Reading Diary B: 12 years in the forest

Arjuna rejects Urvashi because she looks like his mother, Kunti

• Urvashi curses Arjuna to a life as a eunuch for one year
• Indra, his father, orders that Arjuna learn music and dance
• Indra also tells Arjuna that his year as a eunuch is his disguise for his 13th year in exile
• Indra also teaches Arjuna how to use his divine weapon

(Image Source: Urvashi curses Arjuna by Ramanarayanadatta astri)

Yudhistira has a dream about ruining a deer

• Bhima tells the story of Mankanaka [dangers of eating grass instead of deer]
• Mankanaka only ate grass, cut himseld, and bled grass juice
• Mankanaka was so happy about it he started a dance party throughout the whole world
• The gods worried the dancing would ruin the world, Shiva comes to stop it

Rishyashringa was born

• Vibhandaka saw Urvashi and ejaculated in the lake and a deer drank it
• Rishyashringa was the son of that deer and Vibhandaka
• Rishyashringa had never seen another human except his dad, Vibhandaka
• He was the only person left with a pure heart to save the country of Agna from a drought
• Shanta persuaded Rishyashringa to come to Agna with her charm and good looks
• Vibhandaka thought the creature was a rakshasa (demon)
• Rikyashringa went with Shanta to Agna
• It rained at last!
• Rikyashringa married Shanta

The Pandavas leave the forest and come to Mount Kailasa

• Yudhistira falls and disturbs the silence of Rishava's mountain and the mountain attacks
• Draupadi ask Bhima to build her a house made of white lotus
• Bhima sets out to find them for his lady when he runs into a monkey blocking his path, HANUMAN
• Bhima cannot move Hanuman's tail and Hanuman tells Bhima that the white lotuses are at the lotus lake
• Manibhadra , lord of yakshas, tells Lord of Treasure, Vaishravana that Bhima is outside their palace
• Bhima blows Vaishravana's armor away easily. Vaishravana allows Bhima to take the lotuses

Matali returns Arjuna to his brothers

• Arjuna brings heavenly weapons along with ornaments and jewels for Draupadi

In the 12th year the Pandavas live near Dhritarashtra

• Duryodhana tries to build a pleasure house near the Pandavas but the Gandharvas don't let him
• Duryodhana is caught in the Gandharvas iron net 
• Arjuna and Bhima rescue Duryodhana 
• Duryodhana is embarrassed and decides to starve to death  
• Kali encourages him to continue to the fight against the Pandavas where he will be honored

Jayadratha, Duryodhana's brother in law, tries to steal Draupadi

• Arjuna and Bhima chase down Jayadratha but Yudhistira tells them to spare his life at Draupadi's request

Savitri

• Krishna and Vyasa visit the Pandavas
• Draupadi asks Vyasa to tell a love story
• Savitri set out to find the man she wanted to be her husband because the others were lames
• Savitri found Satyavan, son to a blind man in exile 
• Savitri decides to marry him even though she knows he only has one year to live
• When Yama, The Death god, came to get Satyavan, Savitri asked if she could follow him
• Savitri got a gift from Yama for her courage but she could not wish for Satyavan's live back
• Savitri asked for him to cure her blind father in law
• Yama feels generous and offers another gift, Savitri asks him to restore her father in laws's kingdom
• Savitri then asks if her fathe in law could have 100 sons 
• Finally Yama told her to ask for something that was actually for her
• Savitri asks to be given 100 sons from her husband, Satyavan
• Savitri had to sacrifice half of her days in order to get her husband back and she willingly accepted
• Satyavan was restored

Reading Diary A: Yudhistira gets the Pandavas Exiled

Yudhistira accepts Duryodhana's challenge to play dice

• When the Pandavas arrive Duryodhana tells Yudhistira that he is going to be playing Shakuni instead
• Yudhistira loses all his material things and begins losing his brothers and himself
• He last bets off his wife, Draupadi, and loses her too
• Duryodhana summons her to begin work as a kitchen maid
• Duhshahana begins by stripping her clothing but Krishna protects her by always placing a new robe where the last one was stripped
• Dhritarashtra learns of this and crushes the dice
• Dhritarashtra gives Draupadi wishes in return for her treatment
• Draupadi gets her husbands and all of their things back
• Shakuni challenges Yudhistira to one last challenge and Yudhistira loses again 
• The Pandavas and Draupadi are exiled

Arjuna goes off in the forest away from the Pandavas to learn more

• Arjuna runs into Indra, his dad 
• He shoots the same deer as Shiva 
• Then, he is taken to Indra's palace in the heavens
• Indrani 
• Indra sends for Urvashi who has been madly in love with Arjuna since before this life

Vyasa begins telling Yudhistira about Nala who has had more misfortune than Yudhistira

• Nala, a king, wanted Damayanti, a princess, as his wife
• Nala caught a swan and told it to tell Damayanti about Nala
• The swan did and Damayanti fell in love with Nala before seeing him
• Damayanti was having a swayamvara and Indra, Agni, Varuna, and Yama were coming to try to win the princess too
• The gods told Nala to go to Damayanti and tell her to pick a god as her husband
• The gods disguised themselves as Nala but Damayanti figured out which one was Nala and still chose him
• Kali wanted her and became jealous and wanted to destroy their happiness
• Pushkara challenged Nala to a game of dice under Kali's request
• Kali possessed Nala and Nala lost everything
• Damayanti and Nala left the kingdom with just one robe
• Nala tried to catch some birds and lost his robe
• Nala wanted Damayanti to return to her father's kingdom so he left her in his sleep taking half of her robe to cover himself
• However, Damayanti looked for Nala instead of returning home
• The ascetics told her to go home to her father but she followed a caravan to Chedi
• The kingdom of Chedi made fun of her for her half robe and Sudeva covered her 
• Sudeva then finally convinced her to return home to wait for Nala 

