Reading Notes: Ramayana (Part B)

The plot of Part B started with Bharata’s returning to Ayodhya to find out his father’s death, mother’s betrayal, and brother’s exile. After conducting his father’s funeral, he went into the jungle to find Rama and have him un-exiled to take throne again, but Rama stubbornly declined because he wanted to fulfill his deceased father’s wishes. As he, Sita, and Lakshamana continue their exile, they face more rakshasas, defeating all of them. Shurpanakha, Ravana’s sister, falls in love with Rama and transforms her deformed figure to a beautiful woman in order to seduce Rama. However, Rama remains faithful to his wife, and jokingly tells her to go seduce Lakshamana instead. Enraged with rejection, she gathers her brothers (not Ravana) and 14,000 rakshasas kill them all. They all get defeated by Rama. Shurpanakha is mutilated, returning to her king brother, Ravana, with a request to take Sita away from Rama. Ravana takes Sita back to his kingdom by having Maricha form as a golden deer to distract Rama and Lakshamana. Jatayu, a vulture king, attempts to save Sita, but is killed in the process, and later tells the royal brothers that they must find Sugriva, a gorilla king, in order to fight Ravana. Along the way, they find Shabari, who has been waiting for their arrival for years.

            As I read this part, I thought it was interesting that there were many gandharva who were cursed to become rakshasas and Shabari’s destiny to wait in a hermitage until the arrival of Rama. I also found the development of my findings in Part A to Part B interesting. For instance, the fatal flaw of needing to please leads Rama into another predicament: trying to get the “golden deer” for his wife despite any warnings. The curses and destiny for people to meet Rama also calls for a pre-planned destiny from the gods.

Here are a few possibilities of what I could write about:

• Like in my reading note for Part A, I like the idea of a story about the gods trying to come up with details in Rama's life.
• Entries from Shabari's diary awaiting Rama.
• Sita's thoughts on constantly being the damsel in distress.
• A flasback to Shurpanakha's childhood and being rejected by everyone, which leads to the present where Rama rejects her.
• Bharata's mindset when he came back home and how to get his brother back.

Rama Chasing the Golden Deer for Sita

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition Ramayana