Week 5 Famous Last Words

Reading This Week
I read the Ramayana this week. It was very interesting and actually quite fun to read. Although the ending for the unit was kind of a bummer. *spoiler alert* I just thought that it was kind of pointless for Rama to go through all that trouble, and the others such as Lakshmana and Hanuman as well, just for him to reject Sita in the end. I mean, at least try to stay together or something and figure it out, instead of spending all that time and effort only to reject her immediately afterwards.

My Best Writing This Week
I think my Storytelling was definitely the winner this week for me. It was quite fun to write it, and the idea came while I was reading the earlier sections of the Ramayana unit. It's not as long as the others, but I think I did a good job for someone (me) who doesn't like writing all that much.

My Other Classes
My Field Project group and I actually went to the Children's Hospital in OKC at 8AM on Monday to present our Project Definition Project to OU Physicians. It's just the presentation we make to tell them essentially what we're going to be doing for them this semester. It went pretty well, although it lasted a bit longer than I thought it would.

OU Children's Hospital (source: Google)

Other classes are going fine. One my my previous professors actually offered me a job to help a graduate student do project research, so that's cool.

Thoughts about Comments

I think comments that suggest improve on the stories are very useful. It makes me think of different things I could have done with my writing, different directions the stories could take. There was one comment on my Cupid and Psyche story, where the person suggested that Psyche actually do tasks rather than answer riddles, and I thought that was a good suggestion. I later thought of different little tasks Venus could have had Psyche do (getting Psyche to separate little beans/beads, or filing or something tedious like that).

I definitely could improve my comments to others. Usually I have a hard time reaching the limit because I don't really know what to say. Most of the stories I have read are pretty good, so there really wasn't a suggestion I could make.

Week 5 Storytelling: Rama Online

Rama (source: tumblr)

Name: Rama

Age: 27

Location: Ayodhya, India

Status: It’s complicated

Height: 6’ 2”

Weight: 195 lb

Occupation: King of Ayodhya

Education: Plenty

Interested In: Women

Hey, ladies. My name’s Rama, and I’ve been king for a short while now. I’m looking for a queen, and a friend of mine said that this would be a good way to get the word out. Let me start at the very beginning….

My father, King Dasaratha, had 3 wives: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. For some reason, none of them had any kids. One day, one of my father’s counsellor found this nutrition supplement that is supposed to help you along or something along those lines. Suddenly, all 3 were pregnant at the same time. I am born to Kausalya, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Lakshmana and Satrughna to Sumitra. We all grew up like brothers.

At the age of 5, we were all taught by Vasishtha, our governor, in different different areas. We started with the alphabet and grammar. Soon after, we mastered 18 languages. It may seem like a lot, but it’s actually easier to learn pronunciation and stuff when you’re younger. We were also taught music, dancing, and painting. We all know how to play at least one instrument and learned ballroom dancing.

We never left the palace often, and since we had our governor and private tutors, we didn’t exactly go to normal school. As we grew up we picked up some sports like archery and sword fighting/fencing. It was always fun to duel with my brothers and we helped each other learn and grow.

I made a bet with my brothers one day about asking this girl, Sita, out for a date. She is so beautiful, it’s almost impossible she’s real. I had seen her the few times we were allowed off of the palace grounds. I think she’s the daughter of a business owner in our town or something along those lines. Turns out I won the bet and she agreed to go out with me (I mean, who wouldn’t!)

Sita (source: tumblr)

We went out for a bit, before this huge guy, and I mean huge (he was built like a quarterback or something) asked her out. This is the part where it gets a bit iffy. I didn’t see this myself, so I don’t know if they knew each other previously or what, but one of my brothers saw it happen. Now, I don’t know if he knew or not that she’s taken, or what the heck she was thinking, but I saw them out together one day. I tried confronting her, but she keeps insisting nothing happened.

I took her back and we went out for a while after that, before my family and friends voiced their opinions. It always felt kind of wrong after the little spat we had. I never got the chance to ask her outright whether she went voluntarily with the dude (even though it certainly looked it), and she never brought it up. I don’t know if she was purposefully avoiding the topic or just didn’t think she did anything wrong. My family and friends kept saying that she’s denying anything happened because I’m in line for the throne and she just wanted the benefits of going out and someday possibly marrying a prince.

I didn’t know what to think, so I broke up with her. I already had doubts about our relationship, and nothing seemed to be going well after I saw her with the dude; it seemed like we were always struggling just to be civil to each other. There was no more chemistry left with us, and I kind of lost my trust in her. We haven’t seen each other in months, and sometimes I wonder what happened to her and if I could have done something to save or relationship, but my family keeps reminding me that she was the one that went out with someone else, and that I did nothing wrong.

I don’t know much about this online dating thing, but some people seem to find their match his way. Here’s to hoping I find my next queen!

