Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part C

The stories in the Part C reading of the Ramayana continued to show the heroics of Rama, and how he made acquaintances with some new characters to help get Sita back from Ravana. In the story of Sugriva and Hanuman, Rama seeks refuge from his exile and inadvertently meets a man in the same situation as him. Sugriva was run out of his own kingdom by his prideful brother who also took his wife as well. Rama saw the injustice in the details of this story, and sought to right the situation by helping Sugriva win back his kingdom and wife. Vali, Sugriva's brother, is very angry at the challange, and not heeding the wise words of his wife Tara, charged quickly into battle. In a strange twist where Rama shoots Vali in the back, Vali was defeated and Sugriva was returned to the throne.

Sugriva then agrees to return the favor by helping Rama. He sets up search parties to find Sita, and they are lead by the brother of Jatayu, Sampati, in the right direction towards Ravana's island kingdom of Lanka. Hanuman agrees to make the jump first to confirm that Sita is indeed in Lanka, and makes a very large bound to the island. After a long search, he finds her lamenting in a grove, guarded by and rakshas (demons). (this cluster of stories may be interesting to look into if I decide explore rakashas). He witnesses Ravana attempting to persuade Sita into marrying him instead of staying with Rama, and threaten her by death after two months time if she doesn't agree. After Hanuman reports faithfully back to Rama, Rama decided to send their armies there, but with all of his accomplishments, he fears the rakshasas magic. Meanwhile, in Ravana's court, the demons rally for battle. But Vibhishana, Ravana's younger brother, advises against going to war, warning much in the sama way Tara did of Rama's righteous ways.
Ravana (top) and Hanuman (bottom) in Ashoka Grove with Sita


Through this whole section of reading, I saw an overarching theme of various characters like Vibhishana and Tara acknowledging that those who fight for righteousness will undoubtly come out the winner in the end.

Bibliography:
"Sugriva and Hanuman" by Geraldine Hodgson, from Rama and the Monkeys. Web source
"Hanuman's Leap" by Sister Nivedita, from Myths of the Hindus snd Buddhists. Web source
"The March on Lanka" by Sister Nivedita, from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists. Web source

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