Week 9 Reading Diary B: Indraprastha is Made

I think it was interesting to see how Duryodhana reacted when he learned that his cousins were still alive. While Duryodhana was upset that they won Draupadi as their wife, Dhritarashtra was excited for the cousins that they won. He wished them a happy life.

One thing that annoyed me was how Dhritarashtra acted, it seemed like he was really bad at making decisions. I understood that he was trying to be fair between his sons and his nephews but it was annoying when he turned his nephews away for his sons.

I still think it is weird that all five of the brothers married one wife. I thought it was interesting that they were willing to exile one of the brothers if they thought about her or interrupted another brother while they were with her. I know that Narada gave them advice on how to handle this situation. I didn’t think they would actually exile someone but they did exile Arjuna when he walked in on Draupadi and Yudhishthira.

(Draupadi and Pandavas. Image Source: Wikipedia)

I think my favorite part of the book was when Duryodhana came back from visiting his cousins and he talks about how he thought they were making fun of him. I know the palace was made to be confusing, and I thought it was perfect that he would be the one to get frustrated by the tricks and illusions.

I find this book to be interesting. I feel that because the original was so long this one barely has any details. I don’t know if that is just my feelings about it. For example in the Ramayana I feel like when someone was exiled there would have been some description about it, but when Arjuna was exiled there was one line about it.

I am finding this book harder to read also, because I felt like the number of names thrown at us in the very beginning of the book was overwhelming. I am really enjoying it though.

Week 7 Reading Diary B: Back to Ayodhya

As Rama and Sita fly away on Pushpaka the chariot. On their way back to Ayodhya Rama describes to Sita all of the things he experienced while coming to find her. He tells her that he let snakes crawl all over him because he could not think of anything else but her. To me this really shows how much Sita means to Rama.

When they landed in Kishkindhya we really see how happy everyone is that Rama beat Ravana. I think this is a special moment in the book, because it truly shows that everyone was worried, but now they are excited.

It still surprised me when I read that Rama sent Sita away after hearing the rumors going around about her. It is also weird to me that it is after 10,000 years that he finally hears these rumors and decides to act on them. Pg. 192

When Lakshamana is telling Sita that Rama told him to leave her there he calls Rama a coward. This was very surprising to me, because he admires Rama very much. Pg. 194

I really liked when the book had the two boys Lava and Kusa talking to Rama. This was the first time we were really able to “hear” their voices when reading this book. I know that they were telling the stories the whole time, but we forget about that as we are reading. It was nice to see the interaction between Rama and his sons, even though they did not know that he was their father. It was also a special moment when Rama realized that they were his sons and sent Lakshmana to get Sita. Pg.407

(Lava and Kusa. Source: Wikipedia)

Week 6 Reading Diary A: Hanuman Goes to Lanka

I plan on writing my storytelling post about Hanuman as a cat in Lanka, so I focused my notes on this subject.

Hanuman turns himself into a cat so that he can easily walk around Lanka and not be noticed by people. He is immediately stopped by the Goddess Lanka who does not want to let him cross into the city. He tells her he is a monkey and then kicks her. Because of a prophecy she had heard she lets him into the city.

(Hanuman Jumps to Lanka. Source: Wikipedia)

Hanuman spends a lot of time looking at how beautiful the city is. He also talks about how pretty the moon is. He also describes many of the different Rakshasas that he sees while walking along. During his time Hanuman looks through many different windows of families, this is easy for him because he is a cat.

The book describes that at midnight the humans are in love and sleep together peacefully, while the Rakshasas go out at this time and eat flesh and blood. I thought this was an interesting comparison. They are very stark contrasts to one another.

The book also talks about how Hanuman hears many different sounds as he is “prowling” around Lanka. I think this is interesting, and definitely something that I will have to keep in mind for when I write my story.

Throughout this whole section of the book it really focuses on all of the details that Hanuman is seeing, hearing, and experiences. I think this will be important for me to remember when I am writing my storybook post.