Peace! R.

Author's Note

I based my story off of the beginnings of the Ramayana. The beginning was quite similar, where the king had 3 wives and none of them had babies. I changed the part where the king made a horse sacrifice to a counsellor finding a nutrition supplement. In the story, Rama and his brothers learned all sorts of things at the age of 5. Rama went with his teacher and Lakshmana, his brother, to help out a neighboring city. Went they arrived, the king presented Rama with the bow of Shiva, saying that if he was able to bend it, he would allow Rama to marry Sita, his daughter. Later in the story, Ravana, a 10 headed giant with 20 arms kidnaps her. Rama, Hanuman, and the ape army managed to save her and bring her back. When they got back to Ayodhya, however, Rama decides that he couldn't be with Sita. To prove her innocence, she called the Earth. Mother Earth emerged from the ground with a chair where Sita sat on, and seconds later they disappeared. Sita is now in heaven as the goddess Lakshmi, and Rama, years later, follows her.

I chose parts of the story to write about, and thought that using the dating profile style would be appropriate. Instead of kidnapping, I just said Ravana asked her out when she was still with Rama. I changed the ending to them just breaking up and him not seeing Sita since then rather than killing her off. I tweaked the story a bit to make it fit into a modern setting.

Bibliography: the Ramayana Unit can be found here.

Week 5 Reading Diary, continued: the Ramayana

The continuation of this week's reading, the Ramayana.

The Rakshasas

• The trio spent thirteen years and a half going through the deep jungle and finally setting down in a four-bedroom hut.
• Rakshasa woman, named Surpanakha, sister of Ravana, the demon King of Lanka, Ceylon. She was misshapen and ugly and her voice was harsh and unpleasant.
• When she saw Rama, she fell in love. She assumed another form to lure Rama away from Sita. 
• Rama says he would not leave Sita, but that Lakshmana is single.
• Surpanakha tried to attack Sita, but with the quick reflexes, Rama pushed her back and Lakshmana cut the ears and noses off of her.
• She ran to her brother Khara, who was enraged.
• Khara called upon 14 Rakshasas and commanded them to capture the Trio. Rama slaid them with Celestial arrows.
• Khara called upon his brother Dushana to gather 14,000 Rakshasa, and to bring his weapons and chariots. He is going to kill Rama.
• Rama sends Lakshmana away with Sita to a secret cave to protect her while he battles them.
• Although he was outnumbered, Rama emerged victorious.

The Golden Deer

• Only Surpanakha escaped alive. She headed to lanka to inform the ten-headed King Ravana of her brothers' death. She told them to capture Sita.
• Ravana and his brother, Maricha, set off towards the forest. Maricha transformed into a golden deer and grazed near Sita until she saw him. 
• Rama chased the deer and finally loosed an arrow that pierced its heart. Maricha emerged from the body and cried "Sita, Sita, save me!" in Rama's voice, then died.
• Sita sent Lakshmana to go help his brother.
• Ravana watched as Lakshmana left Sita alone and approached her, disguised as a sage. When Sita invited him to rest, thinking he was a Brahman, he revealed himself. 
• He boasted that he can beat everyone, turning into his other form of a giant with 10 heads and 20 arms. He seized Sita and carried her off.
• As she was being carried away, Sita took of piece by piece of her ornaments, leaving a trail. 

Sita (source: Google)

Rama's Quest for Sita

• Rama searched and wept for her. 
• The next day, the brothers set off to find Sita again. They came upon the hut of Jatayus, the Vulture King that tried to stop Ravana. He told the brothers what happened, then died shortly after.
• On their way towards the south, where Lanka is, they encountered a great black demon with his head in the middle of his body, had one eye, with long and monstrous teeth. 
• The princes reveal who they are, and the demon asks them to burn his body so he can be free of his Rakshasa form and nature, promising that if they did, he would tell them where Sita went.
• When they approached the mountain, Hanuman came and the princes told him of Sita's abduction. 
• Rama helped the king rid of the usurper.

Hanuman (source: Google)

Hanuman

• Ravana would often approach Sita with sweet words, but she would always reject him.
• Ravana once kidnapped a nymph of Indra's heaven, Punjikashthala, which angered Brahma, who said that Ravana's head would be rent asunder if he attempted to kidnap another female again.
• The king still hasn't done as promised, so Lakshmana went to the palace to threaten him. The king quickly gathered a great army of apes and bears. 
• Hanuman came upon Jatayus' brother, who saw where Ravana took Sita. Hanuman followed the directions.
• On the way there he encountered Surasa. The condition is to go through her mouth, otherwise he can go no further. Hanuman quickly grew in size, immediately shrunk, jumped into her mouth and quickly leaped back out. He was allowed to pass.
• He next encountered a dragon. When the dragon tried to attack him, he shrunk and dove into its mouth and attacked the dragon from the inside.
• He finally reached Lanka, resumed the form a cat, and entered the capital.

