Reading Notes: The Noble Horse, Reading A

Reading Notes: The Noble Horse, Reading A

The Noble Horse
Image Source

Plot:
There was a beautiful creature who lived once, the Horse of Brahmadatta, King of Benares. He was more beautiful than any other. His stable was a palace. The city was the happiest city in India. Seven kings came together and said the enemies are quickly approaching the gates, we must come up with a plan. So Brahmadatta allowed them to take his horse, so that they would be victorious. Suddenly in war, all the kings fell and the knight knew there needed to be something differently done. The king felt helpless and the knight encouraged him to not give up hope. The king died.

Characters:
Horse of Brahmadatta, King of Benares
Seven kings
The knight

Setting:
City of Benares

Bibliography: The End of the World, Twenty Jataka Tales, Noor Inayat, The Noble Horse

Reading Notes: The Golden Goose, Part B

Reading Notes: The Golden Goose, Part B

The Golden Goose
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Plot:
Golden clouds passed over the city of Benares and the sky was covered in gold. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful goose flew across the sky. The King told the goose that he ought to be king. He allowed music to play and entertainment to come for the goose. The goose was pondering why the king would do such a thing and the other geese assumed the king wanted him to be his friend. So the geese and the goose descended down to earth to meet the king. The next day the King was walking through the gardens near the lake of Anokkatta where the bird came to him and he sprinkled water on the king. The king spoke to the geese and they said they had a race with the sun. The king warned them that this was too hot for them to take on. They ignored him and went anyway. The young one went and couldn't take the heat. The golden one flew back and caught the little one. The Golden one decided to take on the task the little one had and the golden one soared high up above the clouds, never to be seen again. The sky indeed became golden again.

Characters:
people of Benares
A beautiful goose
The geese
The King

Setting:
The city of Benares
near the lake of Anokkatta

Bibliography: The End of the World, Twenty Jataka Tales, Noor Inayat, The Golden Goose

Reading Notes: The End of the World, Part A

Reading Notes: The End of the World, Part A

The End of the World
Image Source

Plot:
One day a hare was sitting under a tree and was wondering about what would happen to him if the earth came to an end. Suddenly, an apple fell from the tree and hit the ground next to him! He ran home quickly and went to his brother and was baffled by what had happened to him. The hare kept running and told another and ran after him. He was afraid the earth was breaking to pieces and so they all started running until a thousand hares were running through the fields together. They raced through many locations and came to a jungle where a wise lion lived and told them that yes, this was true and they would die if he did not save them. So they went up a mountains and he asked why they would run at such a pace. They would continue giving the reason that the earth is breaking to pieces. They thought the elephants were doing this. The only one who actually saw the earth breaking was the one hare. Suddenly the great lion realized that the only thing the hare had seen was  fruit falling. He told the crowd and they lived happily ever after.

Characters:
A little hare
Another little hare
A thousand hares
A wise lion
Elephants
Rhinoceros

Setting:
Under a tree
The fields
Jungle
Mountains

Bibliography: The End of the World, Twenty Jataka Tales, Noor Inayat, The End of the World

Reading Notes: The Forest Fire, Part B

Reading Notes: The Forest Fire, Part B

The Forest Fire
Image Source

Plot:
Mother Quail told the seven little quails to stay while the mother and father brought them worms. The weird thing was that Mother and Father Quail noticed that the seventh only ate grass-seeds, rather than like the others that ate the worms and insects. The little one who only ate the grass-seeds did not grow wings like the others. One night the family was awaken by sad cries and the mother and father and seven little quails and they were fearful. They were sure it was a fire. The flames burned and glowed across the forest. The little quail said he is small with no wings, but he can speak to the flames. One by one the little heads came out of hiding and saw that the forest fire was gone! The family went and walked in peace and the little quail smiled as he saw the forest waking up again. They lived happily ever after!

