fell in love with her beauty. He took the form of her husband and proceeded to seduce her. She recognized Indra but conceded to his will only to banish him after. The husband comes home and realizes what happens. The husband then curses his wife and the god Indra. 
    • Rama then lifts her curse
  • Rama sees Sita in the gardens of the palace and immediately falls in love with her. 
  • The king says that he will give his daughter Sita to the man who can bend Shiva's bow
    • Of course this is Rama
  • A hermit bursts threw and demands that Rama must string a bow of Vishnu's
    • And yet again *surprise* he does it
  • Rama marries Sita and all three of his brothers also find love within her court
  • The King wants to give his throne to Rama but is worried how the other sons will behave
  • Manthara, a nurse maid for one of Rama's brothers, Bharata, is unhappy that Rama is declared heir
    • The mother of the brother, KaiKeyi, tricked King D to give her to wishes. She wishes that her son be named heir and that Rama is banished for 14 years. She threatens to kill herself if Kind D does not consent. So King D is angry and sad but agrees to her wishes, however, he denounces both her and her son
  • Rama accepts this with a happy heart but the entire country and the king are stricken with unwavering sadness
  • Sita begs to go with Rama, finally he agrees
  • Lakshmana also goes with Rama
  • King D accidentally kills a young hermit because he was hunting and thought he was an animal
    • The boy's parents left into the fires of the funeral pyre
  • King D dies
Reading B
  • Bharata returns to the palace and weeps over his father's death and his mother's betrayal against Rama. He refuses to take the throne and vows to retrieve Rama from the jungle
  • Bharata asks Rama to be king but Rama says that he cannot break his father's promise
  • Rama gives Bharata a pair of his sandals to represent Rama while he is in exile
    • The sandals were treated as the "king"
  • While in the forest, a rakshasa named Viradha steals Sita
    • The demon cannot be pierced with sharp instruments 
      • Rama and Lakshmana break both of his arms and throw him into a pit
  • The sister of Ravana falls in love with Rama. Rama turns her down
    • Shurpanakha attacks but Lakshmana cuts off her ears and nose so she runs away
    • Shurpanakha tells her brother Khara of this and he promises to kill Rama
  • Rama slays all of the demons
  • Ravana agrees to kill Rama, Sita, and Lakshama for shaming his sister
  • March, another demon, takes the form of a deer in the hopes of tricking Sita
  • The plan works and Sita asks Rama to go and capture the deer for her
  • The demon-deer imitates Rama's voice and convinces Sita that Rama is calling for help. Sita asks Lakshmana to go after Rama. L reluctantly agrees.
  • Ravana takes the shape of a Brahmin and approaches Sita when she is alone
    • He is taken by her beauty and asks her to be his queen. She refuses so he steals
  • A vulture tries to save Sita
  • Sita is protected by Brahma so that Ravana cannot force himself on her. He tries to seduce her but refuses

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