Week 10 Reading Diary: Epified Mahabharata Part B

Below is a continuation of me watching the Epified Mahabharata:

·       Karna is a fighter instead of a farmer. Drona will only train the Pandavas and not Karna. I am sure this is why Karna fights against them in the great war.

·       I am getting the hang of the narrator. This part of the story made more sense the first time I read it anyways.

·       He does not win in Draupadi’s swamayarma. Arjuna wins instead so this will fuel his anger against them.

Source: Draupadia and the Pandavas

·       I still do not agree with Draupadi having to marry all five of the Pandava brothers instead of the won one won her fair and square. 

·       The Pandavas decide that it will be easier for each of them to marry her for a year at a time instead of all at once. This is different from the original Mahabharata. I am glad that they decided to change what has happened. However, I wish Arjuna was the one who just married her.

·       The drawings still amaze me. They are incredible and fun to look at!

·       Arjuna is exiled because he breaks the rules of the brother’s agreement regarding Draupadi. This is unfair but Arjuna has a lot of experiences in the forest for those 12 years.

·       Arjuna falls in love with another woman during his exile. I wish he wasn’t so quick to change his mind on the women that he loves. 

Week 10 Reading Diary: Epified Mahabharata Part A

This week I actually decided to watch the Epified Mahabharta instead of the Ramayana. I felt that I understood the Ramayana a little better than I thought after watching Sita Sings the Blues. Therefore, I wanted to focus on the other epic because I do not have a great grasp on the characters and plotline:

·       The videos are broken up nicely and easy to follow so far.

·       Queen Ganga is again drowning her children in the river. I am still confused on why she is wanting to do this. Hopefully it is explained later on.

·       I enjoyed Sita Sings the Blues a little more because I can follow the narrator better. They are just quick to say names in this one and I keep having to rewind to figure out what is going on.

·       Vyasdeva is extremely ugly but somehow has the three sons: Dhirtharastha, Pandu, and Vidu. I am curious to see how they portray the relationship between both Dhirtharastha and Pandu do to what comes later in the story.

·       Pandu suffers the same fate as the original Mahabharata in that he cannot bear any children or be intimate with anyone else or he will die.

·       Pandu now has the Five sons that he wanted. However, he ends up dying just like the parents of the boy from the forest said.

·       The artwork is very cool! I am glad that you can see how the drawer is actually drawing the images. I tried to draw a few but it did not turn out very well lol. I do like the images in Sita Sings the Blues more because it was more playful and colorful.

·       Margery ends up killing herself after Pandu dies.

·       Drona now enters the story and starts to train the boys. I am glad to see that they stuck with the original because Drona is one of my favorite characters. I am excited to see Draupadi’s

Swamayarma.

Source: Epified Mahabharata (Drona teaching the Pandavas)

Overall, it was a great and creative way to understand this story. I feel I am learning more and more about the Mahabharta.

Epified Mahabharata Link

Week 9 Reading Diary: Sita Sings the Blues Part B

Below is my continuation of watching Sita Sings the Blues. I am glad that I chose this as my option this week. It is very entertaining and easy to watch. Also, I feel I am fine tuning my knowledge of the Ramayana while I watch.

·       Nina is broken up with Dave by email. This part is very sad and the animations make the viewer feel her sorrow.

·       Sita is exiled into the forest again. She continues her blues. I feel for her because she always is punished and hurt for things she does not deserve.

·       Sita is now pregnant with potentially Rama’s kids. She is so sad that she contemplates killing herself. This is not a high plot point for me in this movie. I wish this was not included in the story.

·       I do not understand why Sita keeps trying to please Rama. She is very faithful to him but he is constantly questioning her. I would definitely leave Rama. However, she has his kids so this may be the reasoning for proving her worth again and again.

·       Sita leaves them behind to go to heaven. The twins are left behind with Rama to live in the kingdom. I am glad that they were reunited with their father. 

Source: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues

Source: Youtube

Week 9 Reading Diary: Sita Sings the Blues Part A

This week I decided to watch the film Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley. I felt that watching an animated film will allow me to connect better with the characters. Also, it looked really fun to watch. Furthermore, Sita was one of my favorite characters so focusing on her will be great. Below is my analysis:

Source: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues

·       First impression is that the images are very creative and fun to look at. It helps me picture Sita and Rama better.

·       I am glad that there are footnotes with times. It allows for me to follow the story better without stopping the video.

·       I am glad that they stayed with the originally plot point in that Sita was kidnapped by the golden deer Ravana was portrayed as.

