Reading Notes: Ramayana Part B

Reading Notes: Ramayana B

*Bharata, brother of Rama, returns to find his father is dead and his brother is in exile; his mother tells him without crying and he weeps; he vows to return Rama to the throne and never to sit there himself

*Bharata first holds a funeral for his father; he finds Rama in the Chitrakuta (a jungle) 

*The throne is also called the "raj"

*Bharata takes the Sandals of Rama(golden) to stand in his place in throne (he didn't want to go back); Bharata also will not return without his brother; he waits in the village of Nandigram 

*Rama with his brother Lakshman and wife Sita find the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya; Sita tells Anasuya about her birth where her father, Janaka, found her on the ground when working in field

*Another encounter with Rakshasas causes one, Shurpanakha to fall in love with Rama; he suggests she seduce his brother instead (duh he doesn't like her...he has a wife) 

*Rama sends his wife and brother to safety in a cave so he can battle Khara, a Rakshasa; he defeats him and his celestial weapon by using a flaming bow

*Shurpanakha goes to Lanka to tell her brother, Ravana (king of Rakshasas) about the battle (what a backstabber??) 

*Ravana wants to abduct Sita; the son of a Rakshasa (Rama killed the parent)turns into a beautiful deer to lure her; Sita falls for it and Rama leaves her alone to go find the deer

*Rama and his brother leave Sita alone in the forest and Ravana transforms into a sage to lure her

*Jatayu, a mighty bird, battles Ravana to save Sita when she is in the air with Ravana; she has been dropping a bread crumb trail of jewelry; Brahma is happy to see his plan to defeat Ravana (Through Rama) is going accordingly



*Ravana, getting the wife back to his kingdom, cannot force himself on her due to Brahma's curse; she does not agree to sleep with him willingly 

*Rama and his brother return to their home in exile and Jatayu tells them what happened to Sita

Bibliography:  M. DuttR. DuttGouldGriffithHodgsonMackenzieNiveditaOmanRichardson, and Ryder, Ramayana PDE, Ramayana

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A Painting of Jatayu and Rama
Rama and Lakshmana Making Offerings to Jatayu




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