- Bharata - Brother of Rama
- Atri and Anasuya - Sages in hermitage visited by the exiled persons
- Viradha - rakshasa
- Agastya - Another sage visited by Rama
- Shurpanakha - rakshasa woman
- Khara - brother of Shurpanakha
- Jatayu - Vulture that had been watching over Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana
Plot
- Bharata returns to palace and learns that Rama has been exiled and Dasharatha has died
- Bharata is distressed as he wants Rama to be the king
- Though Bharata is distressed he organizes Dasharatha's funeral as Dasharatha deserved
- Funeral involved making sacrifices to fire and adorning Dasharatha with gold and gems
- Bharata tracks down Rama in the jungle and offers the throne to Rama
- Rama refuses as Dasharatha had wished Rama into the jungle for 14 years and Rama does not think it is right to take the throne against his father's wish
- Bharata gives Rama sandals to put on then returns to Ayodha and places the sandals at the throne, signaling Rama as the ruler but absent
- Bharata then leaves to Nandigram to rule the kingdom from the forest
- Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana spend time at the ashrams of sages
- Anasuya was told the story of Sita's life
- Sita born and found while father was plowing
- Discusses exile of her and Rama
- Sages blessed the exiles
- The three meet Viradha who tries to abduct Sita
- Viradha can't be slain by weapons
- Rama and Lakshmana have to fight with hands, dig a pit, and throw Viradha in
- Rama and the crew meet Agastya
- Given celestial bow, shining dart of Brahma, Indra's quiver, gold hilted saber
- Agastya tries to get Rama to stay at his hermitage, Rama refuses and wants to venture deeper into the jungle
- Shurpanakha was shapeshifting rakshasa woman who fell in love with Rama
- Normally very ugly but shapeshifted to be beautiful to try to win Rama's love
- Rama declines and says Lakshmana is single
- Shurpanakha was not humored by being made fun of and attempts to attack Sita
- Driven back by Rama and nose and ears cut off by Lakshmana
- Returns to brother Khara who sends 14 rakshasas after the crew
- Khara and his army came to kill the crew
- Rama sent Sita and Lakshmana to a cave to hide while he battled off the army
- Fire arrows killed most of the army
- Dushana killed by Rama's celestial weapon
- Khara killed by a blazing arrow from Rama's bow
- Shurpanakha is Ravana's sister
- Shurpanakha returns to Ravana and tells of Rama
- Ravana decides to set out for Rama
- Talks with Maricha about Rama
- Develop plan to take Sita
- Maricha assumes the form of a beautiful deer
- Sita sees the deer and wants Rama to slay it
- Lakshmana is weary as rakshasas like to try to disguise themselves as deer
- Rama strikes Maricha in the heart with an arrow and Maricha uses Rama's voice to call for help
- Sita believes Rama is in trouble but Lakshmana thinks it is a trick
- Sita is sad and Lakshmana decides he will go investigate in case Rama is in trouble
- When Ravana saw Lakshmana leave Sita he moves in to kidnap Sita and falls in love with her
- Jatayu stepped in to try to save Sita but Ravana slays him
- Brahma foresees Ravana's death at Rama's hand
- Sita returned to Lanka as Ravana's prisoner
- Ravana is trying to woo her
- Rama is told that Sita was kidnapped
- Rama comes upon dying Jatayu and is told what happened
- Rama comes across a demon while searching for Sita and has to burn the demon's body so he can be reborn in a better form and tell them what happened to Sita
- Rama comes across a hermitage with an old lady who had been paused in time and she was told of Rama's coming in the past and he frees the time curse and performs her funeral
Setting/Buildings
- Ayodha
- Chitrakuta jungle
- Lanka - Ravana's home
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| Picture of Ravana cutting Jatayu's wings off as Shiva is shown in the background. Picture from Wikimedia |
Bibliography
Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie
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