Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana Part C

Characters

• Sugriva - Monkey king sought by Rama
• Has had his wife and kingdom stolen by his brother, Vila
• Hanuman - Monkey god that is a devoted follower of Rama
• Sampati - Vulture, brother of Jatayu
• Jambavan - leader of the bears
• Vibhishana - younger brother of Ravana

Setting

• Kishkindha - Kingdom of Sugriva/Vali
• Lanka - Ravana's Palace of Gold
• Mahendra - Mountain range

Plot

• Hanuman intercepts Rama and Lakshmana as they approach Sugriva's location
• Sugriva tells story of Vali chasing him out of the kingdom
• Vali chased a monster down a hole
• Sugriva saw blood come out so he filled the hole with a mountain
• Vali actually had slain the monster, returned to Kishkindha and exiled Sugriva
• Rama gets Sugriva to challenge Vali for the kingdom and his wife
• Vali's wife, Tara, begs Vali not to fight as she knows that Sugriva has returned with Rama and Lakshmana
• Vali disregards this warning and decides to fight
• Vali is initially winning the fight until Rama kills Vali with an arrow
• All of the vanaras cry because Vali has died, even Sugriva
• Hanuman comes to Kishkindha
• All of the vanaras are awed by Rama's strength
• Sugriva promises to help Rama find Sita, but they must wait for the rainy season to pass
• Rama cannot enter the city with Sugriva due to his father's wish
• Rama does not want to wait a month as he is restless
• At end of rainy season, Sugriva still doesn't have forces together to search for Sita
• Lakshmana entered Kishkindha to threaten to kill Sugriva if he did not aid Rama as he had promised
• Immediately Sugriva organizes an army of monkeys and bears to search
• Varanas cannot find Sita
• Come across Sampati who tells the Varanas that Sita was taken to Lanka by Ravana
• Lanka is across the ocean
• Sampati tells story of him and Vatayu
• Vatayu and Sampati grew up in a nest in the Himalayas
• Sampati lost his wings because the sun burned them off
• Nishakara says that he will regain wings someday, but only at the hands of a noble person
• Vanaras devising a plan to ensure that Sita really is on Lanka
• Jambavan reminded Hanuman of his birth and stories of him jumping to try to reach the sun
• Hanuman was then convinced he could jump to Lanka and did so
• During his jump, a rakshasi tried to eat Hanuman, but Hanuman killed the Rakshasi and finished his trip to Lanka
• Hanuman wanders through Lanka to find Sita
• Finds Ravana sleeping amongst his wives, but Sita is no where to be seen
• Eventually finds Sita among ashoka trees, surrounded by rakshasis
• Ravana tells Sita that he will kill and torture her if she does not submit to Ravana
• Sita crawls to base of tree Hanuman is in
• Hanuman is able to talk to Sita as she is close 
• Initially, Sita is worried that Hanuman is actually Ravana taking Hanuman's shape, but Hanuman shows Rama's ring and Sita is assured that Hanuman is who he says he is
• Hanuman attempts to bring Sita back to Rama, but she refuses to be touched by a man that is not Ravana
• Sita gave Hanuman jewelry she had in her hair for him to take back
• Sita tells Hanuman that Ravana plans to kill her within 2 months and asks if Rama will save her and kill Ravana
• Rakshasas capture Hanuman after a fight
• Realize Hanuman could not be killed with weapons, they use a Brahma shaft to capture Hanuman
• Hanuman tied up more after being caught by the Brahma shaft, but other ties release the strength of the Brahma shaft
• Hanuman remains calm as he wants to talk with Ravana
• Ravana talks with Hanuman who tells Ravana that he needs to surrender Sita or he will be killed by Rama
• Ravana is angered and sets Hanuman's tail on fire
• Hanuman breaks out of the ties and burnt Lanka down after Sita prayed that the fire does not burn Hanuman
• Hanuman talks with Sita and tells her Rama will return shortly
• Sugriva organizes his forces to move to Mahendra
• Need to devise a plan to cross the sea
• Rakshasas need plan to fend off Rama and his army
• Vajradanshtra
• Dress up as Bharat's troops so Rama won't attack then launch an assault of arrows and spears
• Nikumbha 
• Will take on Hanuman and Sugriva
• Vibhishana recommends Ravana return Sita to Rama to avoid destruction of Lanka and death of Ravana
• Ravana is angered and casts Vibhishana away
• Vibhishana is angered and decides to join forces with Rama

Hanuman returns to Rama after burning Lanka.
Image from Wikimedia

Sources

Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie