Reading Notes Pgs 110-161
Prof's Reading Guide A
Remember: Left off with Dasaratha dying
Bharata Returns
- Bharata returns home from his grandfather's to find his father dead and his brother disinherited and banished so that Bharata may take the throne. Anger fills Bharata when he finds out what his mother has done, but accepts the throne reluctantly when Vasishta insists he become king and perform his father's funeral rites. Dasaratha's body is placed on a giant pyre and the kingdom wept, then his bones were thrown into the Sarayu River.
The Sandals
- Guha's men take the Kosalas down the Ganges and they made camp with Bharadwaja at his hermitage. Bharata and Bharadwaja walk down to the river and summon the architect Viwakarman who created a haven for the Kosalas. The next morning Bharadwaja tells Bharata where to find his brother Rama (in the empty forest on Chitrakuta Hill). Bharata finds Rama and pleads with him to come home and take his place on the throne, but Rama refuses; choosing instead, to keep his word an finish out his 14 years in exile. Bharata finally agrees to wait and takes Rama's sandals back to Ayodhya where he places them out on the throne to hold Rama's place.
- Rama decides that Chitrakuta is too close to Ayodhya and the trio set out towards the Vindhya Hills to the south.
PART 2: SITA'S RESCUE
Dandaka Forest
- Agastya's story: Agastya came upon the Vindhya Hills one day while walking from the North. Seeing that they were virtually impassible, Agastya pleaded with Vindhya to let him go by. Vindhya agreed and the mountains shrank. He told the hills not to rise again until he came back, but he never did. Then, he met two demon brothers: Vatapi and Ilwala. Vatapi would take the form of a ram and his brother would cook him up and serve him to guests. Then, when the guests had finished eating, he would call forth his brother who would rip his way out of the guest, killing them. They did this to 9,000 men before Agastya ate Vitapi and killed him. This angered Ilwala who attempted to attack Agastya but with one look was burned to death.
- Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita travelled to meet with Agastya who gave Rama Indra's Bow of Rain. Agastya also gives Rama important information about the Rakshasa kingdom at the edge of the forest (Lanka). He tells them the size of their army (14,000 strong), the location of their army stations, the location of their sentinels, and a little about their tricks and techniques.
- Garuda's story: Garuda is Narayana's mount. Kashyapa (a sage) had 2 wives and wanted sons so Indra and the Valakilya saints (Valas) helped him by performing a sacrifice and receiving two seeds. He gave one to each wife (Kadru and Vinata). Vinata gave birth to 2 eggs, Kadru gave birth to 1,000 eggs. Kadru's eggs became baby Nagas after 500 years, but Vinata's 2 eggs still had not hatched and when she opened one up she found her son Aruna alive, but not ready to hatch. He told Vinata not to disturb the other egg for 500 more years, then he flew up into the sky and came the charioteer of Surya the sun. Kadru thought she was better than Vinata because she had more children so she made a bet and cheated to win, making Vinata her slave. Soon, Garuda was born from Vinata's second egg. He was a huge eagle with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle, but also the arms, hands, and torso of a man (though covered in feathers). Garuda asked his mom why she did all the work and learned about the bet. He then asked to ransom Vinata at any price. Vinata and her 1,000 grown Nagas went into counsel and agreed to free Vinata if Garuda could brink them a cup of amrita (the nectar of immortality) from Indra's Heaven. Garuda visits his father Kashyapa who tells him to kill the elephant and tortoise who are reincarnated brothers fighting over some sort of inheritance, likely money. Garuda is a little confused but agrees and leaves with his father's warning: never eat a man. Garuda then flew up to Indra's Heaven and asked for some amrita, but Indra refuses and summons his fighters. Garuda changes form and grew 8,100 mouths which he used to drink up 8,100 rivers which he used to put out the fires blowing behind the guards. Then, he shrank to a tiny form, went into Indra's house, and took some amrita so fast that he couldn't be seen. Then he flew back to Earth, not drinking any immortality elixir for himself. Narayana met him as he went and granted him the gift of immortality. As repayment, Garuda offers to be Naryana's mount. Indra waited for Garuda on Earth and shot a lightning bolt at him, but instead of hurting him, it gave Garuda knowledge of all that ever had been, was, or would be. Indra's anger flared, but Garuda explained why he needed the amrita. Garuda returned home to Kadru and showed her what he had brought. Kadru freed Vinata forever and left to wash up before drinking the amrita, but while she was gone Indra grabbed the cup and left.
- A rakshasa named Viradha tries to abduct Sita and kill the brothers but is defeated and buried in a deep hole where he dies.
- Surpanakha propositions Rama for marriage and is shut down by him as well as Lakshmana
- Ravana's army of 14,000 attacks Rama and he kills them all.
- Surpanakha returns to her brother Ravana and reports the death of his army as well as enticing Ravana to attack the trio by describing Sita's beauty (Ravana becomes obsessed with having her)
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