Week 5: Reading Diary A

In this part of the Ramayana by William Buck, we start of with Dasharatha found passed away in bed after the exile of his son, Rama. Seeing this, Messangers are sent to have Bharatha and Shatrughna return back to Ayodhya. When they get back, they go to Kaikeyi, who tells them what had happened and explains her story. Bharatha becomes upset and at once tells everyone to get ready to go get Rama and Lakshamana back. So as soon as Dasharatha's funeral ceremonies are completed, Bharatha takes people of Ayodhya and the queens to go get his brother, Rama. In the forest where they are looking for Rama, they get the help of Gahu, the forest king, and Bhadrawaja, a hermit. Both of these people only accept to help because they sense that Bharatha's intentions are well and is trying to do the right thing. When they finally reach Rama, Rama refuses to go back. Bharatha asks Rama for his footwear so it can be placed on the throne for the duration of Rama's absences.

Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita are visiting the hermit, Atri, who tells them the story of Mandakarni. Mandakarni performed many rites that got him to be really powerful, to a point where the gods were even scared of him and so they sent five Apsuras to seduce and make sure he didn't do anything irrational with his power. They succeeded and lived in the lake in harmony.

During one summer, they meet the sage, Agastya, who warns them about entering the Dandaka forest. He tells them that a demon named, Ravana is the master and controls it.

One day when Rama is telling Sita a story, she is abducted by a demon named Viradha. Lakshmana and Rama manage to capture him and kill him, but before they do Viradha says he is actually a gandharva named Tumburu, who was cursed to live as a demon until Rama killed the demonic form of him.

As they continued to live in Panchavati, they meet Surpanakha, who is the sister of Ravana. She falls in love with Rama and tries to get Rama to marry her, but Rama refuses to. So she attacks Sita in jealousy. Seeing this, Lakshmana attacks Surpanakha and mutilates her. She runs to Ravana's army chief, Khara, who then attacks Rama and Lakshmana. When Rama and Lakshmana defeat Khara, she runs to Ravana and tells him her situation.