Sita in the Asoka Grove

• Hanuman found Sita in the grove but couldn't find an opening to approach her.
• Ravana kept on trying to break her down, but she would rather die.
• Hanuman resumed his monkey form and told Sita of Rama looking for her. She couldn't go with him, but gave him a jewel from her hair as a token. Ravana gave her 2 months before he would kill her.
• Hanuman was taken prisoner. A counsellor advised to take him as an envoy instead. Ravana oiled up Hanuman's tail and set it on fire. Sita prayed that it would leave Hanuman uninjured, and her prayers were heard.
• Hanuman shrank until he could escape, setting fire to mansions throughout the town from his flaming tail. 
• The armies marched to the shore, and was joined by Bibhishana. 
• Ravana called counsel, and his brother, Bibhishana, advised Ravana to return Sita to Rama. Ravana got mad and banished Bibhishana, who went to join Rama.

Ravana (source: Google)

The War with Ravana

• The apes, with Rama and Lakshmana leading them, approach the gates of Lanka. 
• The Rakshasas attacked them, riding on the backs of elephants, lions, camles, hogs, hyenas, wolves, and asses. 
• Indrajit threw a snake noose at the brothers, but the god of wind, Vayu, send the great celestial bird Garuda, the serpent killer, to help out. 
• Ravana came forth, but Rama shot arrows which swept the ten crowns on his heads, and Ravana retreated in shame.
• The Rakshasas called upon the mightiest of demons, Kumbhakarna, who sleeps for 6 months, and awakens for one day. In that one day, he would devour everything before falling back asleep. Nothing woke him until a beautiful woman caressed him. They brought him food, but he was not satisfied. Where are the apes so that I may devour them?

Rama Confronts Ravana

• Kumbhakarna defeated Hanuman and seized Sugriva. Thousands of apes were devoured. Rama came to the rescue by loosing a flaming arrow, and the monster staggered and fell into the ocean. 
• Indrajit offered another sacrifice and became invisible. He rose into the air and showered Rama with arrows. Rama and Lakshmana pretended to be dead.
• The ape healer sent Hanuman to find an herb, but he couldn't, so he took the whole mountain. When Rama, Lakshmana, and the injured apes were healed, Hanuman returned the mountain.
• Lakshmana shot the arrow that defeated Indrajit.
• Ravana wept for his son.
• Ravana, mad with grief, went to slay Sita, but the Rakshasas stopped him. 
• Ravana tried to kill Bibhishana, but Lakshmana saved him. Ravana flung a great dart that pierced the heart of Lakshmana and pinned him to the earth. 
• Hanuman again went to get the herbs, and the healer restored Lakshmana to his former self.
• Rama shot an arrow that pierced one of the heads, but one immediately reappeared. Rama used the flaming weapon which Brahma had created for the protection of the gods and struck Ravana with it, who fell and died.

Rama's Coronation

• When Sita was brought to Rama, he rejects her, saying that she has dwelt in the house of Ravana.
• Sita asks Lakshmana to make a funeral pyre so she could kill herself.
• Sita invoked the fire god, leapt into the flames and vanished.
• Suddenly the gods appeared, the fires parted, and the god Agni delivered Sita to Rama, saying "Receive thy wife who is without sin or shame."
• His exile now ended, Rama hurried to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana and Hanuman.
• Rama was crowed the next day. 
• People questioned Sita's virtue. Abiding to the people's demand, Rama banished her. Lakshmana brought her to the southern jungles and left her at the hermitage of Valmiki. 
• She later had two sons, Lava and Kusa.
• Rama performed a horse sacrifice to cleanse his soul of sin. When he released the horse into the forest, his sons took it. They defeated the royal army, and Rama went to confront them. They revealed their mother, but not knowing their father. Rama told Valmiki to bring her forward, to prove her innocence to the people. 
• Sita refused to go for a while.
• In the presence of the people and Rama, she invoked the Earth. When she was finished, the earthed opened and spit out a golden throne with sparkling gems, supported by four great serpents. Then the Earth Mother appeared, brought Sita to the throne, and sat beside her. The throne vanished and the earth closed over it. 
• Rama grieved, until one day he ascended to heaven carried by Garuda, and found Sita as the goddess Lakshmi.

Week 5 Reading Diary: the Ramayana

For this week, I chose to read the Ramayana.

Rama (source: Google)

The Birth of Rama

• two kingdoms: Kosala, whose King was Dasaratha, father of Rama; Mithila, which was ruled over by Janaka, the father of Sita
• capital of Kosala was Ayodhya: wide streets with large dwellings, richly decorated temples, towering like mountains, and grand and noble palaces. The city was full of prosperous and happy people.
• Dasaratha was sad because he doesn't have a son, from either of his 3 queens: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra.
• He performed the horse sacrifice.
• The wives, after eating the sacrificial food, finally became pregnant. Kausalya of Rama, Kaikeyi of Bharata, and Sumitra of Lakshamana, and Satrughna. 

