Reading Notes: Rama and Sita Part D

The Bridge

• Rama tried giving sacrifices to The God of Ocean to get across to Lanka but did not get any results
• He angrily shot his bow into the deep ocean resulting in chaos, a thunderstorm occurred and the mountains began to break into pieces. He threatened to shoot another fiery bow and dry up the sea
• The ocean rose above with shining water snakes. He reminded Rama that he has to remain impassable. He asked Rama to consult with vanar chief Nala, son of Vishwakarman, the divine artisan in order to cross the sea through a bridge. He then vanished
• Nala was called upon, his workmen assisted him and his body was green. He made what is called "Rama's Bridge."
• Rama  set up the "linga symbol of the god Shiva," and worshipped it on a holy island which is  called Rameshwaram.

Rama Attacks

• The omens of war began to occur. These included "the earth shaking, the clouds raining blood, a fiery circle falling from the sun"
• Monkeys destroyed many rakhshasas
• Rama beheld Lanka and pierced the heavens
• Ravana's spies in monkey shape told Ravana to surrender Sita but he was enraged and defiant
• Ravana showed Sita an illusion of Ravana's bow and arrow and told her he was killed. She cried and asked for death. When a spy came and called him for War, Ravana left and the bow and arrow vanished. That's when Sita knew it was an illusion

Indrajit

• Monkeys took over the palace, devils are scared
• Rakhshasas were stronger at night and killed thousands of monkeys then whereas the monkeys were stronger during the day
• Indrajit was the son of Ravana who used magic to become invisible and hurt the soldiers and rama
• "showered deadly wounding arrows upon Rama and Lakshmana; fighting in crooked ways, he bound them fast so that they fell helpless to the ground, covered with a thousand wounds."
• Hanuman used a shaft when everyone was sad for the wounded warriors to hurt Hanuman, Nila, and  Jambavan. He went back to his father who welcomed him. The war ceased for a bit.
• Vibhishna comforted the monkeys who thought the slightest movement was a devil
• Ravana showed Sita via car that Lakshmana and Rama were wounded and motionless. She thought they were dead and he took her back to Lanka
• Rama thought Lakshmana had died. He told everyone whoever wanted to leave could. Sugriva countered theres a magic herb that brings the dead back to life and ask the Wind God to go get it.
• A wind rose and shook the mountains and out came Garuda. Garuda, the great winged mount (vahana) of the God Indra. He touched the wounded warriors and they all healed with even more strength than they had previously
• Rama asked who he was and Garuda said"
• I am thy friend, thy life free-ranging external to thyself, Garuda, and I have come to aid thee, hearing that thou wert bound by the magic shafts of Indrajit. Now thou shouldst take warning how the rakshasas fight with cunning and magic, and thou shouldst never trust them in the field. I take my way: thou needst not wonder how friendship came to be between us; thou shalt know all after the battle is achieved. Surely thou shalt slay Ravana and win back Sita."
• They all sailed upon the wind
• hundreds and hundreds of monkeys came to the gates of Lanka

Kumbakharna

• lightest warrior of all devils
• brother of Ravana
• Huge
• enormous appetite
• Brahma coursed him to sleep for 6 months and wake up for one day because he terrorized everyone
• people danced, blew trumpets, elephants went over him and finally women caressed him upon which he roared and woke up angrily
• He was given swine, deer, humans, and lakes of wine but not fully satisfied he asked for the apes location to eat them
• He defeated Hanuman, seized and carried Sugriva and ate many apes. Nothing seemed to stop him
• Rama through flaming arrows and severed his head as he fell into the sea

Hanuman and The Mountain

• Indrajit offered sacrifice to the dire God and god the Brahma weapon from him
• Rama saw he was winning and his weapon so he called fo defeat and Injdrajit went back victorious
• Jambavana told Hanuman to get the herbs to heal the soldiers
• hanuman reached Himalaya but the herbs were hidden so he picked up the whole mountain and placed it on the solders who healed. He returned the mountain back and the devils were thrown in the sea.

