Reading Notes: Ramayana (PDE), Part B

Rama on Quora

         For the second half of my Ramayana Notes, I laid them out just like the first. They are in lists with the appropriate chapter number, making it easy to refer back to the text. I am including my notes for the first seven chapters of part B, and I have noted important events, characters, relationships, or themes that seem important. For the second half, I also tried listening to the audio recordings. I have never listened to a book on tape and thought a longer reading like the Ramayana might be a good way to experience it. It actually is a lot more interesting to have the story spoken to you. You hear the rhyme and emphasis the author intended, and sometimes those things are missed when simply reading in silence. I also found that it was easier for me to picture the text's setting when I wasn't looking at the words. I went back after listening to read and create my notes.
        Something that I mentioned in my last set of notes was that I admire how much thought and detail has gone into this long tale. Sometimes, reading shorter stories without much context is harder for me to relate to or picture in my mind. In my stories for this course, I intend to paint a clear picture of characters’ thoughts and emotions for my readers. I also like how the chapters vary in writing method. Some chapters are made up of regular paragraphs, while some are poems of various style. This keeps the reader interested, and I may experiment with different writing techniques like I have seen in the Ramayana.

21. - Dasharatha = father of Bharata, Kaikeyi = mother of Bharata
Emotional connection to Bharata - father and older brother dead
Themes - sorrow, tension, anger
Bharata would rather Rama sit on throne

22. - Words of saint Vashishtha for guidance
Themes - duty, grief
A look into funeral customs

23. - Jabali = “brahmanic counsellor of Dasharatha”
             Gives lengthy speech which Rama refutes

24. - Rama’s sandals with gold ornamentation represent royal authority
Themes - brotherhood, respect, acceptance
Bharata will not rule in place of Rama, but for Rama

25. - Chapter is a lengthy poem describing Sita and Rama’s lives
             mentions Sita’s birth
Anasuya = wife of Atri
“Story within a story” concept

26. - Demon Viradha cannot be hurt by anything sharp
             Demon’s real name is Tumburu
             Tumburu = gandharva cursed by Kubera
Lengthy description of action/fighting
Fulfillment of a prophecy

27. - Agastya = sage, famous Indian rishi
Chapter is a poem
Gifts from gods mentioned earlier in text given to Rama


Ramayana. Public Domain Edition, Web. Link 

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