Skip to main content

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Section A

These notes are an outline of the events and stories that take place in reading section A of Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition. I decided that this note taking style would help me follow along with the events and characters of Ramayana that stand out to me.

Background: 

  • King Dasharatha= ruler of Koshala kingdom in Ayodhya (Solar Dynasty)
    • Ayodhya= beautiful kingdom full of happy people
    • King wanted sons so horse sacrifice was performed and he was told he would have 4 sons (Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna)
  • King Janaka= ruler of Videha kingdom in Mithila
  • Ravana (from heaven) can only defeat the god Vishnu in human form, which he will do through King Dasharatha's son, Rama

Sons are grown:
  • Vishwamitra (sage) needs help from Rama and Lakshmana to fight demons that are disturbing Vishvamitra
    • This would begin "manhood" for Rama and Lakshmana
    • Rama and Lakshmana fought Thataka and killed her and later killed her son, Maricha with supernatural weapons who came for revenge
    • Vishwamitra tells Rama and Lakshmana many stories about sages 
  • Rama falls in love with Sita, King Janaka's daughter (who happens to be an avatar of the gooddess Lakshmi)
    • Both heaven and earthly beings are in love with each other
  • Rama meets Parashurama, who is also an avatar of Vishnu and he gives Rama a new weapon
  • Rama marries Sita and Rama's brothers also marry into Sita's family
  • King Dasharatha must make a difficult decision on which son will become heir to the throne. The king chooses Rama
  • Manthara, a slave dislikes Rama and doesn't want him to become the heir so Kaikeyi (one of the king's wives) orders Rama into exile
    • The king does not like that and says that he would rather go to hell than exile Rama 
    • Kaikeyi drinks poison
  • Rama put into exile for 14 years but stays cool, calm and collected
  • Sita and Lakshmana go with Rama during his exile
  • Dasharatha dies 

References: 
Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie
Myths of Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita
The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould






Comments