Laskhmana and Indrajit

• Indrajit made it look like Sita was dead and Rama was in pain
• Vibhisham told Rama it was an illusion, and tells him where he can kill Indrajit
• Ravana does the same to Sita and alludes her that Rama has died

Ravana's Lament

• Lakhshmana has killed Ravana
• Ravana goes to kill Sita but the devils tell him not to ruin his reputation by killing a woman
• They tell its the new moon and he should try to win at the battlefield

Ravana and Lakshmana

• Ravana is looking for revenge and targets Vibhishna who Lakshmana saves to which he says
• "“Slayer of my son, I welcome thee! Thou hast protected Vibhishana; now protect, if thou canst, thine own self.”"
• He flung a dart at Lakhshmana and pierced his heart
• Hanuman went to Himayala's again and got the paste for Lakhshman who was healed again
• They attacked the rakhshasa capitol and offered sacrifice to Gods for help

Indra's Chariot

• Gods watched the battle
• Inder sent his weapons and chariot
• "Gods assist the brave and true"
• Gods gave Rama a car and Indra's golden chariot ride

Battle of Rama and Ravana

• Mtali is the name of the Charioteer
• Rama finally wounded Ravana
• Agastya came and gave him advice on how to defeat Ravana
• ""Rama, Rama, great-armed hero, my child, hearken to the eternal secret, the Heart of the Sun, whereby thou mayst overcome every foe. Do thou worship Sun, lord of the world, in whom dwells the spirit of all the gods. Hail! Hail! O thousand-rayed, hail to Aditya! Thou wakener of the lotus! Thou source of life and death, destroyer of all darkness, light of the soul, who wakest when all sleep, and dwellest in every heart! Thou art the gods and every sacrifice and the fruits thereof. Do thou worship with this hymn the lord of the universe, and thou shalt conquer Ravana today."
• Rama purified himself in-front of the sun and wounded Ravana by stripping off his heads. He was very close to death

Ravana's Death

• Rama severed raven's head and then used a brahma weapon to pierce the iron heart of Ravana and killed him
• Vibishna performed funeral rights of his brother and was pronounced King
• Heavens and Earth celebrated
• All the rakhshasas fled after raven's death

Mandodari's Lament

• Mandodari is Ravana's chief wife
• She basically cries the whole poem for her husband
• Rama lets Vibisham perform the funeral rights and puts his armed weapons away

Sita and Rama

• Sita is called by Rama who asked her to bathe and come to him
• She is full of joy upon looking at Rama but his feelings have changed for her
• He tells her he killed off the man who stained his honor but Sita was stained as she lived with another man and he has to renounce her. She could live with Lakshman, Sugriva, Bharata, or Vibishna
• He is sexist, and misogynistic

Sita Tested

• Sita speaks for herself I think
• "Ah, why dost thou speak thus roughly and unkindly? Seeing the ways of other women, thou wilt trust in none! But, O thou long-armed hero, I am my own sufficient witness to my purity. It was not with my consent that another touched my person. My body was not in my power, but my heart, that lies under my own sway, is set on thee alone. O thou, my lord and source of honour, our affection increased by living continually together for a long time, and now, if thou dost not know my faithfulness, I am undone for ever. O king, why didst thou not renounce me when Hanuman came? Then would I have given up my life, and thou needst not have undertaken all thy labour, nor laid a burden on thy friends. Thou art angered; like a common man thou seest naught in me but womanhood. I am called the daughter of Janaka, but, in sooth, I was born of Earth; thou knowest not my true self."
• She asked Laskhshmana to build her a fire and she went through it to prove her purity
• The Gods came from the heavens seeing the view
• "Thou that dost protect the worlds; why dost thou renounce the daughter of Janaka, leaving her to choose the death by fire? How can it be thou knowest not what thyself art? Thou wast in the beginning, and shalt be at the end: thou art first of all the gods, thyself the grandsire and creator. Why dost thou treat Sita after the fashion of a mere man?" said they.
  
• Rama defiantly says he's just a man, the son of Dasharatha
• Brahma gives a long monologue but I liked how he said " Sita is Lakshmi and thou Vishnu. "
• The fire rose up Sita shining brightly in its lap and said
• "O Rama, here is thy Sita, whom no stain has touched. Not in word or thought or look has Sita turned aside from thee. Albeit tempted every way, she did not think of Ravana even in her inmost heart. As she is spotless, do thou take her back."
• After hearing the speech of the fire (Agni) Rama stayed quiet and finally spoke
• "Because this fair one dwelt long time in Ravana's house, she needed vindication before the assembled folk. Had I taken her unproved, the people would complain that Rama, son of King Dasharatha, was moved by desire, and set at naught social law. I know well that Sita's heart is set on me alone, and that her own virtue was her sufficient refuge from the assaults of Ravana; she is mine as the sun's rays are the sun's. I can no more renounce her, but rather it behoves me to obey your happy words."

