Reading Notes Part A: Week 12 Gould. Divine Archer

Gould. Divine Archer

("Reading at Beervelde" 
by Alexandre Dulaunoy
 is
 licensed under 
CC BY-SA 2.0)
Reading Notes: The story begins with the celebrations for the birth of Dasaratha's four sons by his three queens: Ramason of KaushalyaBharatason of KaikeyiLakshmana, and Shatrughnasons of Sumitra

Sita and Rama fall in love. In order to win her hand, Rama completes a challenge in which he must bend the bow of Shiva, similar to the story of Odysseus.

The turtle theory is something I would like to examine later on. 

Elephants and Turtles.

P.14 "As the rival suitors threaten Rama in his moment of victory, Parashurama (Rama-with-an-Axe) appears and demands to know who has broken Shiva's bow, which had formerly been in his possession. Lakshmana boasts that Rama has snapped the bow, and Parashurama then presents a bow of the god Vishnu to Rama; Rama easily strings Vishnu's bow. Parashurama then honors Rama. (Both Parasurama and our hero Rama are regarded as early incarnations, or avatars, of the god Vishnu.)" This part would be fun to rewrite. 

Evil serpent Manthara

In brief, Manthura manipulates one of the king's wives, Queen Kaikeyi, the mother of Bharata into demanding a promise from her husband be fulfilled. With this she forces him to make her son king instead of Rama and that Rama be exiled. 

Rama gets exiled, but his loyal brother Lakshmana and wife Sita go with him. During this exile, Sita is kidnapped. 


On Shurpanakha, " p36 The demon woman. A demon woman (her name is Shurpanakha) falls in love with Rama. She proposes marriage, but Rama explains that he is already married. She then tries to seduce Lakshmana, who mutilates her. Infuriated, she summons the demon army to attack them, but Rama and his brother defeat all the rakshasa warriors."

On Ravana, "p. 39. Ravana, King of Lanka. The demon woman escapes and goes to her brother Ravana, the powerful demon king of Lanka (Ceylon) who has ten heads and twenty arms. Ravana decides to challenge Rama. He persuades the demon Maricha to help him trick Rama and kidnap Sita by appearing as a golden deer. When Sita sees the deer, she begs Rama to chase and catch it. When Sita hears what she thinks is Rama calling for help, she sends Lakshmana after him."

"p. 41 Ravana and Sita. Lakshmana does not want to leave Sita, but she insists he go after Rama. Ravana then approaches Sita, disguised as a hermit. He then reveals her identity and asks her to be his queen. She refuses, but Ravana carries her off anyway. The valiant king of the vultures, Jatayu, battles with Ravana, but Ravana cuts off his wings. When Rama and Lakshmana rush home, they find the dying Jatayu, who tells Rama what happened."


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