Week Three Reading Diary: The Ramayana, R.K. Narayan

Beginning the second half of "The Ramayana", I find the characters Rama and Lakshamana evolving into human beings who possess strong will, determination, and overall display a brotherly love that is seen and expressed by the characters they encounter throughout the chapters, and to the reader of the story.

After the abduction of Sita, we are shown a Rama who remains strong and determined to find the love of his life.  He makes it his mission to save his wife even if means him dying in the process.  Journeying through the forest, both Rama and Lakshamana meet Hanuman and Sugreeva. Gaining a relationship built on trust later turning into a friendship, Rama decides to help Sugreeva defeat his brother Vali in winning back his place as king. When Sugreeva summons Vali  to fight, his brother is stopped by his wife (formally Sugreeva's wife) in their cave.  Vali's wife tells him  not to fight because death will be his fate. Vali questions his wife's faith in him and states, "you have the elegance of a peacock and the voice of a nightingale...[but] have you forgotten that whoever confronts me gives me half of his strength" (pg 97)
 
When Vali leaves his cave and confronts his brother, it is Rama who pierces his heart with an arrow killing him.  Vali questions Rama's actions and asks why he interferes with family affairs when he has problems of his own that he should be concerned with.  Due to the death of Vali, Rama, Lakshamana, Hanuman, and Sugreeva become allies devoting themselves to finding Sita.

Vali and Sugreeva Fighting

 As months pass, Rama becomes vulnerable and depressed believing that his allies have betrayed his trust. The rainy season begins in the forest and a pact is made to find Sita when the season ends. Rama and Lakshmana continue to reside in the forest while Hanuman and Sugreeva leave them to live in Kishkinda, where they will remain in a palace.  The rainy season takes a toll on Rama, and the disappearance of the beauty that was once seen outside in the forest becomes a desolate dark place.

Rama and Lakshamana

Becoming impatient, Rama becomes furious and tells his brother Lakshamana to leave and go to Kishkinda and question the intentions of their allies.  Reaching his destination,  Lakshamana is soon stopped by the female monkeys at the gates of the palace .  Wanting to know his intentions, he is questioned and becomes overcome with emotion thinking of his very own mother.  He is then told that his allies have searched for help with finding Sita but have not had any luck.



Bibliography: "The Ramayana" written by R.K. Narayan