Pushpaka

• Rama is speaking lovingly to Sita and talking about all the adventures and places they visited in the past fourteen years of exile

Rama and Bharata

• Rama's exile term had ended and he returned to Ayodha with Laskhman, Sita, and Hanuman
• Bharata welcomed his brother and gave him his sandal's
• Rama was pronounced King by Bharata

Rama Crowned King

• The city is full of joy and filled with celebrations
• Rama is crowned King at last

Valmiki's Hermitage

• people gossiped about Sita
• Rama banished her from the kingdom
• Laskhmana took her to Valmiki and counseled her with tears to stay there with her
• She gave birth to two sons Lava and Kusha
• After 16 years , and Rama's mind was troubled because he had slain Ravana, the son of Pulastya, the rishi. So he performed the Ashwamedha , the horse sacrifice, to cleanse his soul of sin.
• Lava and Kusha took of the horse, defeated Shatrughna and even wounded Lakhshmana
• Rama came to wage war and get back his horse
• He saw the two boys looked just like himself, he asked them whose children they were to which they responded
• “Sita is our mother, but we know not the name of our sire.”

Sita Departs

• Valmiki taught the boys the Ramayana- a long poem on Rama's deed
• The two boys would sing the Ramayana everywhere as taught by Valmiki
• Sita found in ground by father. Sita means furrow -to sow.
• Rama called an aseembly of Brahmina and grammarians, artists. musicians, etc. No one could match their level and of course people noticed the likeness they had to Rama
• He offered them wealth which they rejected. He listened to the song again and again to finally see that were Sita's sons
• He sent hermits and asked Sita to give an oath for her faithfulness again to which he said she would come
• "Valmiki came forward, and Sita followed him with downcast glance and folded hands and falling tears, and there rose a cry of welcome and a murmuring in the assembly when they saw Sita following Valmiki thus, like the Vedas following Brahma." -PAINFUL TO READ
• Valmiki spoke for her and asked Rama how he accepted her and let her go for what people thought. So should Sita give oath of purity now? And if she wasn't pure he would leave his hermitage and status of years
• Rama replies
• "O great one, thou art ever virtuous, and thy words convince me of the purity of Sita. I recognize these brothers Kusha and Lava as my sons. Yet Sita shall give testimony herself, for the sake of those that have come here to witness her avowal."
• Sita
• "I have never thought of anyone but Rama even in my heart: as this is true, may the goddess of the earth be my protection. I have always with mind and body and words prayed for Rama's welfare, and by this I pray Vasudharato receive me."
• " heavenly throne rose up from within the earth, borne on the heads of mighty nagas, decked in shining jewels, and the Earth stretched out her arms and welcomed Sita and placed her on the throne, and the throne sank down again."
  
• Everyone cheered for Sita including the Earth
• Rama sat stricken with sorrow and with hanging head, and he was torn by grief and anger that Sita had disappeared before his very eyes. He would have destroyed the very Earth if she would not give Sita back. 
• Brahma said, 
• "O Rama of firm vows, thou shouldst not grieve; rather remember thy essential godhead, and bethink thee thou art Vishnu. Sita is blameless and pure, and for her virtue she has gone to the abode of nagas, but thou shalt be with her in Heaven."
• Now Rama was heavy-hearted- finally
• The whole world seemed empty without Sita, and he knew no peace- thank God he should feel that way
•  He gave the monkeys and the kings and hermits gifts, and sent them back to their own homes, and he made a golden image of Sita to share with him in the performance of sacred rites, and a thousand years passed, while all things prospered in the kingdom of Ayodhya.

Rama Departs

• Time yogi came and told Rama he killed Ravana and served for 11,000 years and maybe its time to go back to the Gods
• Hanuman speaks fo different peoples tasks
• Hanuman he said, "It is determined already that thou shalt live for ever: do thou be glad on earth so long as the tale of me endures."
• To Jambavan and some others Rama appointed life till the end of the Kali age, and other bears and monkeys he gave leave to follow him. 
• To Vibhishana he gave good counsel regarding government, and ever to worship Jagannatha, Lord of the World. 
• The next day Vashishtha prepared all due rites for those who go to the other world, and all men following Rama and the brahmins set out for Sarayu.

Image: Sita Fire Test

Image Source: https://www.quora.com/How-did-Sita-prove-her-purity

Bibliography:

Laura, Gibbs. Reading Part A: King Dasharatha. Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana