Week 13 Reading A: Ramayana C

Rama and Lakshmana go and meet Hanuman.  They befriend each other, and go to Sugriva.  Sugriva explains that he and his brother, Vali, quarreled.  Sugriva was to guard a hole while Vali fought, however, Sugriva believed Vali had perished, so he filled the whole.  Vali believed that Sugriva buried the hole in order to possess the kingdom.  So Vali took away Sugriva's wife.  Sugriva and Vali battled, and Rama shoots Vali.  After Sugriva became king, he didn't do anything for a long time.  Rama sent Lakshmana to threaten him, and Sugriva sent four armies to search for Sita.  One of the armies goes south and meets Jatayu's brother, Sampati.  Sampati reveals that Ravana took Sita to Lanka.  Hanuman goes to Lanka and finds Ravana's apartment.  He finds his wives but can't seem to find Sita.  He goes to the Ashoka grove and finds Sita.  Many rakshas guard her.  Ravana wakes and goes to Ashoka grove and attempts to persuade Sita to be his wife.  Aksha comes and battles Hanuman but loses.  Then, Indrajit comes but Hanuman loses and gets captured.  Ravana decides to punish Hanuman by setting his tail on fire.  Sita prays to the fire and it ends up burning Lanka.  Hanuman returns to Sugriva, and the army marches to Lanka.

Hanuman, the monkey who is king and companion to Rama

Extra Credit Reading: Ramayana B

Messengers come to Bharata to inform him that his father, Dasharatha has died. He learns that Rama has been exiled and plans to bring him back.  Bharata performs funeral rituals for his father after Vashishtha comes to him.  Bharata meets Rama in the jungle but Rama can't come back.  Bharata places Rama's sandals on the throne and stays in the jungle.  A rakshasa, Viradha, takes Sita from Rama.  Rama and Lakshmana tries to shoot arrows at Viradha but the arrows fail to work against him.  They finally beat him but cannot kill him since he seems to be immortal.  They then cast him into a pit.  They go further and meet a sage, Agastya.  Rama receives weapons from Agastya.  Rama meets a rakshasa, Shurpanakha, the sister of Ravana.  She falls in love with Rama.  Since Rama is already married, he suggests that she attempt to seduce Lakshmana instead.  Shurpanakha attacks Sita, but Rama and Lakshmana fend against her attempt.  A demon army is formed to fight against Rama.  Shurpanakha goes to Ravana and tells him of the events that have occurred concerning Rama.  Ravana goes to meet with Maricha.  They plan to take Sita away from Rama.  Maricha turns into a golden deer and encaptures Sita.  Sita has Rama to go get the deer.  Rama chases after the Maricha and shoots it with an arrow.  Maricha disguises his voice as Rama's and yells for Sita and Lakshmana.  Sita thinks that Rama is in trouble, but Lakshmana disagrees.  Finally consenting, Lakshmana goes to look for Rama.  Now alone, Ravana turns into a sage and goes to Sita.  He offers for her to be his queen.  Sita rejects him and shows her loyalty to Rama.  Rama transforms to a demon with many heads and arms and takes Sita.  A vulture, Jatayu, tries to save Sita and battles with Ravana.  Ravana defeats Jatayu, and takes away Sita again.  In Ravana's palace, Ravana continually attempts to seduce Sita.  Rama and Lakshmana return to find Sita missing.  They wander the jungle until they meet the dying Jatayu.  Jatayu tells the brothers of the events that took place and finally dies and goes to heaven.  Rama and Lakshmana go south and meet a rakshasa, Kabandha.  He gives them information pertaining to Ravana and they cremate him so that he may be free from being a rakshasa. 

Rama shooting Maricha, disguised as a golden deer

(Extra Credit) Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part A

The story begins with two kings, Dasharatha and Janaka.  Dasharatha was father of Rama.  The capital was very prosperious and wealthy.  Although Dasharatha had everything, he still had no son.  Dasharatha performs a horse sacrifice to have a son.  Many brahmins (similar to a priest) witnessed the ritual.  The gods promised four sons unto Dasharatha.  Vishnu was divided and was born as each of the four sons of Dasharatha.  A rishi (enlightened person), Vishvamitra, gathered the two of sons of Dasharatha to battle against rakshasas.  They battled a rakshasa, Thataka, and Rama shot her with an arrow and killed her.  Vishwamitra chanted mantras, and Rama received celestial weapons.  Vishwamitra tells Rama of a few stories.  Rama and Lakshmana wanted to see the city, so they left Vishvamitra.  Rama meets Sita and they fall in love.  As a test, Sita's father, Janaka, has Rama bend a bow.  Rama breaks the bow and there is a loud thunder. Parashurama (Axe-Rama), tests him with another bow.  Dasharatha chooses Rama to be his heir among his sons.  Manthara, a nurse of prince Bharata (one of the sons), is unhappy at Rama's instillation.  Rama is banished and he goes to the jungle of Dandaka.  Sita and Lakshmana plead with Rama to accompany him.  Dasharatha remembers his curse due to his karma and dies.  

Parashurama, or Axe-Rama

Week 2 Reading Overview

For the Ramayana choice, I am picking the public domain version.  I'm just a big fan of open source material.

Rama: Retold from the Ramayana: This one is interesting to me because I'm a fan of summaries.  I'm not an amazing reader, so reading summaries helps me keep on track.  They just make reading easier in my opinion.

Artwork for the Rama comic

Hanuman: The Epitome of Devotion and Courage: I also like a good variety to read from.  So I would be interested in something that has an overview of Hanuman who is a follower of Rama.  It allows to me see a different view of Rama in a different story. 

Ancient Technology: Atlantis and India: It's interesting to hear about ancient technology from India.  I always hear about ancient technology from other cultures and societies, but India isn't too popular.

Sanskrit in 60 seconds: Also with this one, in High School history, you always hear random phrases and terms thrown around.  Sanskrit is one of them.  I always knew it existed, but I never knew what it exactly was and how it was important.  I didn't even know it was related to India. It's just interesting to me to further solidify knowledge that I've previously acquired and clear any misconceptions I've had in the past.