·       It really is focusing on Sita only which I enjoy because I felt that the originally Ramayana strictly focused on Rama. She was vital in all of the story plot points which makes this take more interesting.

·       Ravana isn’t portrayed as such a bad character in this story. I enjoyed the villainous nature of him in the original Ramayana. It is weird when he is playing the instrument with his insides though.

·       Sugriva and Vali are not mentioned in this story. I loved the dynamic between these characters so I wish it was mentioned at least. I wanted a change from Rama sneak attacking Vali to him fighting him straight up.

·       I enjoy seeing Hanuman setting the city of Lanka on fire. He was one of my favorite characters so I am glad to see him in the animated film.

·       I like the troops of Ravana. They are very animated and funny to watch run. The battle scene was actually pretty gory! I enjoyed it but I would have rather seen Rama fight a lot instead of the monkeys. I do like the long bow and arrow shot of Rama to slay Ravana.

·       I think the title is great because she really is full of sorrow once Rama rejects her. I still do not like how the Ramayana ended so I was a little disappointed that this didn’t change the ending. I may write a story that changes the ending and allows for a happy ending.

·       Finally, I am liking the parallels between Rama and Sita and Nina and Dave. I am looking forward to seeing how their relationship ends.

·       Overall, it is a very funny and entertaining take on the original Ramayana. 

Source: Youtube

Week 7 Reading Diary: The Five Tall Sons of Pandu

Below is my reading of Part A of the weekly reading: The Five Tall Sons of Pandu:

·       The story starts off with the same type of jealousy in the original Mahabharata. Duryodhana does not like his cousins, The Pandavas, because of their heir to the throne.

·       Arjuna meets with a very skillful fighter in Karna. Karna comes off very confidently and tells Arjuna of his wish to defeat him. I find this to be interesting because of the future implications of his desire to defeat him (his death).

·       Duryodhana attempts to murder the Pandavas and their mother by burning them in their house.  Greed is an important aspect of this epic, the original Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. It is the root cause of many of the main plot points.

·       I do find it interesting that Kunti tells Arjuna that Yudhishthira should be married to Draupadi. I do like either one of these outcomes because Arjuna deserves to have her. He outright won the swayamvara, just like Rama had done.

·       The Pandavas get the rough part of the kingdom. I find this ironic because they deserve to be the kings instead of Duryodhana. It is unfair and they should be in charge of the entire kingdom.

·       Yudhishthira, like the original, loses Draupadi in a gambling match with Duryodhana. Again, I feel for Arjuna because he deserved to be wed to her, not Yudhsihthira. She convinces the gambling winners to allow her to be forced into exile with the Pandavas. The brothers go into exile. 

Source: Pandavas in Exile

·        After exile, the Pandavas finally are ready to return to their kingdom and overthrow Duryodhana. I am excited to see if there are in other changes to the battle scenes. I hope there is more detail and not just quick plot points. 

Source: Wilson, Richard. The Five Tall Sons of Pandavas. 1914. 

Online Website

Week 6 Reading Diary: Part D

Below is the continuation of my reading diary for the Mahabharata:

·       Brishma, the grandfather of the Panadvas and Kauravas, is defeated in the battle. This is a vital point in the story because now Drona wants to take down Yudhishthira. Arjuna will ultimately have to defeat Drona to save his brother from capture. Arjuna is clearly the most important brother of this story because he will probably win the battle for the Pandavas.

·       Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu is killed in battle. This will cause a rage in Arjuna that could be the drive the Pandavas need. This differs from other epics I read because in the Ramayana, Rama does not lose anyone he truly loves in battle.

·       The Pandavas defeat Drona by tricking him into thinking his son had died. This is not something I wanted to happen because I feel that they need to stand up and defeat their enemies without tricks. I hope the climax of the battle will not happen because of trickery.

·       Arjuna defeats Karna in battle by shooting a bow into his head. This is the climax of the battle due to the great skills of Karna. Duryodhana goes into hiding because his most trusted battler has been killed.

·       Ashwatthaman sneaks into the Pandavas camp and slays all of their children. I feel this is extremely sorrowful part in the story. I wish this was not part of the Mahabharata because like Rama, exile was not actually accomplishing anything.

·       Yudhishthira is now going to be the ultimate king of all the lands. I am happy that he is able to be the king, but I sort of wish Arjuna could have been king. He did a lot of the battle scenes.

·       Krishna ends up dying by going into the jungle. This is sort of disappointing because he was such a vital character. I hope that this was his goal all along.