Characters:
Mother Quail
The little quails
Father Quail

Setting:
The Forest

Bibliography: The Forest Fire, Twenty Jataka Tales, Noor Inayat, The Forest Fire

Reading Notes: The Swan Kingdom, Part A

Reading Notes: The Swan Kingdom, Part A

The Swan Kingdom
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Plot: There were about 60,000 swans who lived in the kingdom. The swans were beautiful and everyone praised them, yet Brahmadatta, the king of Benares, was obsessed with the swans and wanted them more than anyone else. So he went to meet the king and then he let the king know there is only one way to go about this. He recommended the lake was relocated across near the gates of Benares. The lake was cleaned and finished and the birds and butterflies came souring around the lake. The call was heard daily and the many creatures came from far and wide to feast and dwell here. Two of the swans came and looked over and said "We wish this was our kingdom!" and they flew all over scanning the surface of the waters and of the land around them. They asked the king to take them to the lake at Benares and the king was advised not to allow such a thing. So the king let the swans go for a day. They went and swam and had the time of their lives. A trap was set and the foot of the king was caught. The 60,000 swans were alarmed by this and fled to the air, as if the king had passed and was killed. The king asked Sumukha to have the swans return to Manasa, for they could not be content alone. Sumukha however stayed by the king's side.

Characters:
King Dhritarashtra
Sumukha, the commander of the army
The Swans
Brahmadatta, the King of Benares

Setting:
The Kingdom

Bibliography: The Swan Kingdom, Twenty Jataka Tales, Noor Inayat, The Swan Kingdom

Reading Notes: The Empty Lake, Part B

Reading Notes: The Empty Lake, Twenty Jataka Tales, Part B

The Empty Lake
Image Source

Plot:
In a beautiful lake, many fish came together to hear a story told by one of their own. One time, the story began, there was a king who had a gold back. He lit the way through the waters and spoke in a whisper throughout all the earth. Queen Rain forgot to send showers so Mother Earth would need to replenish where there was a loss. King Wind would take all the drops away and the lake became a pool. Queen Rain heard the whisper and looked down to awaken the clouds, and King Thunder came as well. Then fire reigned down. Suddenly the earth shook and the cloud-leaders marched around the sky and the cannons were shooting lightning and the raindrops fell. The King was afraid that the water might be taken away before the lake filled up, so he spoke louder. Suddenly the water rushed from the sky and the fish recognized it was the King's love to shake the earth and allow water to pour into the lake. They lived happily ever after.

Characters:
Fish
A great king
Queen Rain
Mother Earth
King Wind
King Thunder

Setting:
The Lake

Bibliography:  The Empty Lake, Twenty Jataka Tales, Noor Inayat, The Empty Lake

Reading Notes: The Young Parrot, Part A

Reading Notes: The Young Parrot, Part A

Cover of Twenty Jataka Tales
Image Source, 

Characters:
Flood of Parrots
The King
The Queen


Setting:
The hill
The Field

Plot:
There was a hill with silk cotton trees and a flock of parrots

Bibliography: The Young Parrot, Jātaka tales, Noor Inayat, The Young Parrot

Reading Notes: The Stolen Plow, Reading B

Reading Notes: The Stolen Plow, Reading B

The Judge
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Plot:
Two traders came into town and needed a plow mended.  They figured out the mice had eaten the plow. So they took

Setting:
Small village

Characters:
Two traders (Village and Town)
Judge


Bibliography: The Stolen Plow, More Jataka Tales, Ellen C. Babbitt, The Stolen Plow

Reading Notes: THE GIRL MONKEY AND THE STRING OF PEARLS, Part A

Reading Notes: THE GIRL MONKEY AND THE STRING OF PEARLS, Part A

The tree of the monkeys
Image Source

Plot:
The king went for a walk and returned to his family to swim at the lake together. While they were swimming, the queen and her ladies left their jewels with the servants. When she did this, a Girl Monkey was watching her and wanted the string of pearls so she waited and hoped the servants would fall asleep eventually so she could make her move. The servant ended up falling asleep. The Monkey went jumped down, took it and went back up into the tree.

