Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part A

Notes:
  • Celebrations for the birth of Dasaratha's four sons by his three queens:
    • Rama, the son of Kaushalya.
    • Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi.
    • Lakshmana & Shatrughna, sons of Sumitra.
    • Rama is the greatest among all four.
  • Rama and Lakshmana went with Visvamitra to fight the demons.
  • Jananka is king of city Videha.
    • Princess Sita, daughter of King Janaka.
  • Sita and Rama fell in love at first sight.
    • Sita prays Rama to the goddess Bhavani, while Rama dreams about her at night.
    • Rama must bend the bow of the god Shiva to win Sita's hand.
    • Rama bends the bow so firmly that is snap.
  • Both Parasurama & our hero Rama are regarded as early incarnations, or avatars, of the god Vishnu.
  • Three brothers of Rama were also being married that day and then couples returned to Ayodhya.
  • King Dasharatha plans to make Rama his successor. 
      • Evil servant Manthara manipulates Queen Kaikeyi, mother of Rama's brother Bharata, so that she will oppose Rama.
      • Since Dasharatha once granted Kaikeyi two wishes, he must do what she is asked that Bharata will be the successor and Rama go into exile for fourteen years.
    • King Dasharatha was devastated.
      • Rama obediently agrees to this change in plans.
      • Sita and Lakshmana insist on joining Rama in exile.
    • Rama, Sita, & Lakshnana left the city and rest under simsapa tree.
      • They crossed the Ganges and entered the forest.
    • The kind realizes that Rama's exile fulfills a long-ago curse.
      • He then went out hunting and killed a boy because he thought it was an elephant.
      • Dasharatha told the boy's poor, blind parents what happened.
      • The father cursed Dasharatha so the he would suffer the loss of his son too.
      • Dasharath dies.
    • Bharata returns to Ayodhya and found out that his father was dead.
      • He was furious at his mother for what she had done.
      • Bharata seeks for Rama to persuade him to return home, but refuses.
      • Bharat returns home with Rama's sandals to place on the king's throne until Rama's exile was over.
    • While Rama, Sita, & Lakshmana were in exile, they visit the sage Agastya.
      • The sage gave Rama divine weapons.
      • Agastya then urges him to relocate to Panchavati forest and Lakshmana builds them a house there.
    • A demon woman, Shurpanakha, falls in love with Rama.
      • She proposes marriage, but Rama told her that he was already married.
      • She then seduces Lakshmana, who mutilates her, and then summons the demon army to attack them.
      • Rama and his brother defeat all the rakshasa warriors.
    • The demon woman escapes and then goes to her brother Ravana, the powerful deomn king of Lanka
      • Rama and Sita were being tricked during the war.
    • Lakshmana does not want to leave Sita, but she insists he go after Rama.
      • Ravana then approaches Sita, disguised as a hermit.
      • He then asks her to be his queen and refuses, but he takes her anyway.
      • Ravana also cuts off Jatayu's wings.
      • When Rama and Lakshmana rush home, then saw Jatayu dying.
    • Rama & Lakshmana met the monkeys Sugriva & Hanuman.
      • Sugriva had been exiled by his brother Vali and Sugriva and Rama vow to help each other.
      • Sugriva showed Rama Sita's scarf when she dropped it in the air.
      • Rama and Sugriva then went to confront Vali.
    Bibliography: The Divine Archer, F. J. Gould.

    Sita Taken by Ravana, Link Text.

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