Vishwamitra, Rama's Teacher

• Rama was the most beautiful. One night, he reached for the moon hoping it would be a toy. After everyone couldn't figure out what was wrong, the counsellor handed him a mirror, and the prince was comforted.
• Education began at 5 years old.
• Mastered 18 languages. Also instructed in music, dancing, painting, and in all the sciences.
• They became skilled archers, elephant riders, and horsemen and charioteers.
• Vishwamitra asked the king for Rama, since he is skilled, to help him with the attack on his hermitage, and Lakshmana accompanied them too.
• Taraka, a Rakshasa woman, continually ravaged the country. Rama challenged her, but they were reluctant to kill her since she was female. Rama shot arrows and cut off both her arms, and Lakshmana deprived her of nose and ears. She became invisible, but guided by sound, Rama shot an arrow and killed her.

Rama and Sita

• They finally reach the capital of Janaka.
• The king brought forward Shiva's bow, saying that if Rama was able to bend it, he would allow him to marry Sita.
• Rama was able to bend it. He applied so much force it snapped in the middle. 
• Rama and Sita wedded.
• Dasaratha was growing old, and his counsellors are wondering who should take over after. They all favoured Rama, and Dasaratha was filled with joy. 

Kaikeyi's Plot

• One person who isn't happy about the news: the old nurse of Bharata, son of queen Kaikeyi. She is ugly and misshapen, short-necked, flat-breasted, legs like a crane, big-bellied, and humpbacked. She offended Rama when he was young and he smote her.
• Manthara tried to urge Kaikeyi to be mad, but Kaiyeki likes Rama, since he sees her as another mother. So Manthara said things to Kaikeyi that made her mad. Can Bharata become the slave of Rama? Well I know that jealous Rama will drive thy lordly son into exile and mayhap slay him... Arise, thou heedless queen, and save Bharata lest he be sent to wander alone in the fearsome jungle.
• She reminded Kaikeyi that she has two boons over the king, from the time she cured him after he was injured. She told Kaikeyi to go to the mourning chamber and feign being sad and mad. 
• She asked for Bharata to be installed as the next king, and that Rama be banished for fourteen years to live in the jungle.
• When Dasaratha asked for her to make different boons, she threatened to take poison and kill herself.
• Dasaratha grant the boons, but he rejects Kaikeyi forever and her son Bharata.

Rama's Exile

• Rama is summoned the next day to be told of the boons. Rama was unmoved and left.
• He went to tell his mother, Kausalya, who was making offerings to Vishnu on his behalf. She pleaded him to stay, and he sought to comfort her, but she was too grieved and starts to hate Kaikeyi.
• He went to tell Sita the news. She says that it is a wife's duty to accompany her husband. Rama doesn't want Sita to suffer with him. He asks her to remain while he is away. He finally agreed that she could come too. Lakshmana also insisted he come too. 

The Death of Dasaratha

• People gazed sadly at Rama and his wife while he walked through the city to bid farewell to his father. 
• Dasaratha still weeps, and says that he has been tricked by a wicked woman. Kaikeyi orders for raiment of bark to be brought out so that the 3 could wear while banished. Sita wept, saying she couldn't wear it, and Dasaratha finally said that it only applies to Rama, and that the other two could where what they want.
• The exiles left, and the city mourned.
• Dasaratha, not able to handle the grief, died the second night Rama and company left.

Rama and Bharata

• Bharata was finally told about the death of his father. He started to weep and asked for Rama, who would have been his sire. 
• Kaikeyi tells him that he has a kingdom now, but he doesn't care. I have lost my father and my elder brother. Of what good is a kingdom unto me now? Oevil-hearted woman, thou hast bereft this house of all joy; thou hast slain my sire and banished Rama.... But I will bring my brother back from the jungle; he shall be seated on the throne.
• Satrughna, Bharata's brother, found Manthara and was going to slay her. Bharata stopped him, saying she is a woman, and that he would have killed his mother if he knew that Rama wouldn't have been mad if he had done so.
• Bharata vowed to never take the throne. Kausalya wept because he is loyal.
• Bharata left to look for Rama after the funeral. They met in the jungle. Bharata tried to give the kingdom to Rama, but he refuses, determined to fulfill the vow of his father.
• Bharata asks to be in the jungle with Rama too if he is going to stay.
• Bharata says he is going to dwell outside the city until Rama returns again. He conducted affairs of government, holding royal umbrella over Rama's sandals. 
• The sandals of Rama were the symbol of royal authority.