Characters:
The king
the queen
her ladies
A Girl Monkey
The servant
The Guards

Setting:
The Woods

Reading Notes: The Elephant Girly-Face, Part B

Reading Notes: The Elephant Girly-Face, Part B

The talk of the robbers awoke Girly-face.
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Plot:
The king had an elephant and his name was Girly-face. This name was given to him because he was kind and gentle. He never hurt anyone, said the keeper. There came a night when robbers came into the territory of where the elephants were kept, near where Girly-face slept. He awoke. The robbers were prepared to kill anyone who was awake. Girly-face took this literally, and felt maybe he was being taught to be good in this way, to have no pity and to not be good. Girly-face, the next day, picked up the keeper with his trunk and threw him, killing him. The other keeper saw this, and for days Girly-face became very ugly to where no one would go near him. The king heard about this and sent one of his wise men to ask Girly-face straight up. The wise man knew Girly-face and saw nothing the matter with him. He concluded, he must have heard the bad men talking and acted upon their words. The keepers responded with confidence that yes, there had been bad men here. So the wise man told the king what happened. He suggested Girly-face be around some good men so he can be a good elephant once more. So they did and Girly-face responded with goodness. Concluding that he must not kill anyone. From then on, Girly-face never struggled with not being good again.

Characters:
The king
Girly-Face
The keeper of the elephants
Other keeper
Wise man

Setting:

Bibliography: The Elephant Girly-Face from Jataka Tales, Ellen C. Babbitt, The Elephant Girly-Face

Reading Notes: The Quarrel of the Quails, Reading Part A

Reading Notes: The Quarrel of the Quails, Reading Part A

Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt
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Plot: Quails lived in a forest and they had a wise leader. A man lived with them there and actually his vocation was to catch quail and sell them. He would find them by hearing the leader's voice. So he mimicked the leader's voice and the quails would be tricked into believing their leader was calling them. He would throw and net and catch them and sell them. The wise leader eventually caught on to this. He told the quails they must end this. He said for the next time the fowler tries to cast a net that each of them must put their heads through the holes in the net so they collectively can fly away to the nearest thorn-bush. Then they can be free. The quails said "sweet let's do it". The next day, they did this and told the leaders. The next day and the next day it kept happening. The wife of the man was angry because there was no money coming in. He explained that the quails are no longer quarreling so he's no longer able to capture them. Soon enough, one quail demanded to know who bumped his head. It broke out in anger. So the fowler took advantage and said for the quails to lift their nets. So he caught them all because they were not unified in agreement.

Setting:
The Forest

Characters:
The Wise Leader
Quails
Man (the fowler)

Bibliography: Jataka Tales, Ellen C. Babbitt, The Quarrel of the Quails, Reading Part A

Reading Notes: Nivedita. Mahabharata, Part A

Reading Notes: Nivedita. Mahabharata. Part A

Drone trains the young princes
Image Source

Plot:
The prince sons of Pandu and the prince sons of Dhritarashtra play ball and the balls are rolled into a deep, dark well. A brahmin (Drona) decides to try to receive the ball back by throwing his ring in, shooting an arrow into the well, and then retrieving the ring. The boys tattle by telling their great-uncle Bhishma and he hires Drona to teach the young princes how to be trained. The princes are made to promise that they should help Drona after they are trained for battle. Arjuna says yes. Arjuna immediately is favorited by Drona. Ekalavya tries to join the school but Drona says no. Ekalavya stays in the forest and creates a statue out of Drona and calls it his guru as he too trains to be an archer. Ekalavya eventually loses his thumb due to paying the fee to Drona and he is no longer able to be an archer. Eventually, Yudhishthira enters the pictures and comes to a gambling match between himself and King Dhritarashtra and loses all his earnings. These earnings result in gambling away his own brothers, himself and Draupadi. Now he is a slave to Duryodhana and Draupadi claims that say Yudhishthira loses himself, then he doesn't get to gamble her away because he's not even his own anymore. The pandavas eventually return and Shakuni wins the entire contest. The Pandavas enter into a season of exile for twelve years and the year after their exile ends they go into a season of the utmost disguise. Yudhishthira then appoints Arjuna to seek out more celestial weapons in order to gain more power. In the Himalayas, Arjuna encounters a holy man in disguise of his real father Indra. Indra tests him

Characters:
Pandu
Brahmin
Drona--the brahmin
Bhishma--the boys great uncle
Drupada
King of Panchala
Arjuna-son of Indra
Ekalavya--low-caste, non-Aryan Nishada boy
Bhima
Duryodhana
Karna
Kunti
Yudhishthira
Dakshina
Draupadi
Indra-the god and father of Arjuna