·       All of the Pandvas leave and go to heaven. Yudhishthira passes the test of trying to stay on earth for his brothers and Draupadi. I am glad that they all were able to end happily. 

Source: Pandavas 

Week 6 Reading Diary: Part C

Below is a reading diary of Part C of the Mahabharata:

·       Similarly to Rama in the Ramayana, the Pandavas are again exiled into the forest. I think this is very interesting because many of the main characters in these epics have the most character development during these exiles.

·       Arjuna again goes off on his own to find a powerful weapon to help save him and his brothers. This is sort of a parallel with the Ramayana and Rama’s bow and arrow. I wonder how this will help then Pandavas. He is given a chain of gold, a bright diadem, and the war shell. I feel this will be vital in the future of this story.

·       Hanuman makes another appearance so I may want to continue my story from two weeks ago with him and his brother, Sugriva.

·       Duryodhana is again drive into more jealousy. I am curious to see what will happen between Arjuna and Karna. The battles are my favorite scenes.

·       The Pandavas brothers all drink from a celestial water source that kills the brothers. Yudhishthira answers the questions of the celestial being very well, enough to be granted two boons: his brothers get life again and that his brothers will not be recognized for the next year. I find this part of the story to be weird because I feel that the sons of a god should be able to recognize this tricks and avoid this fate.

·       I am excited to see the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. It has been building up all story so I am curious to see what happens during the climax of the Mahabharata.

·       Krishna is a vital character in this story. I feel that he could be as the same level as Hanuman in the Ramayana. I am curious to see what else he does during this story.

·       I enjoy this story better than the Ramayana because both sides of the battle are family and related. This brings a special dynamic to the battle. I am super excited to read the ending of this battle and I hope the Pandavas win. 

Source: WordPress

Week 5 Reading Diary: Part B

Below is a continuation of my reading of the Mahabharata:

·       Kunti and the five sons escape the fire before it kills them. Duryodhana and the King believe they are dead however. The family escapes into the forest in order to hide.

·       In the forest, the boys and the mother face the rakshasa Hidimba and his sister Hidimbi. Bhima defeats the evil Hidimba.

·       Hidimbi falls in love with Bhima. This is very similar to that of Shurpanakha and Rama. There are many parallels with the Ramayana and I will continue to try and find similarities. The two elope and have a child.

·       Bhima futher proves his fighting skills against the asura Baka. He defeats him very easily.This also is similar to the Ramayana because Rama is such a great fighter and would do anything to save people. Bhima seems to have characteristics that resemble that of Rama.

Source: Wikipedia

Bhima and Baka

·       Draupadi, a supernatural being, has a swayamwara to be married. The Pandavas hear of this news and attend it. Arjuna was able to bend the bow and shoot it accurately. He has won Draupadi.

·       She will now be married to Draupadi, however, due to them being the sons of Indra, they all are one. Therefore, all five of the sons will be married to the newly won woman. I do find this different than most of the stories because usually there are multiple women to one man. This is very unusual and could have problems later on in the epic.

·       Arjuna is exiled because he breaks one of the rules regarding the five husbands and one woman. He meets the daughter of the nagas and has a son with her. I find it interesting that he continues to marry different women. He is unlike Rama because he desires many women. I enjoy Rama more because it makes the entire story have reason filled with love and a certain dynamic. He finally marries another woman Chitra and has a son.

·       Mayasura builds the Pandavas a huge palace that furthers Duryodhana anger. Yudhishthira is asked to go to a gambling match where he loses Draupadi. This is where the plot changes to that of revenge for the Pandavas against Duryodhana.

·       They are all exiled to the forest for the next 12 year.

Overall, this is a great end to Part B. I am excited to continue reading this epic because of the revenge story that is building up. I am curious to see what the Pandavas do to avenge their exile and the taking of their wife. 

Source: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore 

Weblink

Week 5 Reading Diary: Part A

For this week’s reading, I chose to read the Public Edition of the Mahabharata. I felt that this would be easier to read due to its accessibility online. Thus far, the story has been confusing do to its many characters. Below is what occurred in Part A:

·       Indra is flying through the sky and impregnates a woman fish that gives birth to Satyavati. She then becomes the mother of the writer of the Mahabharata, Vyasa. His name is also Dwaipayana or Island –born. The King below is the father of this son.

Source: Vyasa

·       King Shantanu marries Ganga in human form. She gets pregnant and drowns the first seven of her children. This part is very confusing to me because I do not know why she was doing this. The King disobeys her demands and she leaves him with the last boy alive.

