Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part D

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 These reading notes are over Part D of Tiny Tales of Ramayana which is written by Laura Gibbs.
  • One of the interesting things I noticed when reading Part D and reviewing over Part C was that the battles in the Ramayana come in waves, rather than one complete battle. In Part C, the initial battles begin and both Rama and Lakshmana were struck and paralyzed by serpent-arrows, but they survived through Garuda's intervention. Throughout Part D, the battles are close and threaten Rama's life, such as Indrajit's Brahmastra.
  • I appreciate the plot moving past the major battle and analyzing the consequences of the war. It's interesting to see how the rumors affected Rama and caused him to make a mistake in exiling Sita. This post-war narrative adds a lot for world-building, and it avoids the cliche of a "happily ever after." 
  • The Ramayana had a very interesting parallel between Rama and Sita's experience with faithfulness. Sita was initially questioned of her commitment to Rama, but she proved her loyalty. However, even with proof, the rumors caused Rama to exile her. After years, Sita returned and once again proved her loyalty to Rama, but she disappeared forever. As a result, Rama proved his loyalty to Sita by producing a golden statue of Sita rather than remarrying.
  • The story of Rama confronting Shambuka, a shudra practicing brahmin rituals, gave us, the readers, more insight on how deeply entrenched the caste system was in ancient India. Rama is seen as a virtuous and forgiving man, and his anger is driven by righteousness. However, rather than reasoning with Shambuka or pleading to the gods, Rama simply beheaded him to fix the issue. The idea of upholding the caste system was seen as virtuous and necessary, and the structure was very rigid. 
  • The last story with Shiva's perspective on Ravana's birth and death demonstrates the role of illusions within the Hindu perspective. While this epic story was extensive and complex, the experience was temporary within the universe.

Sita in exile. Source: Wikipedia

 

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