Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part B

Story source: Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

Illustration by Warwick Goble

The Rakshasas (demons)

• Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana travel south. They set up a spacious hut and live there for 13 years
• The super ugly Surpanakha (sister of Ravana, the 10-headed demon king) shapeshifts into a beautiful woman to seduce Rama because she loves him
• She tries eat Sita, but Lakshmana steps in and cuts Surpa's ears
• Surpa tells her other bro, Khara who then calls 14 other demons to help kill Rama
• Rama tells Lakshmana to take Sita away and he will battle the demons alone
• Rama kills them all w/ his celestial weapons

The Golden Deer

• Surpanakha manages to escape alive and tells Ravana (in Lanka) what occurred
• She tells him that taking Sita is the key to killing Rama since he loves her so much
• Ravana travels to the exiles with his brother Maricha
• Maricha turns into a beautiful deer to lure Rama and Lakshmana away from Sita while Ravana, disguised as a sage, approaches her
• He reveals himself and carries her away while she weeps
• King of vultures (Jatayus) tries to kill him but he can't be defeated
• Sita starts dropping her belongings along the way and some apes find it
• Ravana makes some rakshasa women guard Sita
• Rama returns to the hut and sees Sita is missing

Rama's Quest for Sita

• Rama is struck by grief and doesn't know where Sita is
• Rama and Lakshmana see Jatayus who tells them he saw Ravana taking Sita. He dies in their arms

Hanuman

Sita in the Asoka Grove

The War with Ravana

Rama Confronts Ravana

Rama's Coronation