Week 2: Reading Diary A (Starting the Ramayana)

Narayan's Ramayana
Reading notes: Pages 1-53

• King Dasaratha was childless, but with the help from his mentor, Sage Vasistha, he was able to find a way to get children. He had a total of four sons from his wives. Remember: Rama!
• Dasaratha had to give his son, Rama, to the sage Viswamithra who would take his son Rama to many places for specific purposes. Rama's brother Lakshmana came along too; the two are inseparable.
• How would Rama feel about this whole event?
• Rama ended Thataka, who was degraded to demonhood from a past event. Rama brought her to her end by piercing her throat.
• Ahalya, created by Brahma, was very beautiful. She was gifted to Sage Gautama who had pure intentions and was good. The God Indra, however, was very envious and wanted Ahalya all for himself. 
• He watched over Ahalya in different guises just to get glimpses of her, while also watching the habits of the sage. From this he plotted his scheme to get Ahalya, which he did and the sage caught the two in the act.
• Rama, once in Mithila, saw Sita (incarnation of Shiva's consort), and fell in love. Sita, after seeing a glimpse of him and having their eyes meet for a mere second, could not stop thinking about him and was going insane from all the thoughts of love.
• In the end, they got married.
• Kaikeyi, one of Dasaratha's wives came to him and told him that he had two promises he had to keep in which she can ask for anything. She asked for her son Bharatha to be king instead of Rama being crowned king and to exile Rama for 14 years so he would not get in the way (as she assumed). 

Rama and Sita

Source: Google