Karkotoka helps Nala

• Nala rescued Karkotoka from a forest fire
• Karkotoka bit him putting poison into his blood turning him into an ugly man, named Vahuka
• He became Rituparna's charioteer because he could make his horses fast
• Parnada realized Vahuka was the king, Nala
• Pranada goes to tell Damayanti that he found Nala
• Sudeva goes to Rituparna to invite him to her "swayamvara"
• Damayanti knew Rituparna would make Vahuka drive him so Nala would come to her too
•  Vahuka asks Rituparna how to successfully gamble and Vahuka teaches Rituparna how to drive his horses so fast
•  Nala's new knowledge of gambling drove Kali out 
• Rituparna arrived to Damayanti to learn that the swayamvara was a hoax
• Damayanti sends her maidservant, Keshini, to speak to the charioteer, Vahuka
• Keshini realizes Vahuka is Nala and tells him to go to Damayanti
• Nala turns back into his original form and goes to Damayanti
• Nala and Damayanti return home and Pushkara challenges Nala to another dice game
• This time Damayanti was Pushkara's prize
• Nala wins and wins his kingdom back

Vyasa then teaches Yudhistira the knowledge of gambling dice

(Image Source: Nala and Damayanti by Ramanarayanadatta astri)

Reading Diary B: The Pandavas are sent away from Hastinapura

Dhritarashtra sends the Pandavas and their mother Kunti away

• Duryodhana, of course, makes a plan to build them a house that will be easy to burn down
• Vidura warns the Pandavas of the plan
• The Pandavas build a tunnel under the house to escape
• They leave 6 corpse to burn in their place so that Duryodhana believes they are dead
• The Pandavas flee to a village
• The village has to send yearly sacrifices to the demon Vaka
• Kunti sends Bhima to destroy him even though he is weak from hunger
• Vyasa arrives and takes the Pandavas to win the daughter of Drupada 
• Arjuna wins her by showing his strength with Shiva's bow 
• Krishna is present and congratulates Arjuna
• Krishna remembers Arjuna from another life
• Dhrishtadyumna brings the Pandavas to marry his daughter, Draupadi
• Dhritarashtra is glad to learn the Pandavas are still alive--> gives them Khandava to rule
• Arjuna goes to visit Krishna and falls in love with his sister, Subhadra
• The fire god, Agni, comes to Krishna and Arjuna and tells him he is hungry and he needs to burn the forest to regain strength
• Agni needs Arjuna's and Krishna's help to defend Indra while he "eats"
• Agni gives Arjuna the bowl Gandiva and Krishna his iron chakra (discus)
• The gods watch Arjuna and Krishna take on Indra
• Arjuna comes to the rescue of the asura, Maya, the heaven's architecture
• Maya builds the Pandavas' an unbelievable palace as a thanks
• Duryodhana visits the palace
• He is fooled by one of the illusions and someone laughs and he thinks they are mocking him
• Duryodhana goes to Yudhisthira and demands an apology but he denies this request
• So Duryodhana challenges Yudhisthira to a game of dice
• Vyasa goes to his mother and takes her, Ambika, Ambalika, and Vidura's mother to safety from the events that he forsees

 

(Image Source: Arjuna wins Draupadi by Ramanarayanadatta astri)

Reading Diary A: The beginning

The book starts out being told by Pandu's grandson

Then the poet Vyasa tells the story of Mahabharata while Ganesha, the scribe, writes it down

Before the sea turned to salt water it was milk

Takshaka disguises himself as a beetle on the last day of the king's, Parikshit, death curse time limit

Parikshit tries to show that he is no longer living in fear by putting the beetle on his neck whenever Takshaka turns into a snake and bites him

Parikshit's son takes over the kingdom and plans to hold a sacrifice to kill Takshaka

(Image Source: Satyavati, the girl born out of a fish by Tropenmuseum) 

Mahabharata finally begins

• Ganga falls in love with the king
• has 7 kids and drowns the first 6
• Bhishma is spared because the king finally says stop
• semen in a fish--> fish smelling man (Vyasa) 
• Chedi renounces his kingship and gives it to Santanu
• Santanu and Satyavati have a son named Vichtravirya 
• Vichtraviyra is given 3 wives by Bhishma
• One of them is sent away because she already gave her heart away (Amba)
• Vichtraviyra dies before he has kids
• Satyavati summons her son Vyasa to have kids with the two wives
• Dhritarashtra (blind), Pandu(pale), and Vidura (normal)
• Pandu marries Kunti and Madri
• Kunti has a mantra that she can make love with gods
• Kunti tried it first with the sun god, Surya
• Kunti sent the baby up stream --> Karna
• Dhritarashtra marries Ghandhri and becomes king
• Ghandhri is pregnant for 2 years and has 100 babies
• They have to incubate for 2 more years in jars full of butter
• Pandu is cursed and can't make love 
• Kunti uses her mantra and has 2 kids when Madri wants to have kids and she uses the mantra to have 1 more child and twins
• Pandu can no longer resist and makes love to Madri and dies and Madri does too
• Drona marries Kripi and is so poor he can't even afford milk for their child
• Drona asks Drupada for help but Drupada denies Drona's friendship and calls him his enemy
• Bhishma makes Drona the trainer for all the Pandava and Kaurava princes
• Kripa became archery teacher
• Arjuna is the best bow person until Karna arrives and shows his skills and is named king (everyone wonders who exactly he is--> son of gods?)
• But he is the son of a chariottor--> found him when Kunti sent her baby up stream and raised the boy

Reading Diary B: The Pandavas win!

