Week 3: Reading Diary B

Sita was really dirty when Hanuman found her

The rakshasas guarding Sita tormented her

Ravana alternately tried scaring her and coaxing her to be his mistress

Hanuman was only caught because he wanted to be

“You remind me that I have not asked for protection from human beings. Does one have to ask for such a thing?”—Ravana—cocky much?

“One who had spent a lifetime in destruction, now found the gory spectacle intolerable.” About Ravana looking out at the fight in the city

Ravana’s chariot could move on its own

Ravana thought he was too good to waste his arrows trying to kill Rama, then went on and strung his bow and tried to shoot him

How does Rama revive Matali?

Ravana had prayed for his heads and arms to be indestructible, but not his heart

“Now [right after Ravana’s death] one noticed Ravana’s face aglow with a new quality. Rama’s arrows had burnt off the layers of dross, the anger, conceit, cruelty, lust, and egotism which had encrusted his real self, and now his personality came through in its pristine form—of one who was devout and capable of tremendous attainments… His face shone with serenity and peace.” Pg 159

The scar on Ravana’s back is from trying to catch an elephant

The author notes how it’s odd that Rama, who returned other women who had actually slept with another man to their husbands, no questions asked, but he expected his wife, who was completely faithful to him, to go through a test of fire

Another parallel with Christianity:  Supreme god has no beginning and no end

The author notes how Hanuman is usually described by storytellers as constantly present with Rama, even if someone is only whispering his name