Reading Notes: Indian Storybook, Rama's Quest Part B

The battle at Lanka. Source: Wikimedia

The Indian Storybook: Rama's Quest, by Richard Wilson

The Battle Begins:

Ravana looked out at the coming army from the ramparts of his city walls in Lanka.  He ponders his coming doom and has an idea.  The next day he goes to Sita and tells her Rama came in the night for her and was slain.  He then had one of his magicians bring her a fake head of Rama.  When Ravana leaves one of Sita's guardians tells her it was jsut a trick and not to worry about Rama because he is still alive.  While this was going on, Rama's monkey army had nearly wiped out Ravana's army.  One of the Rakshasas used magic to fly up in a chariot and rain magic arrows down on Rama and his army.  Rama and Lakshmana get injured in this attack.  Things seemed lost when the god of the wind came to their aid and gave them words of encouragement that revived them to full strength. 

Reading Notes: Indian Storybook, Rama's Quest Part A

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in the forest. Source: Wikimedia

The Indian Storybook: Rama's Quest, by Richard Wilson

Rama's Exile:

Things were going well for Rama when the King grew old and wished to give control of the kingdom over to Rama.  One of the kings wives was angry with this however and wanted her son Bharata to be chosen as king.  The old king gave into her wishes and even let her convince him to send Rama into exile for 14 years.  When it was time for him to leave Sita begged to go with him so she was sent into exile.  Lakshmana joined them as well.  They were forced to wear bark clothing and had to leave with not much of anything to bring with them.

Reading Notes: The Giant Crab and Other Tales Part B

A falcon lunging at prey. Source: Pixabay

The Giant Crab and Other Tales from Old India, by W. H. D. Rouse

The Quail and the Falcon:

There was a quail who lived on a farm and would live easily off of things the farmers plow turned up.  The quail got bored of the the food the farmer turned up and decided he would search for food in a nearby forest.  While the quail was in the forest it was spotted by a falcon who immediately swooped down and grabbed the quail with its claws.  The quail begins to cry and say the falcon would never have caught him at home.  The falcon hears this and lets the quail go at his home to prove to him that he can catch him anywhere.  The falcon charges at the quail, but the quail dodges and the falcon runs straight into a clod and kills itself.  The quail is again happy and decides that he should stick to what he knows.

Reading Notes: The Giant Crab and Other Tales Part A

A field mouse. Source: Pixabay

The Giant Crab and Other Tales From Old India by W. H. D. Rouse.

There was a mouse that had a great amount of hidden treasure in a hidden hole in a field.  The farmer who owned the land the mouse lived on would be nice to the mouse and give him cheese sometimes even though he didn't know about the treasure.  The mouse wanted to repay the farmer so every day he would give him a golden sovereign and the farmer would buy meat in town and give some to the mouse.  The mouse soon got very fat.  This attracted a lazy mouse who wanted to eat him.  The mouse agrees to give him the meat the farmer would give him and soon the mouse became thin.  The farmer asks him what is wrong and the mouse tells him his situation.  The farmer gives him an ink vile to hide in and when the mouse refused the cat the next time the cat ate the ink vile with the mouse and died.  The mouse crawled out of the vile and lived happily with the farmer the rest of the his life.

Reading Notes: Twenty Jataka Tales Part A

Picture of golden goose. Source: Wikimedia

Twenty Jataka Tales,  by Noor Inayat

The Golden Feathers:

A father wants to provide a good life for his family so he tells them he is going to go out and seek riches to make their lives more comfortable.  When he sets out he enters a forrest late at night and is confronted with a fairy, who when hearing his plan, turns him into a golden goose.  The father seeing this decides he will fly to his family every so often to give them a feather to sell.  The wife gets greedy one time and decides to pluck all of the goose's feathers.  The feathers turn to normal white feathers however because the fairy gave the goose a charm that they would do that if they were taken from him.  The goose grows back white feathers and flies to the forrest to live the rest of his life happy. 