(Image Source: Arjuna slays Jayadratha by Ramanarayanadatta astri)

The Pandavas attempt one last peace offering with the Kauravas

• Krishna is sure of his abilities to escape the Kauravas so he goes to them as the messenger--> shows that he is actually a God
• However, the Kauravas do not accept
• The Pandavas prepare for war

The war between Pandava and the Kauravas begins

• The Pandavas slaughter all 100 of their cousins
• Arjuna and Bhima do most of the killing
• Arjuna kills Bhishma and Karna--> which he later learns was his brother
• They win their kingdom back

Yudhistira has a pitty party about all the slaughtering of his family

• But he comes around and has his coronation for king

Epilogue

• Yudhisitra's physical body goes to the heavens while the other brothers closely follow him in spirit.
• Krishna dies the way he thought he would by the river.
• Dhistira lives out his life in the kingdom for 36 years after and then takes Kunthi and an adopted son into the forest to be left alone for the remainder of his life

Reading Diary A: Pandava's exile is over

(Image Source: Cattle Reid by Ramanarayanadatta astri)

The Pandavas finally make it to the end of the first 12 years

• They are dying of thirst and the youngest finds a lake and rushes to it
• However, there is a voice that tells him to answer his questions before drinking his water
• Nakalu disobeys and drinks the water because he is so thirsty
• Arjuna and Bhima behave similarly
• Yudishitra arrives at the lake and see his dead brothers and listens to the voice and does as he is asked to do
• He answers so well that the other brothers are revived
• It was a test by Yama, and Yama now promises to keep them incognito for their following year

The Pandavas hide in plain sight in the town of Maysa

• While in Maysa, the 5 brothers have disguise jobs along with their wive Draupadi
• The entire year almost goes smoothly when finally the Prince discovers Draupadi's beauty
• The prince tries to make a move at Draupadi and Bhima had to resort to killing him while creating a cover story for the king
• The Kauvas hear of this and find the cover story peculiar.
• They "attack" Maysa in hopes of discovering the Pandavas to place them in exile for another 13 years
• Arjuna secretly attacks with the help of Maysa's lazy "hero" (claims tremendous fighting skills)

The Kauvuas plan does not work

• The Pandavas are freed from their exile (they make it to the end of the 1 years without being noticed)
• They want their share of their kingdom from Duryodhura
• Peace is negotiated, but war is likely inevitable 

Reading Diary B: Yudhistira plays dice

(Image Source: Disrobing of Draupadi by Evelyn Paul)

• Dhritarashtra finds out that the Pandavas are still alive
• His sons, Duryodhana and Karna are mad and urge war against them
• Vidura invites the Pandavas to Hastinapura where Dhritarashtra gives them some of their kingdom
• Draupadi is all 5 brothers' wive, this is dangerous because it is hard to share
• Arjuna breaks the rules with Draupadi and gets exiled where he marries 2 more women
• Yudhistira is crowned king of Indraprastha (Pandavas' kingdom
• Duryodhana goes to visit and is jealous of the magnificent town and assembly hall
• Duryodhana is fooled by illusions in the assembly hall where all the Pandavas laugh at him including Draupadi --> not good
• Duryodhana's dad, Dhritarashtra, agrees to build a grander assembly hall
• Duryodhana plans a game of dice to fool Yudhistira into gambling away all of his money since he is no good
• Yudhistira plays into his trap even gambling away Draupadi
• Bhima promises revenge
• Dhritarashtra gives Draupadi a wish and she sets Yudhistira free then with the second wish sets the rest of the brother free
• Dhritarashtra gives back all of their possessions and sends them home
• Duryodhana urges them to come back 
• Yudhistira gambles again and loses winning him and his brothers 13 years and exile and 1 in diguise
• Yudhistira and his follows feed off of a copper bowl he gets from the Sun God
• Duryodhana urges to go seek war on the Pandavas
• The Pandavas are warned by Vyasa and Yudhistira is given a mantra
• Yudhistira teaches Arjuna the mantra
• Arjuna uses the mantra to visits the gods and get weapons to prepare for the battle
• Arjuna gets a great weapon from Indra and spends time in his city
• Once denying a women in the heaven city, the woman curses Arjuna and he is turned into a eunich
• Arjuna returns to the Pandavas after 5 years and show them the weapons he has collected