Setting:
The Court
The Himalayas

Bibliography:
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists: Mahabharata, Sister Nivedita, Reading Guide

Reading Notes:Narayan's Mahabharata, Part D

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part D

Arjuna and Krishna
Image Source

Plot: 
Krishna will have to go to Hastinpura on behalf of Yudhishthira. Dhritarashtra hears about Krishna coming and longs to give him the ultimate celebration on behalf of his visit. Vidura knows that Krishna only desires peace and justice rather than a celebration and tried to explain this to the king. Duryodhana makes a plan to captivate Krishna. Before he leaves, Krishna tells Karna that he will be loyal to him and then tried to convince him to abandon Duryodhana. Karna says a hard "no" and promises Kunti that Arjuna will be attacked in the upcoming battle and the other four sons will remain untouched. The war happens and the Arjuna is upset he will have to combat his guru Drona and his own family as well. Krishna knows this and sings "Song of the Lord" to him. Arjuna is now ready for war. Dhrishtadyumna attempts to murder Drona because of his dad's humiliation but Drone doesn't allow this to take place. Bhishma is wounded. More revenge. Karna now goes in to fight. Abhimanyu, Jayadratha and Arjuna all have a showdown. The goal is to kill Ghatokacha. Drona is murdered by Dhrishtadyumna. So much death takes place and wounds abound. After the battle, the Pandavas return to Hastinpura. Yudhishthira becomes king. Krishna is killed while sleeping by the river. All the Pandavas die also. Arjuna's grand son grows up to be king of Hastinapura and the Pandava line lives on.

Characters:
Duryodhana-the eldest of the Kauravas
Dhritarashtra-King of Hastinapura, not easily persuaded
Bhishma and Vidura
Ulupi-the naga princess who marries Arjuna
Yudhishthira-new king of Indraprastha
Maya-great ancient king of the asura, daitya and rākṣasa race
Shakuni-Duryodhana's maternal uncle 
Bhima-the second of the Pandavas
Urvashi-an apsara who falls in love with Arjuna
Nakula-the fourth of the five Pandava brothers 
Yama--the god of death and of Dharma
King Virata-king of Virata Kingdom
Draupadi--hairdresser of Queen Sudeshna
Kichaka-Queen Sudeshna's brother

Setting: 
Camp near the Pandavas
Forest near the lake
Virata Kingdom

Bibliography: 

R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata, Page 85-131, Reading Guide

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part C

Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part C

Bhima defends Draupadi from Kichaka
Image Source

Plot: 

Dhritarashta finds out through his spies that the Pandavas have a plan with Arjuna concerning the weapons he is teaching them how to use. Shakuni encourages Durodhana to create a camp near the Pandavas to shame them. The gods have a different plan. They intend to send a gandharva to make Duryodhana act. The battle takes place and the gandharvas capture Duryodhana but then the Pandavas set him free. The plan backfires. While in the forest the Pandavas notice a brahmin walking who claims a large deer stole his staff and kindling to make a fire for sacrifice. The Pandavas try to capture the deer but fail. Nakula sees a lake but then a voice appears and say he must answer questions before drinking from the lake. Nakula, being thirsty, refuses to answer and drinks anyway. Sahadeva, Arjuna, and Bhima all do the same and all die. Yudhishthira runs over and find all brothers to have ceased from existence. Yama was testing them. The brothers rose again and then were given the gift of unrecognizability. After 12 years, the 13th year is spent at the court of King Virata. Yudhishthira plays a game of dice with him. Bhima is a cook, Nakula is a stable boy and Sahadeva is a cowherd. Arjuna lives as a eunich and a crisis happens where Draupadi is raped by Kichaka and Draupadi wants revenge. Kichaka is killed. The cattle raid happens. A war preparation happens with Balarama and Krishna and dissension at Hastinapura takes place. The Pandavas plead for peace and Yudhishthira tells Sanjaya to tell Hastinapura to give him five villages for the brothers. The sons are banished. Gandhari finally says war is over and Vyasa believes war will be the doom.

