Reading Notes: Narayan Guide, Section C

Photo Information: Rama meeting the monkey chiefs,  Source

P. 74. Chapter 5, The Grand Tormentor

Previously,  Soorpanaka, Ravana's sister desires to have Rama as a lover. Rama has rebuked her and disfigured her face while declaring his true love for Sita. In chapter 5, The Grand Tormentor, Soorpanaka enters Ravana's palatial hall seeking to manipulate her brother into claiming Sita as his own bride, thus stealing her away from Rama so that Rama may fall in love with Soorpanaka. Ravana begins to covet Sita through his sister's description and moves to abduct her by deceptive means. Ravana enlists his uncle Mareecha, who has been defeated twice previously by Rama, to aid him in tempting Sita away from safety. Mareecha is reluctant to aid Ravana due to a personal resolve to seek harmony and peace through meditation. Knowing that Ravana will kill him should he chose to not aid in the deceit, Mareecha volunteers himself to complicity. Mareecha transforms himself into a golden deer to lure Sita away from safety and the abducts her. Jatayu, the great eagle, attempts to intercede and protect Rama's wife. After trying to convince Ravana to return Sita, the great bird attacks Ravana and is defeated. Jatayu stays alive long enough to be found by Rama and Lakshmana and provide a report of what happened. Much of the chapter is spent describing the conditional morality of the character's choices.

P. 90 Chapter 6, Vali

Vali and Sugeeva are monkey and brothers. Vali has been granted near invincibility by Shiva for an act of contribution to the higher gods. Sugeeva has been elected leader of their clan in Vali absence. When Vali returns, he sees Sugeeya's proxy-hood has an attempt to steal his leadership over the clan. Vali attempts to kill Sugeeya despite the lesser monkey's attempts to explain. Sugeeya only finds reprieve in the shelter of a place that Vali cannot visit without befalling a curse. Rama meets Sugeeya and Hanuman in this place and agrees to help Sugeeya kill Vali so that he may once again roam free. In return Rama seeks the aid of the monkeys to find Sita. Rama resolves that it is okay to kill Vali without facing him because Vali's behavior in regards to Sugeeya were dishonorable and immoral. Rama kills Vali after Sugeeya draws the greater monkey's attention with a challenge. Rama shoots an arrow from Shiva's bow while remaining hidden from Vali's sight. Like the previous chapter, the merits of the conditional morality of each character's choices are explain in some depth.

P. 108 Chapter 7, When the Rains Cease

After Vali has fallen and Sugeeya resumes the role of leader to his clan, the monsoon season arrives. The search for Sita is paused until the rains cease. Sugeeya finds himself drunk and neglectful of his obligation to aid Rama in his search for Sita. As a result, Sugeeya resolves to never drink again. Sugeeya gathers his armies and Hanuman is commissioned to lead the search in the direction most likely taken by Ravana. Hanuman is instructed by Rama on how to identify Sita. After a long and exhaustive search, Hanuman and his army are experiencing low moral with their failure to find Sita up to that point. They then meet Sampathi, brother of Jatayu. Sampathi mourns the death of his brother and encourages Hanuman to cross the sea to Lanka to find Sita and Ravana.

Combined, the three chapters remind me of a domestic struggle among a family who is collectively dealing with the fall out of substance abuse.

Bibliography:

R. K. Narayan, The Ramayan : A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, p 74-120