Reading Diary A: Pandava

• Shantanu meets Hestinapura
• Before marriage Hestinapura makes Shantanu promise to allow her to do whatever she wants (beautiful to let her do what she does to his kids)
• She has 8 child and drowns them all except the last one
• Hestinapura explains to Shantanu her behavior (The God Vasus)
• The last one is taken with Ganga to heaven and later returned, Davavratha 
• Davavratha is Bhishma
• Bhishma swears to celibacy and renounces his throne so his father, Shantanu can remarry
• Shantanu has 2 more sons and dies quickly
• Bhishma is king until the 2 young sons are old enough to rule
• Bhishma wins 3 wives for Vichitravirya
• Only 2 stays
• But the 3rd is rejected by her king
• Vichitravirya died without kids
• Bhishma can't break his celibacy
• The 2 wives have kids with Vyasa
• But he is so hideous they close their eyes and turn colors causing their kids to come out in the same condition
• Their maid likes him and she and Vyasa have a normal child

(Image Source: Yudhistia  by Tropenmuseum)

Reading Diary B: Rama returns to Ayodhya

I like how this version actually tells of Rama's life after he returns home to Ayodhya.

In the other version the entire book the reader is hoping he will return home and when he finally does that is where the story ends. It leaves the reader dying for what happened next. I enjoyed this version better.

I can't believe after the journey Rama took to save Sita he allows a little gossip of peasants to get in the way of his relationship with his beloved Sita. It is astonishing that he abandons her. As a woman, of course I love that fact that someone rescues her and returns the precious princess to her father to take of her. She deserves to live as royalty as she is so pure and priceless after all. 

I also find it funny that Rama thinks he should have a festival and has the audacity to go to Janka to invite Sita's family. I am glad he saw her there.

Although Narayan leaves his book after Rama returns home to Ayodhya, I can understand why. In his version, I was left absolutely loving Rama, but in Buck's version the end makes me feel differently about Rama. I spent the entire book routing for him, and then he abandons Sita. It shows even the best of us let the opinions of others into our heads. It is surprising how influential a couple of little words can have on all of us. This speaks volumes to the situations going on in my life right now.

(Image Source: Rama returns to Ayodhya)

Reading Diary A: Ravana and Rama fight

I like how much more detail is provided in Buck's version of The Ramayana.

I feel like I can really visualize the battle at a deeper level.

It was different how the demons fought at night in this version

I liked how Indra sends Rama his chariot because even though he hasn't been the nicest character he wants Ravana dead. Especially since his son had defeated him, and Lakshmana has already taken him out.

It is interesting in the middle of battle Rama hears Sita, and it gives him enhanced strength to fight on.

Rama and Ravana exchanged thousands of arrows when finally Ravana charged at Rama with mace. It took out his chariot.

Monetheless the fight went on and as sunrise came, Rama had killed Ravana by sending an arrow right through his heart.

It is unbelievable that Rama beat Ravana without his chariot.

(Image Source: Rama in battle by Monro W. D.)

  

Reading Diary B: Lakshmana kills Indrajit

Thunder-Tooth and Lightening-Tongue

• Thunder- Tooth creates an illusion of Rama's bow
• Lightening- Tongue creates an illusion of Rama's head
• Ravana takes the illusions to Sita to show her that Rama is dead in an attempt to get her to give into him (get in his bed)
• However, Sita knows Rama well and the illusions were not an accurate enough depiction of Rama to fool her
• Oblivious to what is going on, Prahasta the General, barges in and announces Rama's arrival to Lanka on the bridge Nala had created
• Trijata (girl), a demon that grows compassionate of Sita, begins spying on Ravana and informing Sita about what is going on with the war between Rama and Ravana

Kumbhakarna

• Ravana wakes up Kumbhakarna, Ravana's brother who sleeps 6 months for every one day he is awake, in order to get him to kill Rama for him
• Kumbhakarna urges Ravana to simply give Sita back
• Ravana still disagrees
• Kumbhakarna goes to fight Rama but Rama slices every limb one by one with his powerful arrows
• Kumbhakarna doesn't give up easily however
• Rama, finally, cuts his head off with an arrow

Indrajit's first attack

• Indrajit comes to attack Rama with his invisible tiger- drawn chariot
• Indrajit is launching thousands of arrows and succeeds in killing Lakshmana and Rama
• However, Indrajit only injured Jambavan,Vibhishana, and Hanuman, the monkey with eternal life
• Vibhishana finds Hanuman and Jambavan  just greatly injured and Jambavan asks desperately if Hanuman was still alive. This irritated Vibhishana
• However, Jambavan tells Hanuman to go to the medicine and bring back the plants which will bring Rama back to life

The Medicine Hill

• Hanuman goes to the medicine and is overwhelmed by all the medical herbs' glow
• Hanuman brings the whole mountain to the battlefield
• Because he jumped with the hill, the herbs heated up and all the allies including Rama were restored
• Rama feels terrible for the events and wishes Sugriva would take everyone home
• But all the monkeys and bears remain

Lakshmana kills Indrajit

• As Rama is still alive, Ravana asks Indrajit to kill him again
• Indrajit tells his dad that Dharma is on Rama's side but agrees to help Ravana again
• As Indrajit's invisible chariot was destroyed in his first battle, Indrajit uses illusions to kill a fake Sita in front of Hanuman
• Vibhishana pleads that it is only another one of his illusions
• Vibhishana uses his powers to reveal Indrajit in his invisble mediation place
• Lakshmana attacks Indrajit and gets into a one on one battle with him
• Lakshmana kills Indrajit!
• Ravana is devastated and question why he should live on without his son
• Ravana decides to go to war, he has nothing left to lose
• Kumbhakarna, his younger brother, Indrajit, his son, are dead and he has sent Vibhishana, his older brother, away and accused him of treason