Characters:
Duryodhana-the eldest of the Kauravas
Dhritarashtra-King of Hastinapura, not easily persuaded
Bhishma and Vidura--
Ulupi-the naga princess who marries Arjuna--
Yudhishthira-new king of Indraprastha--
Maya-great ancient king of the asura, daitya and rākṣasa races--
Shakuni-Duryodhana's maternal uncle 
Bhima-the second of the Pandavas--
Urvashi-an apsara who falls in love with Arjuna--
Nakula-the fourth of the five Pandava brothers 
Yama--the god of death and of Dharma
King Virata-king of Virata Kingdom
Draupadi--hairdresser of Queen Sudeshna
Kichaka-Queen Sudeshna's brother

Setting: 
Camp near the Pandavas
Forest near the lake
Virata Kingdom

Bibliography: 

R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata, Page 85-131, Reading Guide

Reading Notes, Narayan's Mahabharata, Part B

Reading Notes, Narayan's Mahabharata, Part B

Dhirtarashta and Duryodhana
Image Source

Plot:
Duryodhana is afraid because he receives news that the Pandavas are living and his dad isn't able to find any reason to be against the Pandavas. He is encouraged be a place of peace in the middle of the situation. Ultimately, the king invites the Pandavas to his kingdom in Hastinapura. He even offers that they could own a portion of the land. So they agree and they build a city Indraprastha.   Arjuna goes into exile for twelve year and ends up getting married to a naga princess names Ulupi. Yudhishthira is named king over the city of Indraprastha. A fire takes place at the Khandava forest and Maya is actully saved and ends up building an assembly hall full of illusion and provokes foolishness. Shakuni plans to get revenge on the Pandavas and his strategy is simple: play a game of dice, knowing that the Pandavas are unaware of the level of expertise that Shakuni possesses. They agree to meet for the game and wait in suspense. The dice game begins.   Suddenly, Yudhishthira has lost all. The game goes on anyways. Gambling happens and eventually Draupadi is gambled away and dragged out of the hall. She is mistreated and told to take her clothes off, yet every time her sari is ripped off, another appears in the same place. Bhima wants revenge. During this, the perpetrator of the mistreating of Draupadi (Duryodhana) gives her three wishes. After these wishes, the possessions of the Pandavas are given back and peace is retained again.

A second game begins. The Pandavas depart and Duryodhana is very angry with the whole situation and demands to have a second match of the game of dice. They meet at the Ganga river. The Pandavas end up living with the hermits in the woods and peace is decided, though attack was wanted on some sides. The allies of Krishna are promised to be punished. Yudhishtira is mocked for being so kind and forgiving. Arjuna visits Amaravati and is taught how to sing and dance. Urvashi is here and eventually Urvashi grows to love Arguna and he doesn't feel the same way. He gets cursed by her (wow that's harsh) but he gets blessed by Indra any way for his character. After a few years, Arjuna returns to Pandavas and learn how to fight with the weapons he brought and offered to them.

Characters:
Duryodhana-the eldest of the Kauravas
Dhritarashtra-King of Hastinapura, not easily persuaded and
Bhishma and Vidura
Ulupi-the naga princess who marries Arjuna
Yudhishthira-new king of Indraprastha
Maya-great ancient king of the asura, daitya and rākṣasa races
Shakuni-Duryodhana's maternal uncle 
Bhima-the second of the Pandavas
Urvashi-an apsara who falls in love with Arjuna

Setting: Kingdom of Hastinapura (later the city Indraprastha is built)
              Ganga river
              Amaravati, the heavenly city of Indra

Bibliography: R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata, Page 41-83 Narayan's Mahabharata Reading Guide 

Reading Notes, Narayan's Mahabharata, Part A

Reading Notes, Part A

Narayan's Mahabharata

Shantanu pursues Ganga 

Plot: Shantanu spots a woman near the river, and he marries her. He has no idea what he is getting himself into. She ends up drowning the babies in the river and when the eighth one comes along, he begs her not to. The wife confesses she is actually THE river, disappears and then agrees to let the eighth child live (Bhishma) and plans to reunite the child with his father later in his life. Shantanu finds love for another woman, Satyavati. They have some chaos happen when her father won't allow the relationship to continue. They end up having two children, Citrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada is appointed king and tragically ceases to exist. Another king actually puts his daughters out to win a suitor. Bhishma takes all of them for Vichitravirya and even still Amba promises herself to the Shalwa king. Amba doesn't want revenge but Ambika and Ambalika still marry Vichitravirya, both women. Here's where it gets a little twisted and a little strange, but there is a happy ending! After a series of fish, Pandu shooting at a deer and the deer cursing Pandu, many sons are conceived and the boys conceived are trained by Drona. An escape is made from a fire. There is hiding, another attempt from King Drupada to get his daughters married off, and more husbands and wives getting married.

