Book Report on the Ramayana For my class book report assignment, I chose to read ‘The Ramayana.” The version I read is the shortened modern prose version of the Indian epic, written by R.K. Narayan.
The “Ramayana,” tells the epic story of Lord Rama. Rama is born to a king named
Dasrath, by Kausalya who is the king’s first wife. Rama is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Rama has two brothers Lakshman and Shatrugan who were born of the king’s second wife and a third brother named Bharat born of the third wife named Kaykeyi.
Rama married a princess named Sita. When Rama was supposed to be crowned King,
Kaykeyi wanted her son to be king instead. Kaykeyi forced the king to give her two promised boons and got her son Bharat installed as king and …show more content…
During his exile, Rama’s wife was kidnapped by a demon named Ravana. Rama and his faithful brother Lakshman, along with an army of monkeys and their leader Hanuman, rescued Sita and defeated Ravana.
According to the authors introduction, as well as what we learned in the classroom lectures, the Ramayana is a great Indian epic originally composed in Sanskrit and “ The Ramayana has lessons in the presentation of motives, actions and reactions, applicable for all time and for all conditions of life.” (pp xxiv) The Ramayana contains insights into the Indian social life, religious beliefs as well as political values. Throughout the book, there appears to be a great value placed on esoteric knowledge and deities such as the part in the first section where Rama receives his initiation into battle and esoteric knowledge of weapons from their presiding deities. He is hailed a hero and a savior by defeating a female demon named Thataka. (pp. 13) We find that Rama’s life mission is to
“restore righteousness and virtue to mankind and eliminate all evil.” (p.21) Rama’s use of the esoteric skills are extensive as shown in the final battle with Ravana. At one point Rama …show more content…
In the opening scene, a demoness, Thataka was preventing a yagna from being performed. (p7) Viswamithra had been a king and a warrior but had renounced those roles and through “severe austerities,” become a sage. (p7) After two failed attempts at killing Rama,
Mareecha, The son of the demoness Thataka was attempting to live a moral and spiritual life. (p.80)
There is a mention of the “five-fold evils, lust, anger, miserliness, egoism and envy, within before one can realize holiness.” (p8) Throughout the book, one can find examples of
Rama, as well as others, battling with lust. Mareecha admonished Ravana that it is wrong to covet another’s wife.(p80) and Rama judged Vali for taking Sugreeve’s wife. (p.102) Caste plays another important role in the book. When the demoness Soorpanaka seeks to seduce Rama, there are several paragraphs devoted to caste and what classes may marry (pp 65-66.) Rama and Sita portray an ideal couple with values on family, respect to their elders and devotion to one another. (Mostly with Dharmic consequences in mind.) When Rama is sent
The “Ramayana,” tells the epic story of Lord Rama. Rama is born to a king named
Dasrath, by Kausalya who is the king’s first wife. Rama is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Rama has two brothers Lakshman and Shatrugan who were born of the king’s second wife and a third brother named Bharat born of the third wife named Kaykeyi.
Rama married a princess named Sita. When Rama was supposed to be crowned King,
Kaykeyi wanted her son to be king instead. Kaykeyi forced the king to give her two promised boons and got her son Bharat installed as king and …show more content…
During his exile, Rama’s wife was kidnapped by a demon named Ravana. Rama and his faithful brother Lakshman, along with an army of monkeys and their leader Hanuman, rescued Sita and defeated Ravana.
According to the authors introduction, as well as what we learned in the classroom lectures, the Ramayana is a great Indian epic originally composed in Sanskrit and “ The Ramayana has lessons in the presentation of motives, actions and reactions, applicable for all time and for all conditions of life.” (pp xxiv) The Ramayana contains insights into the Indian social life, religious beliefs as well as political values. Throughout the book, there appears to be a great value placed on esoteric knowledge and deities such as the part in the first section where Rama receives his initiation into battle and esoteric knowledge of weapons from their presiding deities. He is hailed a hero and a savior by defeating a female demon named Thataka. (pp. 13) We find that Rama’s life mission is to
“restore righteousness and virtue to mankind and eliminate all evil.” (p.21) Rama’s use of the esoteric skills are extensive as shown in the final battle with Ravana. At one point Rama …show more content…
In the opening scene, a demoness, Thataka was preventing a yagna from being performed. (p7) Viswamithra had been a king and a warrior but had renounced those roles and through “severe austerities,” become a sage. (p7) After two failed attempts at killing Rama,
Mareecha, The son of the demoness Thataka was attempting to live a moral and spiritual life. (p.80)
There is a mention of the “five-fold evils, lust, anger, miserliness, egoism and envy, within before one can realize holiness.” (p8) Throughout the book, one can find examples of
Rama, as well as others, battling with lust. Mareecha admonished Ravana that it is wrong to covet another’s wife.(p80) and Rama judged Vali for taking Sugreeve’s wife. (p.102) Caste plays another important role in the book. When the demoness Soorpanaka seeks to seduce Rama, there are several paragraphs devoted to caste and what classes may marry (pp 65-66.) Rama and Sita portray an ideal couple with values on family, respect to their elders and devotion to one another. (Mostly with Dharmic consequences in mind.) When Rama is sent