 

(Image Source: Lakshmana and Indrajit by Fazl)

Reading Diary A: Hanuman as a cat

Rakshasi Sinhika

• In the sea lived a whale and as Hanuman was flying to Lanka he swallowed him
• Sinhika grabbed him by his shadow
• Hanuman warned him not to eat him but he did anyways
• Hanuman punctured his heart with his claws and escaped through his ear
• I think that this could offer an interesting story for my story retelling assignment because I could elaborate what happened inside the whale with Hanuman.
• Also, I could elaborate how intrigued Sinhika was

Hanuman as a cat

• In order to enter Lanka, Hanuman decides to transform into a cat as a cat can innocently wander anywhere he wishes
• But when Hanuman is about to jump Lanka's wall, a creature tells him not to do it
• The creature is Lanka and he kicks Hanuman and knocks him over
• Hanuman punches him and makes it into the city
• I think this would be an interesting story to retell because I love cats and animal characters
• I could really elaborate on the struggle between Lanka and Hanuman, cat fight!

  Hanuman causing mischief

• Before Hanuman leaves Lanka after visting Sita, he decides to leave Sita a sign of good faith by wrecking havoc in Lanka.
• Hanuman grows to be giant and pounces through town destroying everything
• Even destroys the statue of the goddess Lanka
• Hanuman kills the royal bodyguard
• Also, Jambumali, son of the demon General Prahasta, dies due to trying to kill Hanuman which winds up falling on himself
• This could be a great story retelling by putting my own details of the events that Hanuman did in Lanka.
• I enjoyed this because Sita had begun to doubt Rama's arrival when Hanuman arrives to cheer her up. She is going to be saved.

  (Image Source: Hanuman slaying demons)

Week 5 Reading Diary B: Hanuman

The Abduction of Sita

• Sita naively welcomes Ravana disguised as an old man
• Ravana can barely contain himself and reveals himself shortly
• Sita played right into his trap --> Mirachi drawing Rama away and dying while pretending to be Rama in danger
• Ravana takes Sita against her will --> in his own arms in this version
• Sita sees Hanuman and Surgiva in this version and leaves them clue to give to Rama when he comes looking
• She drops a jewlery trail
• She tells the forest by her home to tell Rama what happened to her but when Rama asks they are too scared to give up Ravana

Sita in Lanka

• Indra comes to consolidate Sita
• Tells Sita that Ravana can't force himself on women that are not wanting or his head will explode -> cursed by Nalakubara
• Sita is the first women since Rambha to not give into Ravana's charm

Savari

• An old wife of a dead sage lives until she can see Rama and tell him what to do and where Sita is
• Savari is the director of Rama to Hanuman --> Hanuman is to serve Rama as his Lord (fiercely loyal)

Hanuman

• Abandoned as a baby and hungry, he reached for the sun thinking it was a mango 
• He later thought Rahu was a mango and was trying to take bites out of it making him angry
•  Hanuman also thought Indra was a mango and tried to take a bite out of him when he slammed him to the ground injurying him
• The wind god quit blowing to take care of his abandoned son --> Indra gave Hanuman eternal life
• The expedition:
• Rama gives Hanuman a symbol of his search to give to Sita when he finds her --> ring Sita's dad gave her after they married
• Swayampraha is the caretaker of an illusion world where the expedition to the south (Lanka) gets delayed
• Angada refuses to return a failure and prepares to die while Hanuman and Jambavan, bear king, ponder new plans

Image Source: Hanuman's heart by Palagiri

Reading Diary A: Ravana prepares for Rama

Bhrata Returns

• Bharata returns to Ayodhya to find his father, Dasharhata, is dead due to not being able to bare the separation of him and Rama
• The town is a dark and gloomy place (extremely unpleasant)
• Bharata is vengeful towards his mother, Kaikeyi, since she demanded this, but the priest convinces him to forgive her.
• Dasharhata is cremated so the town can quit mourning
• But! Bharata doesn't take the crown --> he takes the whole town into the forest in search of Rama 
• King Guha, forest king, blesses their journey in the forest
• Sage Bhradwaja blesses Kaikeyi for what she has done and convinces Bharata that what she did was "fate"
• Bharata embraces his mother --> Kaikeyi feeling of guilt for "killing" the king is relieved
• After a glorious day in Bhradwaja's hermitage created by the architecture god --> they head to Rama at Chikrakuta

The Sandals

• Rama is stunned but pleased to see Bharata in the woods
• Bharata breaks the bad news to Rama about Dasharhata's death
• Rama convinces Bharata to take the thrown until he returns so that he can uphold his father's honor even in his absence
• Bharata sets up the thrown just outside of Ayodhya and places Rama's sandals on top to symbolize the temporary reign
• Bharata promises to walk into fire and die if Rama is one day late back from his 14 year exile
• Rama visits Atri where he learns of the story about a lake, Mandakarni was able to breath and make the lake grow larger and when Vishnu (Rama as a god) realized he was going to drown earth he granted him everlasting life under the lake with his 5 beautiful wives
• When they celebrated you could hear the sound of it from above the lake
• Anasuya befriends Sita and gives her jewelry to give her beauty and strength to make it through this exile in the forest