Character: 
Shantanu-King of Hastinapura
Ganga-river and wife of King of Shantanu
Vasus-the eight gods begot from Ganga
Devavrata/Bhishma-the eighth child of Ganga
Satyavati-second love of Shantanu
Chitrangada-king but then dies
Vichitravirya-other son of king
Amba, Ambika and Ambilika-daughters of neighboring king
Neighboring king

Setting: city of Hastinapura

Bibliography: R. K. Narayan, The Mahabharata, Narayan's Mahabharata Reading Guide 

Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, part II

Reading Week 05: The Divine Archer Part II

The Cover of the Novel
https://www.amazon.in/Divine-Archer-Founded-Ramayana-Mahabharata/dp/1164212788

Characters:

Rama

Lady Sita

Bhavani, goddess

King Janak

Lakshman

King Dasa-ratha

Visva-mitra the good hermit

Setting:

The garden near the palace

City of Videha

Plot: Rama declares his love for Sita as they meet eyes. The princess remained silent. The maids recommended they go back to the palace, and the princess agreed. She decided to stop at the home of the goddess Bhavani and pray about the encounter she had just witnessed. A garland then fell among her, proof her prayer was heard. The princes told the guru what had happened. Rama remained in love with Sita. The trial of bows then took place and Sita came to watch. Rama was getting many brownie points from those in the crowd living in the countryside. All the kings came up and mounted the platform and none succeeded. King Janak was very upset. He believed from this experience that there truly were no more real men left. He wanted to end the time. The hermit said to get rama up there. Lakshman prayed this bow striking would hold the whole earth, remembering her vision of Rama as a child. The bow he held bent over all the sky. The crashing that happened shook the earth and all that lived in it. So many celebrated and so many kings grabbed their own bows to do harm to Rama. Suddenly, a tall dark man came out from the sky. The hermit appeared very upset because the bow of the god Siva had indeed been broken! Many threats were made. The hermit saw only one way, have Rama shoot the bow. He grabbed the loose bow and it immediately became strong. Celebration spilled over all the city, mostly because the marriage of Rama and Sita were to take place. Many people came near and far to bring gifts and offer their blessings. The procession was adorning. King Dasa-ratha was apart and so were the two noble sons and the good hermit Visva-mitra. On the day of the wedding, the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand round the altar three times. So much happiness and love around. This party lasted many days and King of Ayodhya and his four sons and the four brides went home, to bring home also 25,000 chariots, 10,000 elephants, wagons of gold and jewels, buffalos and cows beyond counting. The sky begot flowers. The sacred kettle-drums rolled.

Bibliography: The Divine Archer, founded on the Indian epic of the Ramayana, Gould, Frederick James, 1855-1938

Link: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t0wp9vr87;view=2up;seq=14

Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part I

Title: The Divine Archer Part I

The Cover of "The Divine Archer"
https://www.amazon.in/Divine-Archer-Founded-Ramayana-Mahabharata/dp/1164212788

Reading Notes:

Setting
Geographic location: City of Oude

Characters:
King Dasa-ratha
The Brahmans (priests)
The Sun
Rama the Delight (Dark, son of Queen Kausalya), noblest, thunderbolt, flag, goad
Bharat, song of Queen Kaikeyi, also dark
Sons of Queen Samitra, Lakshman and Satrughna; they were fair
The Hermit, Visva-mitra
Janak king of Videha

Plot:

The King has been granted a new son. The city is celebrating and the imagery is clear there is much joy in the city people's hearts. The King, out of his joy, began giving out gifts, but not just any gifts. Gifts to the Brahmans (holy priests) of gold and the finest materials of the kingdom. Like there was so much joy that sun couldn't stop beaming for four weeks! It never set during that span of time and it provoked even more happiness in the people's hearts. And actually four sons ended up being born to the King. Rama was the darling one of the four. The mother noticed being with him over time that something was different. One single day, she sat and watched her son grow and grow and grow until he filled the whole world it seemed. In a moment, he was the small child again. She declared nobility over her son. He could play just as well as he could work hard. He learned quickly being taught by the same Guru who taught all of the brothers. The city loved him well. One day the hermit had an issue with evil Furies and Demons attacking him, so he decided to go to the King and ask for help from Rama. He stood at the gate and the king was happy he made himself known. He gave him his spill, and then the king hesitated and became downcast. He could not give up his son. Then the king decided to let all sons go with the hermit. Rama on the way back to the house killed a demon and the other two prince slept and ate through the night. In the morning, dark shapes floated over their heads and the brothers fought them off. Eventually they traveled around. Two of the sons were very into sleeping and resting, while the other two were more into admiring the beauty around them. Princess Sita walked through the garden as they picked flowers, she paused and then ran back. She asked those around what they saw, and they testified to the sight of two "noble youths".

Bibliography:

The Divine Archer, founded on the Indian epic of the Ramayana, Gould, Frederick James, 1855-1938

Link: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t0wp9vr87;view=2up;seq=14

Reading Notes: Narayan Ramayana, Part A

Reading Notes: Narayan Ramayana, Part A (Focusing on plot, character and setting)

Ravana fights Jatayu

Plot: 

Ravana abducts Sita suddenly as she is walking to and from. Ravana comes to Sita when she is alone walking and is disguised as an old hermit, ready to reveal his true identity when the time comes. the time then comes, and Ravana reveals who he truly is. Being the antagonist Ravana is, Sita then is picked up from the ground under her and Ravana takes her away, ever so tragically. Jatuyu then tries to save Sita but is killed by Ravana. Rama and Lakshmana come just in time to see Jatuyu being killed and dying. Jatuyu is on the verge of muttering words, perhaps words of wisdom or of love for them. But his last breath takes away any hope of knowing what he must of been thinking or wanting to say. Rama and Lakshmana begin heading over to monkey kingdom of Kishkinda, south of their current location where Jatuyu passed away. The evil monkey Hanuman is overwhelmed and angered at their presence there. He too waits for the perfect time to appear to them as they approach the wall. He jumps out, as a scholar, dressed to impress them with all his knowledge and discernment. Rama, being very good at seeing through disguises, realizes this is indeed a disguise and refuses to go ahead. Hanuman, being ever so loyal and honoring to Sugriva, allows them to pass by because of the connection and mutual ally. 

Characters: 

Ravana- primary antagonist in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana (sneaky)
Sita-consort of Lord Rama (afraid)
Jatuyu- youngest son of Aruna (brave)
Lakshmana: younger brother of Rama (helpful)
Hanuman: monkey (mischievous)
Sugriva: brother of Vali, king of Kishkinda

Setting:

-Monkey Kingdom of Kishkinda
-the forest
-deserted underground kingdom

Bibliography: 

Gibbs, L. (1970, January 01). Indian Epics: Readings and Resources. Retrieved February 07, 2018, from http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/05/week-2-of-2-narayans-ramayana-reading.html

Reading: Reading Notes: Reading B (Week 3)

Bharata finds Rama at Chitrakuta. (from blog, link in bibliography)

Reading B Notes:

Bharata is seeking Rama and tries to get him back to the city (he is in the forest at this point). These brothers hugged each other when they met up and the next morning, Bharata explained to Rama that he was asking for forgiveness for his own mother's sin. Rama exclaimed, "Please, be forgiven. There will be no more thought of this."

Jabali is the counselor of Dasharatha and asked Rama why was his understanding small and why he would proclaim his allegience to a dead person. He spoke of the joys being cast away from his life and wasting would play a huge part in his life.

Rama became angry. "Okay Jabali, I get you but your teachings are false. A good man does good deeds, unlike a bad man. So how could I ever do bad? I do good things."

Bharata said if it pleased Rama, then he should stay in the jungle for another fourteen years. 

Rama said he did not remember the commands of Dasharatha shifting.

Bibliography:

Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics, Laura Gibbs, http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/pde-ramayana-rama-and-bharata.html