Reading Notes: Dharma Mahabharata Part A

Bhima fighting the Nagas. Source: Wikimedia

Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time,  by Krishna Dharma

1.4, Duryodhana Begins His Evil Schemes:

Duryodhana is raised as a prince born to be king.  He is arrogant and proud and many prefer his cousins the Pandavas who were much more humble.  Duryodhana schemes with his brother to kill Bhima, one of the greater Pandavas, by poisoning him and throwing him into the ganges.  After Bhima was poisoned they all went to the river to play.  Bhima fell asleep by the river bank and was bound and thrown in. Bhima was carried to the domain of the nagas, which were fantastical giant snakes, and their poison healed Bhima.  He was brought to the snake king who gave him a drink that would permanently give him the strength of 1000 elephants.  Bhima came back to the palace stronger than ever where Duryodhana tried to poison him again to no avail. 

Reading Notes: Jataka Tales Part B

Elephant lifting logs for the carpenters. Source: Wikimedia.

The Kings White Elephant, from Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt

There were some carpenters that lived near the forrest and would go in daily by boat to harvest wood.  One day an elephant came to them limping and showed the carpenters it's swollen foot.  The carpenters saw that there was a large splinter in the foot of the elephant.  The carpenters removed the splinter and washed the foot so that it would heal.  The elephant was so grateful to the carpenters that he took it upon himself to become their helper.  He would deliver tools to them, help take down trees, and eve roll felled trees down to the river.  He had a white elephant son that he would eventually train to help the carpenters as he had.  The white elephant learned to help and enjoyed playing with the carpenters children in the river.  One day, the king walked down to the river and saw the elephant playing with the children.  He bought the elephant from the carpenters for a large fee and took care of it for the rest of its days.

Reading Notes: Jataka Tales Part A

A large ox. Source: Wikimedia.

The Ox Who Won the Forfeit, from Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt

A long time ago a man owned an ox that was so powerful that he wanted everyone to know so he made a challenge to his village and said that he would give away 1000 pieces of silver if his ox could not haul 100 wagons.  They set it up and the owner of the ox began to whip the ox and call it names.  The ox refused to move.  Stunned, the owner went home with his ox and with 1000 silver less.  He asked the ox why he didn't move the carts and the ox told him that he was too harsh and that if he was nice next time, he would do it and win the man back his silver.  The owner put a wreath of flowers around the ox and they went back to the village and completed the challenge with ease.  The townspeople apologized and gave the man his silver back.

Reading Notes: Shri Krishna of Dwarka Part B

Death of Krishna. Source: Wikimedia

Shri Krishna of Dwarka and Other Stories, by C. A. Kincaid

Chapter 13: The Passing of Krishna

Prince Samba went with some of his friends to play a joke on Vishvamitra and other mighty sages.  Samba dressed as a woman and had his friends ask the sages for a blessing of a child.  Instead, Vishvamitra tells the boys that Samba will have a mace that will destroy the Yadava race.  When Ugrasena heard the story, he ground up the mace and threw the handle and the grounds into the ocean. Someone picked up the handle later and made an arrow with it.

Troubling times started and all of the Yadava men were sent to worship at a temple.  Instead of worshipping they drank and got into a fight.  The fight resulted in all of their deaths but Krishna and Balarama.  Daruka, who had fashioned the arrow from the mace handle, thinking Krishna was a deer shoots him in the foot.  Krishna and Daruka both ascend to heaven and the Yadavas are gone. 

Reading Notes: Shri Krishna of Dwarka Part A

Krishna killing Kansa. Source: Wikimedia

Shri Krishna of Dwarka and Other Stories, by C. A. Kincaid

Chapter 4: The Manhood of Krishna

A new demon that was more powerful than any Krishna had ever faced appears in the forrest near Gokula.  He came in the form of a giant bull.  Krishna happened upon it in the forrest one day and it immediately charged him.  Krishna grabbed it by the horns and drove it back 20 paces.  The bull charged again and Krishna broke its horn off and beat it to death.  

King Kansa contemplates how to deal with his impending doom in Krishna.  He decides to invite them to the palace to kill them while they are young and not at full strength.  They are invited to a wrestling tournament and Krishna decides to attend.  At first Kansa sends an elephant after Krishna and Balarama, but it is quickly defeated.  Krishna and Balarama make quick work of Kinsa's finest wrestlers too.  Krishna finally brings down Kansa and kills him, while Balarama kills Kinsa's brother.  