Dandaka Forest

• In the 14th summer Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita enter the Dandaka Forest
• Agastya lowered the mountain so people could get into the forest for a god that never returned
• He also stopped 2 demons, Vatapi and Ilwala 
• Vatapi was human form and spoke the language. He would trick people into coming to have a feast at his modest cottage on the Vindhya hill (Agastya's)
• The meal would actually be a ram which was Ilwala. Once Ilwala was eaten Vatapi would say "Come out" and Ilwala would bust out of the men's stomachs and the 2 demons would eat and drink their bodies and blood (killed thousands)
• Agasya gave a better bow he had found that he thought had fallen out of the heaven's for him in exchange for his old one
• Dandaka is Ravana's domain and Khara, his brother, runs the army
• Once entering the Dandaka forest Rama decides to assist the tiny Valakhilya with destroying the rakshasas because Indra scorned them for their size already
• The trick Kadru used to make Vinata a slave was by places her thousands of children in the horses tail making it appear to not be pure white --> it was though
• Vinata become Kadru's slave but Gadru, the bird king, ransomed her by stealing Indra's amrita right out of his palace by disguising himself several times
• Indra was impressed by his abilities hence giving him the title king of birds
• Once Guadru got his mother free he helped distract Kadru so Indra could get his amrita, immorality, by telling them to bath before tasting it
• Tumburu wanted Rama to violently kill him so he could be released
• Tumburu was the music god so once he was killed he was released from his demon body and began playing instruments
• Tumburu returned to heaven with his girl
• Shurpanka sees Rama and desires him
• Rama says he is happily married and Shurpanka becomes angry and tries to attack Sita
• Lakshmana intervenes and chops off her nose and ears
• Shurpanka runs to Khara and Khara rallies the army to attack these mortals for what they have done
• Rama destroys the large army and Khara alone
• Shurpanka in fear arrives to tell Ravana of what Rama has done
• AND Ravana prepares to deceive Rama as he cannot simply allow this man to live happily in his kingdom especially after what he has done to Shurpanka, his sister
• He goes to visit Maricha whom Rama has already bowed in the heart in his youth

  

Image Source: Garuda by Tropenmuseum

Week 4 Reading Diary B: Betrayal

The Two Wishes

• Rama to be King
• Kaikeyi is at first excited by this but later Manthara scares her of the idea claiming Kaikeyi will become a slave to Kauslaya
• Kaikeyi uses her two promises from long ago against the King
• Rama exiled to the forest for 14 years and Bhrata king of Ayodhya
• Rama is obedient and makes sure his father stay true to his word even though Dasharhata doesn't want to go through with it
• Sumantra tries to convince Dasharhata to relent his command but Dasharhata cannot and Rama won't let him
• Sumantra charioteers Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana out of the city
• The Kosala's follow Rama out of town trying to stop him

Lord of the Wild Trees

• Guha rejects Shiva's statue by kicking it everyday
• Upon Guha's death, Shiva rescues him from Yama --> Shiva considers Guha a "loyal follower" even though his intentions were to dishonor him
• Dasharhata almost teaches Kaikeyi the animal language which would explode his heart --> cause his death
• Kaikeyi has been conniving undercover for a while now
• Dasharhata deters this attempt for now
• Sumantra returns to Ayodhya leaving Rama and others alone where they find shelter in Chikrahuta --> deceived, this place is not peaceful
• Upon Sumantra's arrival with the news of Rama going further into the forest, Dasharhata remembers why this is happening: Karma
• Dasharhata had killed a young boy of blind parents by accident in earlier years and the parents told him he would get what he gave them in return by he gave them the peace of death as well
• Dasharata dies in his sleep that night 

(Rama leaving for exile Wikimedia)

  

Week 4 Reading Diary A: The history of Ravana

Born as a Man:

• Valmiki is telling the story (poet)
• Buck's tale begins by Rama exiled Sita because of gossip and then reverts backwards to tell the story of Ravana vs. Rama.
• Sita is sad and pregnant with Rama's twins when Valmiki is called upon to teach Rama's sons, Kusha and Lava, about their dad.
• Valmiki begins the story by telling them that Dasaratha had lived 6,000 years and was never blessed with any children, so he performed a sacrifice to get their dad and uncles.
• Meanwhile, the God's have created a monster, Ravana and go to Vishnu for help.
• Vishnu is reincarnated as Rama--> Dasaratha's first son
• Vishwamitra arrives at Ayodha when their dad was 16 asking for Rama's help with the rakshasas --> Ravana's race
• Vishwamitra describes the creation of the rakshasas and later the creation of Ravana  

The Thorn in the World's side:

• Ravana and his 2 brothers and sister are born
• Ravana obtains his powers by "torchering" the gods but forgets to protect himself from mortals
• Ravana obtains Lanka for rakshasas
• Ravana kills a messenger sent by his dad, Vaishravana
• Ravana forces Manibhadra and Indra to surrender
• Indra cursed Ravana 
• Ravana is captured by Shiva but later released because of his beautiful singing
•  Haihaya people did not surrender and their king almost beat him
• Ravana's grandfather rescued him, Pulastya
• Ravana took all of the gods who had surrendered to Lanka as servants (Yama: God of Death, Vasuki and Varuna, Surya: sun, Chandra: moon, Indra)
• Ravana's son actually captured Indra while Indrani and Chitratha: beautiful singer, were saved
• Vishwamitra asks for Rama to come train in the forest for his destined fight against Ravana (Lakshamana accompanies them as well)
• Subahu is conquers during this journey but Maricha is only bowed in the heart and lives

