Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Week 3 Readying Diary B: Ravana Battles Rama

This is a Reading Diary that details my thoughts from pages 131-171 of The Ramayana by R.K. Narayan.

  • Is Hanuman the original Ant Man?  (a superhero who can shrink smaller or grow bigger) 
  • I like that Sita refuses to live in Ravana's palace and keep her penance of living the woods. Even though  in the woods she will be guarded and harassed by demons.
  • Maya seems to be the most convenient god to have around.  
  • How does Ravana not see his downfall coming when a monkey, one of the two creatures he does not have protection against, burns down his entire kingdom???
  • There seems to be quite a lot of brotherly conflict in the Ramayana. 
  •  Unlike Ravana, Rama trusts the small voice in his entourage that encourages him to do the right thing. 
  • I love that every creature helped put up the bridge, even the squirrel. 
  • The story definitely left out that Sita befriended one of the rakshasis…
  • How long is this fight going to last if a partially paralyzed Rama can wound Ravana while on Hanuman's back?  
  • Ravana will let his palace be destroyed twice before waking Kumbakarna. 
  • Ravana still thinks he can't be killed by Rama because he is mortal but I guess he's fine with Rama being strong enough to kill all of his demon friends and family.  
  • It's commendable that Rama showed Ravana so much honor during their fight and the sequential funeral for a man that kidnapped his wife.  
  • Ok Rama you have proof from Hanuman (your new best friend who has no loyalty to Sita) that she was not being unfaithful and refused Ravana's advances.  After all she's been through she should not have to walk through fire for you.  
  • Bharata truly is a man of his word.  
  • I'm glad this version ended before the decimation of Rama and Sita's marriage.  After everything I'd much rather read a story with a happy ending.  
("Killing of Indrajit" painting by Balasaheb Pandit Pant Pratinidhi from Wikipedia.)

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