Storytelling Week 3: Rama's Win and Defeat

Rama, son of a well loved king is in search of his love, Siti. He has encounter multiple battles with his foe Ravana. Ravana has captured his woman and is now on a mission to find her.

Rama and his brother Lakshmana go deep into the forest in search for help. They come across two monkey kings named Surgiva and Hanuman. These monkeys offer their help with one condition. They ask Rama and his brother for help fighting their brother Vali. Rama promises to help. They go deeper into the forest to find the kingdom of Vali. They began a battle in which Vali is dominating. Rama at first stands behind a shrub ready to attack Vali from behind when he is not looking. Rama jumps out of the bush and stabs Vali in the back. The monkey king screams in great pain as he lays there bleeding. Surgiva and Hanuman are infuriated with Rama because he did not give their brother a fighting chance. Rama confused begins to panic because he is surrounded. He did not understand the code by which these monkeys lived. Rama and the two monkey kings began to battle. The monkey kings did not know exactly who Rama was. From the forest an army of bears sent by the Gods to help Rama began to engage in battle with the army of the monkeys. They fought for days until they decided to call it an end. Rama apologized for what he had done and explained that he had no idea that the monkeys only fought if both opponents had an even match. The monkey Gods forgave him mainly because of the appreciation the Gods had for Rama. The monkey kings and Rama make peace.

They continue their search for Siti but are lost in the darkness of the forest. They come across a cave where a large bird comes jumping out ready to attack. Rama explains that they do not come to fight and explains why they are deep in the woods. The bird is named Sampti. He lost his ability to fly but has amazing vision and hearing. He explains to Rama that he is able to hear a young woman cry every night hoping that a man named Rama could rescue her. He explains to Rama he has seen the kingdom of Ravana, where Siti resides, thousands of miles within the forest.

Rama and his army head out in the direction that Sampti told them. They traveled by foot for many months losing soldiers along the way. They finally spot the kingdom of Ravana but it is disconnected from the forest. There is a dark hole that separates the lands.It stretch’s more than ten miles long. Angered, Rama begins to shot arrows into the sky. He does not have the ability to jump or make it across this gap. Hanuman explains to him that he might be able to jump. Rama and the army watch him as he makes the leap. Hanuman told Rama he would go into the palace to find Siti’s exact location.

Once Hanuman is in the castle of Ravana he finds Siti. Before he can make it into the room a guard captures him and take him to Ravana. Ravana, angered begins to torture Hanuman until he tells him why he snuck into the castle. Hanuman does not tell him anything. Ravana decided to set the monkey’s tail on fire. Little did Ravana know that Hanuman had a great army waiting outside his kingdom. As Hanuman’s tail began to burn he let out a loud scream which Rama and the army were able to hear.

Rama and the army had no idea how to make it across the large gap until the gods sent down a bronze latter that could get them across the border. Immediately Rama and his army crossed into the kingdom beginning a battle with the guards of the kingdom. Ravana immediately ask for the help of his brother Kumbhakarna who is a man who is one hundred feet tall. Rama and his army are surprised by the size of this man. They shoot arrows at him but nothing is able to go through him. This is when they hear a loud grunt from the sky. Everyone looks up and sees a large monkey coming down. This was Hanuman who was given this power by the Gods for his pain. The monkey and Kumbhakarna engaged in battle leaving Kumbhakarna dead. At the last moments of the battle Rama and Ravana face off. They fought until they were both weak but Rama managed to give the determining strike. Ravana has died and Rama has captured Siti.

Ravana is killed by Rama and his brother: BlogSpot

Rama and the army depart, heading their separate ways. Rama returns to his father’s kingdom to take his throne. Years pass and the city begins to express their hatred towards Siti. They do not trust her because they have heard rumors that she willingly left Rama to go with another man. This was not true. Ravana had kidnapped her in order to get revenge for Rama killing his brother and embarrassing his sister. Rama feels forced to exile Siti back into the forest. Rama grieves daily because of what he has done. His two sons chose to leave with their mother. Years go by and the sons return to their fathers kingdom with an army of men. They engage in battle only to defeat their father’s army. Rama’s sons capture his brother Lakshmana and murder him in front of the gates of the castle. Sadden by what has happened Rama decides to take away his life. He has departed from this world to live in the heavens with his father and brother.

Authors note: This story is based on the Public Domain Edition of the Ramayan part C and D. In these episodes Rama encounters the monkey kings who help him through out the way. They originally do not engage in battle with Rama. Hanuman does not transform into a giant beast to fight Ravana’s enormous brother. I thought it would be a good battle to have two giants fight. Ravana is not easily defeated by Rama. He is killed by the help of Lakshmana and the chariot of a God sent down to help Rama. The brothers do not kill Rama’s brother for revenge or go into the kingdom starting a battle.

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Ramayan part C and D.