Taste This Water

• While Rama is traveling in the forest he restores Ahlaya to her former beauty
• Ahlaya was given all the beauties in the beginning and married Guatama
• Indra wanted her for himself so he disguised himself as Guatama and made love to her. However, Ahlaya wasn't fooled by the disguise and still allowed it to happen
• While Indra was leaving Guatama saw him --> he punished Ahlaya by passing out all of her beauty to other women and leaving her invisible
• Rama was the only one that could release her from this curse
• Once he did Guatama came back for her 
• In Mithila, Rama breaks Shiva's bow in half winning him Sita as his wife
• Sita and Rama are soulmates (reincarnated Gods that were married)
• In doing this, Rama also won his three brothers King Janaka's other daughters as their wives as well
• King Janaka sent for King Dasarhata and they had an extravagant event
• Rama, Sita, and the other couples returned home to Ayodha where Rama grows close to King Dasarhata -> learning King traits

(Ahlaya bowing to Rama after he frees her from her invisible curse

photographed by Govardhan Wikimedia)

Reading Diary B for Week 3: Rama battles Ravana

Across the Ocean

• Rama accepts Vibishana, Ravana's brother, despite that opinion of many army men: "one who seeks aslyum must be given protection" (displays his grand character again)
• Hanuman reminds Rama that Vibishana was the one who spared his life as the messanger to Ravana (shows Vibishana's pure intentions)
• Makes a bridge to Lanka --> arrival!

The Siege of Lanka

• The monkeys dominated the Lanka army (asuras)
• Rama embarrasses Ravana at first encounter and allows him to return with more weapons
• Rama kills Kumbakarna, Ravana's brother
• Lakshmana kills Indrajit, Ravana's son

Rama and Ravana in Battle

• Ravana sent all of his powerful weapons at Rama, but Rama conquered them all
• Rama sent the Brhmasthra through his heart
• When Ravana went faint, Rama suspended the fight and waite until he was restored to fighting condition (fair warfare)
• Rama feared he had killed him in the back because he was retreating (wants to conquer with grace/ not be unfair) p.147

Interlude

• Gets Sita back, but Sita has to prove her purity in front of Rama and the crowd
• Sita jumps into the fire, and the fire god grabbed her which proved her innocence and Rama accepted her back

Coronation

• Dasaratha returns from the heavens with a light heart from Rama's achievements --> Rama wishes for him to forgive Bharata and Kaikeyi (wow!). He grants Rama's wish and returns to the heavens
• Rama travels to return to his kingdom, showing Sita his travels
• Bharata was going to kill himself if Rama was late --> only promised him 14 years
• Rama welcomed back into his kingdom by even Kaikeyi

Epiloge

• Rama is crowned
• Sita is placed beside him
• Hanuman kneels at his feet and obediently serves/worships him as he was called to do by his father (always near/ loves Rama)
• Lakshmana one step behind them (devoted and watchful)

(Rama in battle photographed by Evelyn Paul

Wikimedia)

Week 3 Reading Diary A: Vali -- Ravana in Council

Vali

• Sugreeva's Story
• Vali is king of Kiskinda (humanized monkeys)
• Surgreeva is Vali's younger brother (both monkeys and the sons of the sun god)
• Rama crosses Surgreeva and Hanuman (his helper) path while in search of Sita
• Vali is the most powerful of all, but he used it for protection of his "monkeys"
• Vai gains half his opponent's power when he fights and destroys them
• Mayavi, a demon, challenges Vali --> second guesses his challenge and runs away to the edge of the world
• Vali chases him and is away for a long time
• Surgreeva is forced into king by his consellors
• The consellors close off the entrance in fear Vali has been defeated and Mayavi will return to destroy Surgreeva
• Vali returns in rage because he thinks Surgreeva tried to keep him out so he could rule
• Surgreeva retreats to Mount Meru for protection as Vali is cursed by Sage Matanga (demon) and cannot be on that mountain (will destroy him)
• Rama pities Surgreeva and offers his assistance --> great character 
• Surgreeva knows Rama is Vishnu as he feels drawn to remain with him
• Rama proves his talents --> impressive
• Dundubi's Story
• Dundubi was a demon that wanted to use the most powerful of all gift for evil by fighting all the time
• Shiva told him he would have to defeat Vali in order for his wish to be granted
• Dundubi and Vali fight for 1 year
• Vali finally wins by ripping Dundubi's horns off, gorging him, and tossing them --> which happened to land on Mount Meru where Sage Matanga was performing  sacred rites
• Hence --> Vali is not allowed on Mount Meru because the Sage cursed him and will be annihilated if he goes there
• Surgreeva tells Rama he knows where Sita is
• Surgreeva and Rama devise a scheme to get her back and the first task is to kill Vali
• When Surgreeva challenges Vali, Vali's wife, Tara, (whom he stole from Surgreeva) warns him of Rama's aid
• Vali feels invincible and fights Surgreeva until almost death when Rama strikes him with his bow
• Vali doesn't understand why Rama (known as the Lord of justice) would do this
• Vali and Rama explain their sides and Vali takes pride in Rama treating him as a human (higher then a monkey)
• Vali made Hanuman Rama's servant
• It was interesting on pg 103, "it was through your steadfast meditation and prayer to Shiva that you were endowed with strength superior to even the 5 elements." --> dedicated meditation to a God is what got people these mystical powers 