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part D

Duryodhana hiding  in the lake. Source: Wikimedia

Duryodhana in the Lake, from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie.

After Karna is defeated Duryodhana's forces start to fall apart.  Kripa tells Duryodhana that he should sue for peace since his defeat is inevitable.  Duryodhana denies this request and says they must fight it out till the end.  Shayla becomes the new leader of Duryodhana's army, but they are soon after defeated, causing Duryodhana to flea with his mace.  He decides to hide at the bottom of a lake because he has the power to survive under water.  Shayla was slayed by Yudhishthira and Duryodhana's army completely fell apart.  As Duryodhana hid, all of his brothers and warriors were killed except a small few that were left.  Yudhishthira's party finds out where Duryodhana is hiding after a long while and go to the lake to confront him. Duryodhana offers to hand over the kingdom to Yudhishthira, but he cannot accept.  Yudhishthira says he can only accept such a thing that he has won in battle.  Duryodhana agrees to fight them if they will fight one by one.  Bhima is the first to face him but he breaks the rules of combat and breaks Duryodhana's knee.  Yudhishthira smacks him and scolds him for what he did.  Krishna prevents Balarama from disciplining Bhima. 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part C

Arjuna and Krishna confronting Karna on chariots. Source: Wikimedia

The Armies at Kurukshetra, from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie

The Pandavas, marching for Yudhishthira, and the Kauravas, marching for Duryodhana, are marching towards the field of battle.  Krishna returned to the aid of Yudhishthira and Duryodhana sent them a challenge.  Duryodhana boasted of how many of them had talked about how they would defeat him and his kind, but hadn't done anything close to that.  He says that he has taken everything from Yudhishthira and they had been able to do nothing but talk empty threats.  Krishna answers Duryodhana's boasting by telling him he will be embarrassed before the end.  They go back and forth a bit more and finally decide enough is enough and it's time to fight.  The armies assemble and Yudhishthira stands before them unarmed.  He gave Duryodhana's forces and ultimatum to join him before the battle.  Yuyutsu, the half brother of Duryodhana, speaks up and says he will join Yudhishthira's forces.  Yuyutsu and his men left Duryodhana with no protest and joined Yudhishthira. 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part B

Indian game of Parchisi. Source: Wikimedia

The Gambling Match, from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie.

Duryodhana is very envious of the Pandavas and all of their success and glory.  He was particularly jealous of Indraprastha's amazing palace and the splendor and glory achieved by Yudhishthira.  A prince named Shakuni, who happens to be a really good gambler with the help of some loaded dice, makes a proposition to Duryodhana to take down Yudhishthira.  Shakuni tells Duryodhana that Yudhishthira is a big gambler, but he doesn't know really how to play it.  He says he will beat Yudhishthira in a match and win his kingdom and bring him shame.  They plot to hold a gambling tournament and invite Yudhishthira and his family.  Yudhishthira is weary of the warning, but decides he cannot refuse and agrees to go to the festival.  When Yudhishthira arrived, he was challenged by Duryodhana, staking jewels and gold, but saying Shakuni would play for him. Yudhishthira thinks it is a bit weird, but accepts the challenge anyway.  Yudhishthira then began to lose everything he owned to Duryodhana.  All of his wealth, his slaves, his lands, and even himself was not his anymore.  He played one last time and bid Draupadi.  He lost and Duryodhana tells one of his servents to go retrieve her to become a slave. 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part A

Statue of the Goddess Ganga. Source: Wikimedia

King Shantanu and Ganga, by Donald A. Mackenzie

There were eight celestial beings called Vasus that were attendants of Indra. They were cast down to earth in human form by Vashishtha for blocking the sun during his holy meditations.  They went to Ganga for help and to ask if she would be there human mother and cast them into the ganges at birth so they could return to the celestial realm.  She agreed to this but made them all promise to each give one eighth of their power to her son who should remain a man for many years and will not marry or foster offspring.  King Shantanu was walking along the Ganges one day and saw Ganga in human form by the river.  He was instantly awe struck by her beauty and gaze and asker her to marry him right away.  She agreed to wed him but she made him promise to never question her decisions or speak harshly to her or else she would leave immediately.  She had children with the king and one after the other, cast 7 of them into the ganges.  The king was horrified and before she killed the eighth, he lashed out at her.  She revealed who she was and what she was doing and left him with the eighth child.  She then returned some time later to give the king a son.  The king takes the boy in and names him Devavrata. 