·       King Shantanu desired Satyvati, however, the fisherman demanded that her son must be the heir to the throne. He could not because of the boy from the previous wife Ganga. This boy’s name is Devavrata.

·       The boy helps his father get Satyvati by stating to the fisherman that he will never take the throne. His name changes from Devavrata to Bhishma meaning “Terrible”. I do think that this decision was a terrible one, however, in both the epics the sons do anything for their fathers. I find this to be very unique and something that I want to write in my story.

·       Bihishma takes three princesses in order for them to marry Satyvati’s sons. Both these son’s die, making Bhishma go get the sage Vyasa. He and the two princesses give birth to a pale boy named Pandu and Dhritarashtra.

·       Kunti and Madri both marry the son Pandu. Kunti previously had a son before she married Pandu.

·       Pandu, similarly to Dasharatha, kills someone while hunting and is cursed. This is extremely important in both epics because it usually brings someone into power sooner than they expected. This is vital in the Mahabharata. He has five sons from gods before he ultimately dies from the curse.

·       To die with their beloved king, Madri and Kunti both want to be burned with him. The gods choose Madri to die with the king instead of Kunti and she is burned.

·       The blind son, Dhritarashtra, raises the five sons of Pandu in the royal city of Hastinapura.

·       The son of Dhritarashtra gets jealous of the five sons and plots to kill them. Bhima is poisoned but instead goes into the underworld and obtained the strength of a mighty giant.

·       Drona becomes the teacher of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. As training occurs, the Kauravas become even more jealous of the Pandavas.

·       Kunti son, Karna, comes into the scene of the mock fights and displays his strength. They all prove their skills and become warriors.

·       Duryodhana gets so jealous of every Pandavas feats and wants to set them and their mother on fire.

Overall, this is a great story so far and I am curious to see what occurs in the upcoming sections. Thanks for reading. 


Source: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, , Seeger, and Tagore. Weblink

Week 4: Extra Credit Reading

This week I chose to read about the great rakshasa Kumbhakarna. He was one of my favorite characters and enemies in the original Ramayana. This was a great story that included how the gods, demons, and people on earth interacted. It is crazy that a demon can defeat a god in battle which is why I loved reading about him.

Source: Kumbhakarna

The army of Rama is frightened and worried to fight this mighty giant in battle. Many of the men are killed because of his great strength. I enjoyed the story having the animals/monkeys fighting the giant. The Ramayana is very detailed with many of the characters being animals.  Rama finally defeats the great giant. The battle scene is awesome and the way Rama defeats him is important to the Ramayana. Overall, this was great to focus on this character.

Week 4 Reading Diary Wednesday: Part B

I am continuing my reading diary of the Divine Archer.

•     Hanuman is heading towards Lanka in order to find Sita before Rama attacks. I enjoyed how they described the monkey’s powers as magical because he is able to jump over the serpent Surasa.
•       As Hanuman makes his was to Sita, he notices Ravana making advances towards Sita (similarly to the Public Edition of the Ramayana). I do find it strange that Hanuman is described as having magical powers and is sneaky enough to get to Sita, but is caught after he talks to her. Maybe the rakshasis have more power than Hanuman and were able to detect him.
•     When Hanuman is caught, he has his tail set on fire. This causes the entire city of Lanka on fire except the house Sita is located.

Source: Hanuman's Tail on Fire

•       I find it interesting that they added many of the demons in trying to persuade Ravana to return Sita. Ravana is too prideful and thinks he is untouchable though, a tragic flaw in my opinion. 
•      I do find it interesting that Rama shoots Ravana’s crown off in this take on the Ramayana. He should have just killed Ravana if he could have hit his crown off. However, in the Public Edition, Rama is criticized for not fighting Vali but simply sneak attacking him. I felt this author wanted Rama to be more of a hero and attack the enemy head on.
•       I did enjoy the description of Rama defeating the brother of Ravana. I felt it was great diction that his, “soul went up to the shining gods”. The battle was quick and Rama defeated the demon king Ravana.
•      Sita and Rama are reunited, however, she has to be tested for fidelity. Even though she proved she was, people in the kingdom talk about her in such a way that Rama exiles her. I was really hoping in this edition that Rama would not banish Sita. I feel that there was no point in all of these battles and deaths for them not to be together, especially when she proved she had not cheated on Rama. I hope to either write about this in this week’s storytelling or read about this in another weekly reading. 