Week 5 Reading Diary A: Ravana and the Golden Deer

In Buck’s Ramayana he really elaborates on Ravana convincing Maricha to come and help him capture Sita. When the scene with Maricha was described it was talked about as if Maricha didn’t know what he was doing. It was written as if he was surprised that Rama was following him. This was interesting and surprising for me to read. Pg. 162-168

(Sita and the Golden Deer, by Evelyn Paul. Source: Wikipedia)

I am not sure if the previous book had Indra talking to Sita, but I thought that was a cool scene to add. He tells Sita why Ravana cannot force himself on her. Rama had previously raped a woman named Rambha. Ravana was later cursed by Nalakubra Rambha’s love.  Pg. 177

The story of Vali is different from the version in Narayan’s Ramayana. Buck said that Sugriva waited outside for only one year and then saw blood. In the other book it was for three years (if I remember correctly). Buck also describes the noises that led up to Sugriva closing off the cave. Pg. 191

The death of Vali is also something that I noticed was different from the two books. In this book Vali tells his son to help Rama, and this was not said in the other one. Also Tara, Vali’s wife, kills herself after Vali dies. This is an interesting change in the plot. Pg. 200

I found I interesting that out of all the expeditions sent out to find Sita, Rama gives his ring to Hanuman. As if expecting he will be the one to find her. It does make sense that he is the one to find her though. Pg. 202

Week 5 Reading Diary A: Bharata Seeks Out Rama

When the riders go to fetch Bharata we can really see how much he cares for Rama. His third question after asking about his parent’s health is asking how Rama was. This shows that he cares a lot for Rama just like Lakshmana.  Pg. 112

Vasistha tells Bharata what his mom’s life will be like. She will live many different lives, and each of them she will not understand what life is meant to be and what is True. Vasistha says this will happen to her unless Bharata forgives her. He says it is important to forgive people, especially his mother. Pg. 117

Bharata and all the people go to find Rama. It is funny to think of all those people going to get Rama back. It also shows how much he means to them. Pg. 119

Bharata spends a lot of time trying to convince Rama that he needs to return home. Rama gives him many reasons for why he cannot do that. Pg. 129-131

(Bharata takes Rama's Shoes. Source: Wikipedia)

Rama decides that they are still too close to Ayodhya, so they keep on moving to other places. They soon meet Atri and Anasuya, who take them into their home and give them gifts. Then they kept moving on, they would live in each place for a little amount of time then keep going. They did this for the first 13 years of the exile Pg. 135

They discuss the birth of Garuda, and how he winds back his mother. Uchchaihshravas is also talked about in this part of the reading, about how he comes from the milky water. They have a bet as to what color he will be. Pg. 146

Week 4 Reading Diary A: Starting Buck's Ramayana

Valmiki went into the Forest, to be alone, after being unsuccessful in finding happy and welcoming people. He sat there for so many years that he was covered in an ant pile. Pg. 3

Valmiki was not a poet until he said a verse about a poor bird that was killed. This is when he became a poet and Brahma came and told him the story of Rama. Pg. 7

I thought it was interesting that this story (Buck’s version) started at the end of the last one, but it left a good reason to tell the story of the Ramayana. Pg. 6

I still think it is weird that Rama sent Sita away even though he loved her so much. He even brought a golden statue of her to the festival to show his love for her. Pg. 9

Narayana flew on Garuda to rid the world of the demons. Many fell easily from his arrows. Pg. 24

Image Source: Wikipedia. Vishnu on Garuda.

I thought it was interesting to see that even Yama, Lord Death surrendered to Ravana during the battle of Heaven. Pg. 40

• Need to reread this section of the book.

Airvata, Indra’s elephant throws Ravana down during the battle of Heaven. Pg. 45

King Dasaratha has to give Rama to help with the fight against demons. He made a promise that he would help Viswamithra before he heard the story. After hearing his story he does not want to give up Rama, but he made a promise and he follows through with it. Pg. 47

I thought it was interesting that it says that Ahalya might have known it wasn’t her husband that she was bedding, but she was curious so she did it anyway. Pg. 51