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues Part B

Hanuman burning Lanka from Sita Sings the Blues. source: Wikimedia

Sita Sings the Blues, by Nina Paley

Rama is informed by Sita that she is pregnant with his child.  Rama becomes worried that Sita being in his house is tarnishing his reputation and his subjects won't respect him because of her so he kicks her out.  She is taken to the forest and is supposed to be left there.  She meets a teacher there who takes her under his wing.  Sita gives birth to her two sons while living in the forest with the teacher.  The teacher teaches the boys songs praising Rama.  When visiting the forest one day Rama finds the two boys singing his praise.  He finds out who they are wants to bring them back to the palace with him.  He asks Sita to prove her purity to him again to take her back.  She asks to be taken back by mother earth if she is pure, which she is. 

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues Part A

Sita cries a river. source: Wikimedia

Sita Sings the Blues, by Nina Paley

The film intros with Lakshmi rising from the sea listening to a song that is stuck on a loop on the line "a woman like me" implying that it gives her the idea to create a woman like herself.  The narrators start the story by setting up Rama's exile at the request of Kaikeyi.  Rama argues with Sita about her going with him into the forest and she convinces him to let her go with him.  It cuts to a musical number where Sita is singing and Rama slays many Rakshasa.  The narrators then explain how Ravana kidnaps Sita and talks about how he was relatively good outside of this incident.  Ravana's sister begins to convince Ravana to make Sita his wife and to steal her from Rama.  Ravana tells one of his servants to distract Rama by taking the shape of a golden deer while Ravana captures Sita.  Rama goes after the deer and Sita is captured.  Hanuman is introduced and meets Rama to help him find Sita.  Ravana gives Sita an ultimatum to marry him in 2 months or die.  Hanuman finds Sita and relays his findings to Rama.  Rama orders Hanuman to assemble his monkey army so they can march on Lanka.  Rama rescues Sita, but has some reservations about her time in Lanka.  Sita proves her purity by a trial involving a funeral pyre and Rama is convinced to take her back.  Rama and Sita then fly back on a flying chariot. 

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part D

Sita and Rama. Source: Flickr

Sita Tested: from Myths from the Hindus and Buddhists, by Sister Nivadita.

Sita is finally returned to Rama after winning the battle with Ravana who had kept her captive for some time.  Rama is torn because he loves his wife, but she has been in the house of another man for some time and he doesn't know if he can trust that she was faithful.  To test her, Rama tells her that she should prove her purity or be cast out.  She is surprised by this, but sorrowfully commands that a funeral pyre be made so she can show the congregation that she is pure.  Lakshmana, Brahma, and the congregation of viewers are upset with this decision.  The gods themselves come down from the heavens to try and persuade Rama away from this path.  Against all of this he still proceeds with the test.  Sita walks into the fire but it does not hurt her and is returned to Rama by the god of fire.  The god pleads to Rama that she has been pure in every way, although tempted by Ravana, she did not sway.  Rama speaks to the crowd saying that Sita is cleared from her charges and that she had passed his test.  He also explains why he needed to test her so no one could question her or him. 

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part C

Hanuman watches as Lanka burns. Source: Wikimedia

The Burning of Lanka: from Myths from the Hindus and Buddhists, by Sister Nivadita.

Hanuman who is a servant of Rama is discovered as a spy in the city of Lanka as he is scouting for Rama and checking on Sita.  Hanuman's tail is set on fire as he is paraded through the streets as a spy.  Sita, seeing this, prays to the fire and Hanuman's tail becomes cool even though it is still enflamed.  Hanuman, recognizing his new predicament, capitalizes on his apparent invulnerability from the flame by breaking from his bonds and running through the streets of Lanka setting the city on fire.  Hanuman becomes worried that he may have hurt Sita in his haste to burn the city and quickly goes to the tree where she was to see if she is alright.  He discovers her there, unharmed as is instantly relieved.  He tells her that Rama is coming to take her back soon and then leaves to return to his home where he is celebrated for having found Sita and verifying that she was okay. 