Week 4 Reading Diary Tuesday: Part A

This week I decided to choose the Divine Archer for my readings. I felt that the title really emphasized Rama and his ability to wield a bow and arrow, therefore it caught my attention. Below is my analysis on Part A:

·       The story starts off in many of the same ways as the Public Edition of the Ramayana that we read last week. For example, the King Dasaratha has four sons from his three wives. Rama, of course, is the best and most skilled son. I do find it interesting that Rama possesses the skill of being able to read Vedas. I feel this was overlooked in the original Ramayana. His ability to have great knowledge could have further developed his character.

·       The sixth avatar of the god Vishnu, Parashurama, enters after Rama breaks Shiva’s bow to win over Sita. I felt this was interesting to allow two avatars of the same god to interact. I enjoyed the diction when Rama first received the bow and how it tightened just to his liking.

Source: Boldsky

·       The idea of karma is once again mentioned in the death of Dasaratha. He was cursed a long time ago for killing a boy instead of an elephant.

·       Shurpanakha is beaten/tortured by Lakshmana because she attempted to seduce him and Rama. This is vital in the plot of the Ramayana because she is the sister of Ravana, the leader of the demons.

·       Ravana, in revenge, then kidnaps Sita in the same manner as the Public edition of the Ramayana (the golden deer/hermit). I still find this to be my favorite part of the Ramayana because of the unique way to capture Sita. I do not remember though Ravana asking Sita to be his queen before he kidnapped her. I thought this was an interesting take on the Ramayana.

·       Rama teams up with the monkey Sugriva to get back Sita. This is similar to the original Ramayana.

Overall, I found that is wasn’t that different than the one we read last week. However, it was good to read again to get a further grasp on the storyline. 

Week 3 Reading Diary: Part D

I just finished the Ramayana and I was a little disappointed in the ending of Rama and Sita’s relationship. Sita was banished from the kingdom due to the possible infidelities while she was kidnapped by Ravana. I feel that he should not have because the god Agni was able to verify that she has not been stained by Ravana. However, at the final end they were both able to go to heaven together and live together again. I really enjoyed how they both finally were able to end the epic in the best place they possibly could. Also, I have not written much about Lakshama, but I am glad he was able to follow Rama and Sita into heaven.

Secondly, I really enjoyed the fighting scenes between Rama, the armies, the rakshasas, and Ravana. I especially found the battle against the giant Kumbhakarna to be interesting. The battle really displayed the strength and power of Rama because he was able to defeat this mighty enemy. The bow is a great weapon of Rama and I was glad to see that he used this in the battle to save Sita. During the battle, the Gods and Goddesses watch on as their avatars are battling. I am curious why Vishnu did not create an avatar that immediately killed Ravana instead of waiting for Rama to grow up and go through all of his tribulations. My favorite part of the battle though was seeing how Ravana implemented illusions of Sita to distract Rama. You can tell that Ravana was getting nervous as Rama defeated many of rakshasas. However, Rama was lucky to have Ravana’s brother Vibhishana to tell him it was all an illusion. If it were not for Vibhishana, Rama could have mentally been out of the battle and lost Sita for real.

Source: Rama Defeating Ravana

Overall, I really enjoyed the Ramayana and the stories it told. I am looking forward to the next epic we read in this class!

Source: Kumbhakarna

Source: Ramayana, The Epic of Rama, Prince of India 

Author: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder

Week 3 Reading Diary: Part C

The story of the Ramayana continues to become more interesting as the sections go on. I really like the introduction of the monkey King, Sugriva, along with Hanuman. I do find that Rama hiding in order to kill the brother of the great monkey King Sugriva is not a typical Rama action. It find that it can be attributed to Rama’s compassion and the potential for Vali to ask for mercy/protection, as mentioned in Rama’s Confession. Rama knew he needed to defeat Vali in order to have Sugriva’s help in finding his beloved Sita. Rama’s love for Sita is insurmountable, therefore he would do anything to get her back. I do wish though that Rama would have fought Vali with honor because I feel that he would have easily won and defeated Vali. Rama, in Part A fought off thousands of demons without any problem. Although he did not do what I felt he should have, he is still my favorite hero. I do find that having animals having the characteristics of people is something I would love to implement in my storybook. I found the bears to be intriguing and I will make sure to put one in.

