Week 2 Reading Diary A: Ramayana (PDE)

PDE Ramayana Reading Part A:

(Image of Rama)

1. King Dasharata

• Survansha is a mythological dynasty. (In other words, fiction akin to fantasy!)

2. Dasharata's Sons

• Sages and saints are called rishi.
• The Gods: Shiva and Vishnu.

3. Rama: Avatar of Vishnu

• Rama is an avatar of Vishnu, so he is a descendant of the God Vishnu.

4. Vishvamitra

• Rakshasas are demons.

5. Thataka

• Rakshasi is a female demon.
• Supernatural weapons that talk to their user. 

6. Bhagiratha and Ganga

• Goddess Ganga.
• Ganga supposedly still lives on Sagar Island. The idea of a goddess living on an island is really cool.

7. The Ahlaya

• Rhyme scheme, poetic, lyrical

8. Sita

• Tournament
• Bathing in a river
• A beautiful garden with a lake
• Boy hears jewelry and knows a girl is coming
• Love at first sight

9. King Janaka

• Reminds me of Arthurian legend and lore, winning a women in a tournament with a favor. In this case it is a fairly impossible feat.
• Also reminiscent of King Arthur and pulling the sword from the stone.

10. Rama Wins Sita

• The earth shaking from a weapon
• Monarchies and authority figures falling
• The hero gets the princess' hand in marriage

11. Parashurama

• Tall bull-like man with an ax, reminds me of a Minotaur.
• Weapons of Gods 

12. Rama and Sita's Wedding

• Three weddings?
• The alter is on fire during the ceremony.
• A reign of flowers descended from the sky, and soft celestial music plays. 

13. Rama the Heir Apparent

•   Should be King because: virtues and great ability with bow.

14. Manthara and Kaikeyi

• Manthara sounds like Morigan or Modred. Again, reminds me of Arthurian legend and lore.
• Jealous of the heir.
• A possible usurping.  
• "Exalt my son and send Rama to exile."
• Boons! Yet another thing from Arthurian legend and lore.

15. Kaikeyi and Dasharath

16. Rama is Banished

• Accepting one's bad fate peacefully.

17. Rama Goes into Exile

• Going to a jungle in an exile. 
• Perils of the jungle: Wild beasts reptiles, food hard to find, and shelter hard to find.
• Goes to exile with his true love and his brother. 
• Rejecting help. Goes to jungle with meager supplies.
• Wearing bark as clothing.

18. Crossing the River

• The brother, wife, and then husband. (Walking in that order)
• Sleeping under a banyon tree.  

19. Dasharatha's Karma

• Child is dead, so the parent wants to die as well.
• Dasharatha's parents set funeral pyre for him, and the parents jumped into it.

20. Dasharatha's Death

• Dasharatha's death pays for his sins. 
• Speaking in rhymes, poetic, lyrical. I like prose that has some of this mixed into it.
• Dasharata is aware of his death, and describes the process. It seems more peaceful than painful.  But near the end of it it gets more sorrowful and full of grief.