Rama Attacks: from Myths from the Hindus and Buddhists, by Sister Nivadita.

Rama is getting ready to attack and Ravana begins to send spies into Rama's camp to gather intel.  They all come back telling Ravana of Rama's immense force and that he should return Sita.  Angered by this he decides to go a different route.  He tries to trick Sita into thinking that Rama was dead.  he shows her illusions of Rama's bow and severed head, which throw her into despair.  Luckily, Ravana is called to the battlefield and once he leaves, the illusion vanishes and Sita is aware of the deceit. 

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part B

Rama fighting an army of Rakshasas. Source: Wikimedia

Rama and Bharata, by Donald A. Mackenzie

After the funeral ceremony for his dead father is completed, Bharata sets out to find Rama and proclaim him king, instead of himself.  He found Rama in the forest and begged him to come home and take his place as the rightful king.  Rama refuses Bharata's offer because he does not wish to betray the command of his late father. Jabali, a counsellor to Dasharatha, tries to convince Rama to accept Bharata's offer because he is merely tring to appease gods and religious law that Jabali says to not exist.  Jabali claims that rituals and the afterlife were invented by priests to trick the populace for their own nefarious deeds and that if Rama wishes to go against his fathers command, he should and without consequence to his soul or future.  Rama refutes this suggestion and holds true to his teachings and wisdom to keep his word to his late father and his wishes for him to be exiled.  Rama will stay in the forest for the duration of his exile. 

Lakshmana and Shurpanakha, Battle with Khara, by Donald A. Mackenzie

A female Rakshasa named Shurpanakha falls in love with Rama and desires to make him her husband.  She appears to him and asks him to let her eat Sita and his brother so they can be wed and be together.  Rama rejects her proposal and laughs at her.  She gets angry and lunges at Sita.  Lakshmana, Rama's brother, leaps in front of Shurpanakha and cuts off her ears and nose.  She retreats to her brother Khara to ask for revenge.  He sends some Rakshasas to kill Rama but they are slain with celestial arrows.  This makes him angry, so he summons his brother Dushana to create an army of 14 thousand Rakshasas to defeat Rama.  Rama hears of this and tells his brother and wife to hide in a cave so he can take on the army alone.  With his celestial bow at hand, he defeats Khara and his brother's army with many arrows.

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part A

Rama breaking the bow of Shiva. Source: Wikipedia

Rama: Avatar of Vishnu, by Donald A. Mackenzie

Dasharatha had been told he would have sons, which the gods would provide.  The god's must deal with Ravana, who was impervious to them and their methods, because he was enslaving the gods and causing them problems.  Vishnu decides to take the form of mortal man to take on Ravana because he can be beaten by man or ape.  He becomes the 4 sons of Dasharatha that were promised with Rama being the most beautiful and powerful.

Rama Wins Sita, by Donald A. Mackenzie and Romesh Dutt

In an earlier story Rama met Sita in a garden when he was exploring the city and instantly fell in love.  Sita was an avatar of the goddess Lakshmi whom Vishnu was also loved, so the match was inevitable and predestined.  Sita's father, the King, decides to hold a contest to determine who is worthy of his daughter Sita.  The challenge is to bend a great bow of the god Shiva.  Many had tried and failed including many Rakshasas.  Rama, determined to win Sita, decides to take on the challenge.  To spectators amazement, Rama Strings the bow with ease and bends it back so far that it snaps in two right in the middle.  He beats the challenge with ease when others can't come close and wins Sita for himself. 

Manthara and Kaikeyi, by Donald A. Mackenzie

Upon hearing that Rama will be named the next king, Manthara, servent of the youngest wife of Dasharatha begins to plot to prevent this from happening so she will not have to serve under Rama or Sita.  She convinces Kaikeyi to call in her boons she is owed by the king to instead have Bharata, the king's youngest son, as the heir apparent instead of Rama.  Manthara hated Rama because he smote her early in his life when she did something he didn't like.