Week 3 Reading Notes: Ramayana PDE Part A (EC/LATE)

Important Links:

Ramayana PDE, Sources (M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.)

Past Notes

Notes:

I am so grateful for the audio recording. It helps me multitask and learn pronunciation and spell better. I checked my notes from last year and noticed I had been spelling Ramayana like "Ramanya". To be fair I was very ill at the time, and promptly had to drop the class, but still. Facepalm. 

I'm interested in the music-loving Gandharvas. 

Valmiki the First Poet

Dasharatha of the Solar Dynasty, Father of Rama

Janaka Father of Sita

Kaushalya-Chief-Wife

Brahma the God-Conductor "Brahma heard the gods and then conducted them"

Rama the most beautiful son, Prince Zuko "he threw a fire weapon" Also smote Manthara as a child. 

Vishvamitra, Son Stealer, Heart Cheerer "Vashishtha cheered Dasharatha's heart, assuring him of certain victory for Rama."

Thataka the terrible woman, Mama Ravager

Maricha, Mama's son, Hagson "son of the hag Thataka"

Ahalya-Touched by Love's Unholy Fire

I thought these lines were very pretty: "Then flowers came down in copious rain,
And, moving to the heavenly strain
Of music in the skies that rang,
The nymphs and minstrels danced and sang,"

Sita the beautiful, the fair, "sweet-eyed Sita" "Rama lifted his eyes to the moon and said, "The queen of night is not so fair as Sita."

"With smiling face, Rama lifted the bow; then proudly he strung it, whereat those who looked on were all amazed." Very Odysseus, Rama. 

Parashurama, Axe-Rama, "a strange and weird figure" "this hermit of the woods" "Holy sir"

"A rain of flowers" seems like a common theme/description.

Kaikeyi the dramatic, reminds me of Dido from the Aeneid. "Said Kaikeyi, “If thou dost honor truth, thou wilt grant the boons I crave, but if thou wouldst rather break thine oath, let me drink poison now.”

(Image Information: Hanuman, Rama, and Lakshmana attack Ravana)