Week 5: Ramayana, Part B

(Found on Wikimedia Commons, statue of Rama and Sita)

Story: "Ramayana" in Indian Myth and Legend (1913) by Donald A. McKenzie

 While in exile, Rama and Sita were approached by a demon in disguise by the name Soorpanaka. She tried to lure Rama into marrying her but he refused, and out of agony she attempted to kill Sita. Sita is rescued by Rama's brother Lakshama who went into exile with them, cutting off her breasts, ears, and nose. Angry with Lakshama and Rama, Soorpanaka goes to Rama's other brother Ravana and convinces him that he is destined to be with Sita. Ravana falls in love with the idea of Sita, and goes to his uncle Mareecha for help to win Sita away from Rama.

Mareecha turns into a deer to distract Rama from Sita, and as Rama chases after the deer Sita is left alone for Ravana to take hold of her. Sita is captured and Rama and Lakshama return to find her gone with no idea of where she is. They set out to find her, ending up in the land of Kiskinda where they meet Hanuman and Sugreeva, who are rulers of the land. Rama helps kill Sugreeva's brother so that he will be named successor of all the land, and they wait through many rainy seasons for Sugreeva to help them find Sita.

During their search, Hanuman goes to to Lanka where Ravana resides, and there he finds Sita on the verge of killing herself. Hanuman saves her and tells her that Rama is coming, and returns to Rama to let him know to prepare for a fight to rescue Sita from the city of Lanka. The battle of Rama versus Ravana lasts for days, with many deaths of brothers and sons and other family members as a result. They battle around the world several times, using supernatural powers and weapons, and Rama finally shoots a weapon at Ravana's heart and kills him.

When Rama returns, he wants to send for Sita but feels that she is now impure because of her actions with Ravana. However, the god of fire carries her to Rama to insist that she's pure and to remind him that he is divine. The gods tell Rama to return to Ayodhya, and they leave on a magical vehicle to Ayodhya where Rama and Sita are crowned king and queen. They rule for many years in peace, but the story doesn't stop there.