I also enjoyed reading more about Ravana and his interactions with Sita. Sita is continuously fighting off Ravana’s advancements even when he is threatening to put her to death. This displays her love and compassion or Rama, and only him. She even refused to touch Hanuman’s body because she did not want to touch any man but Rama. I would enjoy being able to write about two characters that love each other that much. I feel that it adds a nice dynamic to any story, therefore, my storybook (if I choose that option), will have a love story.

Finally, I have not talked about it much, but I feel Karma will come into play more in the final readings. I cannot wait to continue my readings of the Ramayana. 

Source: Sugriva and Rama

Author: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder

Week 2 Reading Diary: Part B

The story of the Ramayana is continuing to get better and better with main plot points being displayed in this day’s readings. I am enjoying seeing the progression of the great Brahma’s plan of killing Ravana come into action with the capture of Sita from the forest. One of my favorite moments thus far in the Wednesday reading is when Shurpanakha and her brother Khara fight the two brothers in the forest. My favorite character is still Rama because I know he will accomplish what the great Brahma wants. He displays his power and selflessness during this battle. When the great ruler of the Danda kingdom sends thousands of troops, Rama tells Sita and Lakshmana to hide in a secret cave in order to be safe. He sacrifices his own life, potentially, in order to save the ones he loves. However, he is victorious and destroys all of the demons and Khara himself, proving he is king worthy. Another moment I find very interesting was when the demon Maricha helps the great Ravana by transforming into a golden deer to enchant Sita to be kidnapped. I really thought this was something I could implement into my own storybook. I definitely want to have rakshasa transform into another being a trick a main character into doing something they would of normally not have done. I can relate this to the Devil forming into a snake to persuade Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden apple. Also, Rama told Lakshama to stay with Sita the entire time and not leave her so she would be safe. Against Rama’s wishes, Lakshama disobeys him and Sita is captured by Ravana. Rama, instead of getting angry at Lakshama, he is forgiving and is only interested in returning his beautiful wife. I find this to be another great quality of Rama and more the reason why he is my favorite character in the Ramayana thus far. Finally, I enjoyed how some of the rakashasas are trapped in their demon bodies, and ultimately want to be set free. I did not understand that this was possible and now I am not quick to judge any demon due to the endless possibilities and circumstances.

Source: Ninapaley

Rama and the Golden Deer (Maricha)

Source: Wikipedia

Rama fighting Viradha

Overall, I am excited to see what Rama and Lakshama do when the encounter Ravana himself and try and safe Sita.

Author: Laura Gibbs

Week 2 Reading Diary: Public Domain version of the Ramayana

I am very interesting in continuing my reading of the Ramayana due to the potential of Rama desiring revenge against Kaikeyi after Dasharatha’s death. The character development of Rama is slowly making him into a hero that will prevail no matter what the obstacles are. My favorite moment thus far in the Ramayana is when Rama and Lakshmana fight the female rakshasa Thataka. This marks the beginning of Rama’s heroism in battle. I feel that all powerful kings first engage in many battles that define who they are. When people hear of these great victories, they fall in love with the hero and want him/her to become their leader. I sense that this is what is happening to Rama as he fights off these demons. Another interesting aspect of the battle that develops the personality of Rama, is his remorse and sympathy for Thataka before he kills her. He does not want to kill a woman, even if she is a demon and a threat to him and his brother. The compassion and leadership of Rama is extremely prevalent because, in my opinion, compassion can be a king’s/leader’s greatest quality. Furthermore, I enjoyed the moment that Rama bent the bow of Shiva to win the beautiful princess of Sita. This further displays Rama’s great power and potential future of ruling the kingdom with a wonderful princess by his side. And yes, it does remind of a fairytale which is why I enjoyed this moment! Finally, I enjoyed Rama’s character because he is very loyal no matter what is asked of him. For example, before Rama is even aware he is being banished, he says,"O Speak and I will obey even if I am asked to quaff poison and die ere my time. My promise is given, and my lips have never lied". This is important in displaying his love for his family and kingdom.

One thing I am curious to read is what happens to the new king Brahata and his mother Kaikeyi. I feel that to push Dasharatha to order his son to exile will not end well for either person. You can tell early on that Rama is the favorite prince and that everyone loves him. You can come to this conclusion by reading what the people say about him in “Heir Apparent”. He is a loving and compassionate man, not quick to judgement (qualities of a great ruler). I think in my stories I want to tell of a young woman or man facing trials, such as deception, him or her becoming triumphant, and ruling the kingdom. I think I will be able to really provide different angles and develop deep emotions of the hero/heroine. 

Rama breaking Shiva's Bow

Source: Spiritual Messenger

Author: Laura Gibbs