When the Rain Cease

• Surgreeva is crowned king of Kiskinda
• Rama waits out the rainy season in the forest while Surgreeva is living in luxury in his new kingdom (drunk off wine the entire time)
• Surgreeva is late to round an army
• Lakshmana goes to Kiskanda in rage and brings back Surgreeva who promises that the army is coming
• -->Surgreeva's palace was frightened by his mood so at first tried to protect Surgreeva
• The army arrives and Hanuman and a selected army travel south which is the direction Surgreeva saw Ravana take Sita
• Rama describes Sita and Hanuman has 1 month to find her and return
• The army goes searches high and low and even assists a goddess in breaking out of an underground exile to return to her heaven
• The army is about to give up and take their lives when they speak of Jatayu which causes Sampathi to arrive (brother of Jatayu)
• Sampathi is injured and needs someone to say Rama's name so that his wings will grow back and the army preaches Rama's name
• Sampathi becomes the ruler of his kind and points the army in the direction of Lanka, where he saw Ravana take Sita (p119-120)
• Hanuman grows into a massive creature and takes one step to cross the water to Lanka --> shrinks him smaler once arrives

Momento From Rama

• Hanuman arrives at Lanka and has to search through many women and castles to find Sita
• Hanuman was almost mistaken with one beauty who was living in luxury and began to get mad (Sita was actually living in terrible conditions as well and being visited by the harsh Ravana to make her his first mistress) 
• But he paid close attention to the details Rama gave to him about Sita
• When he found Sita she was being held captive and guarded, Hanuman stops her from hanging herself (Sita remains pure!)
• Sita sends hope (momento necklace she saved in return to his ring)
• Hanuman destroys parts of Lanka by stepping on buildings to make his presence known to get captured so he can tell Ravana of Rama's arrival
• Ravana wants to kill Hanuman but is spared because he is reminded by Vibishana that it is wrong to kill the messanger (demons? who cares if it's wrong?)
• As leaving, burns Ravana to the ground but ensuring Sita's safety

Ravana in Council

• The architect Maya rebuilds Lanka's capital and Ravana is in awe, but remembers his capital was destroyed by a monkey
• The commander in chief of his army points out that he has stolen a man's wife and kept her against her will and he thinks the gods are repaying him (release Sita)
• Kumbakarna and his army decide to attack Rama, Lakshmana, and the monkeys
• Ravana's son Indrajit offers to take Rama and Lakshmana out for him
• Ravana's younger brother Vibishana warns Ravana that he hasn't asked the gods for protection from humans or monkeys and Ravana vanishes him because he thinks he is a trader (Ravana realizes Vibishana is the one that told him to spare the monkey) 
• Vibishana joins Rama and Ravana plans to attack

Hanuman in India photographed by Puja1984

Wikimedia

Week 2: Reading Diary B: Exiled

Encounters In Exile

• Rama moved further into the woods 
• Lakshmana built a beautiful hand made home
• A creature appeared to Rama, Soorpanaka. She says she has repented her demon ways
• She was a human form of Ravana's sister, the demon Rama was reincarnated to kill
• Soorpanaka is infatuated by Rama's looks the same way Sita was, and tries to use her beauty to trick Rama into marrying her
• Soorpanaka sees Sita and creates a plan to get rid of her
• Lakshmana chops her up, but Soorpanaka tries to convince Rama to marry her still with threats
• Soorpanaka sends attacks and get step brother Kara killed
• Soorpanaka goes for Ravana
• It is interesting to me that Rama knows his purpose in this life and doesn't let Soorpanaka's beauty persuade him
• Soorpanaka doesn't understand that her threats of sending Ravana his way is exactly what Rama wants
• If Rama had made any of the wrong moves by listening to his temptations his purpose for incarnation would have been ruined (obedient)

The Grand Tormentor

• Ravana is "king of kings" (demon) makes lots of God's his servants
• Soorpanaka convinced her brother, Ravana, to steal Sita from Rama due to her beauty
• This plan was created so she could win over Rama not for the good intentions of her brother's happiness
• Instead of facing Rama, Ravana tricked Sita by showing her  a golden deer she wanted and Rama wanted to give it to his wife so it drew him away from his wife
• The deer was Ravana's uncle, Mareecha
• Mareecha knows he is going to do. He is making a sacrifice for his nephew. I think he wants out of his demon life and wishes he could return a new "man"
• Rama got pulled far away from his cottage before he realized it was a trick and killed the deer
• When Mareecha died he shouted Lakshmana's and Sita's name to trick them into believing Rama was hurt
• Sita was fooled and this drew away Lakshmana
• Ravana swooped in once Sita was finally alone 
• Jatayu tried to stop Ravana, but he can't be stopped by any God's or demons. Only humans and monkeys --> Jatayu dies (eagle)  
• Everyone keeps warning Ravana about Rama, but he tries to act big and bad. However, he wont face him
• I thought it was interesting that Ravana knew Sita was being taken not by her will, and he had to take land with her just to obtain her
• Rama still hasn't encountered Ravana --> chicken

(Sita and golden deer photographed by Evelyn Paul

Amazed She Saw the Magic Deer)