Reading Notes: The Ramayana part D

The attack continues when Rama makes it to the shore between India and Lanka. A bridge is formed which is then called “Rama’s Bridge”, which allowed the army to get to Lanka. The army was so large and strong, and Ravana sent spies to find out more about the army and when they returned they told Ravana to give up Sita. Ravana would not listen. The war began and an illusion of Rama’s head was given to Ravana and in his excitement he finds out that it was a false head. Monkeys begin to attack Ravana’s army, scaring his army, but they bounced back and begin to scare the monkey army. After many monkeys die, they are thrown into a panic. Lakshmana is attacked in the battle and is wounded to the looks of death, and so is Rama. They are then found by Goruda and given healing by him. After they are found and seen healed, the monkeys gain their courage and attack again. The largest and baddest demon is awoken early from his slumber and attacks the monkey army. He kills many and injures Hanuman. Rama makes Hanuman fall into the ocean where he then dies. Ravana’s son then gives up an offering and receives a bow that he uses to attack the army, he fought hard and well, but is killed in battle and Ravana then grows fierce with rage towards Rama. He does not make it to long before he too falls to Rama and the battle ends. Rama finds Sita and to prove her innocence she climbs into a fire that she asked the god of the fire to save her from, she is saved and is seen as pure, and they go home. Rama takes the throne finally. people questions Sita’s purity and Rama sends her away. She gave birth to two sons of Rama in the wilderness. She then dies and Rama then goes to be in the heavens. 

Arrows

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Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Reading Notes: The Ramayana part C

I have never made it this far in the story. In past classes we only read the first half, or watched the first half, but the second half was much better in my opinion. There was much more action and adventure in this part of the story that caught more of my attention. 

Starting in this part of the story Rama and Lakshmana meet a new ally, Hanuman and Sugriva. These two characters play such a vital role in the story that catch much of my attention and draws me in. I loved hearing the story of how Sugriva brings in Rama and Lakshmana to aid him in his conquest on his evil brother in order that he might win back his kingdom and along with that his wife. And just that happens, Rama uses his bow to send a final blow into Sugriva’s brother Vali, killing him and giving the kingdom back to Sugriva. With the glory of victory in his mind, he forgets about his promise to Rama about helping Rama find Sita, who had been kidnapped earlier. 

Sugriva gets back on his game and sends out scout teams to help find Sita. North, South, East and West Sugriva sends out his team. All come back, except the South. South get word that Sita was found in Lanka, kidnapped by Ravana. Hanuman jumps like King Kong all the way to Lanka and finds Sita and destroys much of Lanka. He gets caught, and escapes easy. He goes back to Rama and lets him know that Sita is in Lanka. Then all the monkey’s army march onto Lanka to attack the entire island. Ravana finds out that Rama is attacking, and is told by his brother that he should release Sita, Ravana disagrees and banishes his brother who then joins Rama.  

The Burning of Lanka

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Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder

Feedback Thoughts

Feedback is something that I am no good at. I am no good at either giving or receiving feedback. I tend to find myself receiving feedback a lot, especially in my job. My job requires me to receive feedback from my leaders and from my coworkers. I am bad at it. I tend to try and close off and push it aside. I hate feedback for sure. That does not stop me from receiving it. But reading these articles helps me to understand how I can better receive feedback without shutting myself off in the process. My thought about feedback can change from what it was, I can learn to see feedback as a state not a trait. Knowing that my trait, my characteristics, are not being brought into question, but my state instead is what is being brought into question is much better for me to know. My state, my work, is what is receiving the feedback, which rightfully should because we always have room for growth, is better to know. Knowing that I can relax, because I know it is not an attack on my, but instead a growth process that I can use. On the other hand, I suck at giving feedback to others also. I need to learn to be more specific, maybe quoting the person I am giving feedback to. Usually I just say, “you said… I think…”. But according to Goldberg in her article “Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset”, I should be more direct and specific, really getting into what the person said, quoting what they said, so that they can better know what I am trying to tell them through my feedback. Also I think that I just need to be a little less nice in the sense that I do not want anyone to be hurt by what I have said to them. 

Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset 

By Gravity Goldburg

5 Tips For Taking Feedback Like a Champ 

By Megan Bruneau

Feedback?

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Week 2 Story: The Rakshasa

Long ago, in a nation far, far away, a man his wife and his brother are lost in a vast forest. Waiting and waiting for the year to come when they can go back to the city of their fathers.

            10 years since the banishment into the wilderness the three hero’s sit around a fire talking and gathering close to stay warm. The fire crackles and the owl hoot as the night rolls on.

            “Its been 10 years Rama” said Lakshman, “10 years since the banishment, I’m tired of this”.

            “I was the one banished, Lakshman, you are free to go home” Rama replied as they ate the food they had caught for the day.

            “I could never leave you and Sita out here while I live in freedom, I don’t have that in me. I may hate it out here, but I love you. I love you both, and I will never desert you here” Lakshmana answered as he stared transfixed into the fire. It grew quiet and the three sat silent. As the night rolled on and Rama and Sita fell silently to sleep up next to a tree while Lakshmana took the first watch of the night. It was a quiet night. Nothing more than owls hooting, the fire crackling, and the occasional wrestling of Rama and Sita moving in their sleep. The night rolled on and Lakshmana woke Rama up to take the next watch and rested his head next to the tree in order to get some sleep.

            The next day came to soon for Lakshman. It was early in the morning, first light when they would wake up for their day. They needed to catch all their meals every day, and try to find some extra meals as they hunted. Rama looked over at Lakshman, and with a smirk on his face said to him, “You ready to have a great day, Lakshman”.

            “With a tired look, Lakshmana mumbled to Rama, “Oh, shut up, Rama, it’s too early for your nonsense”. Lakshmana got up off the ground, washed his face with some cold water from a bowl next to them and grabbed his bow. They moved together in a line, Rama in front, Sita, and then Lakshmana following up the rear guard. They came upon a new forest they had not crossed before with many wild beasts roaming about having not seen the three yet.

            Suddenly Lakshmana stood tall and looked all around. “What is it, brother?” Rama questioned Lakshmana looking frightened but strong. Before Lakshmana could answer a Rakshasa roared heavily at the three and sprinted toward them. Grabbing Sita in his large arms, he ran past the others yelling and crying at the top of his lounges. He yelled wildly at Rama and Lakshmana, crying out how he was the king of the forest. Rama grabbed multiple arrows in his bow and shot them all at the rakshasa, each of which pierced. The wild beast dropped Sita and ran after the other two, turning his entire wraith on the brothers. Grabbing the brothers, one in each hand, he squeezed, but the two immediately broke the arms of the rakshasa and he dropped them to the ground. Rama stomped his foot the rakshasa throat and yelled to Lakshmana, “You dig the pit”.

            Lakshmana dug as fast as he could with his hoe and Rama threw the beast into the pit. Then they began to rejoice, for victory was theirs. And no longer did they need to worry, the largest and evilest of beast in that forest had been vanquished, and the three were then again free to travel and hunt and sleep well at night.

The fight between Rama and the rakshasa

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The Ramayana Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Author's note:

I decided to focus on one of my favorite parts of the story, the Rakshasa. I like this part mainly because well, I am a guy and I kinda like battle scenes. But I also wanted to bring a new perspective, that of Lakshmana, yet still being a 3rd person omniscient story. I just liked to make the main character Lakshmana. 

Reading Notes: The Ramayana part B

I had studied before through part A of the Ramayana, but part B was where much of the newer parts of the story were for me. Part be started with Ramayana's brother weeping for his father, the king's death. This intensifies the sadness of everyone, because Rama is still banished. Rama, who was supposed to be king before being banished, would now be stepping into his father's shoes and taking up his new role, but because of his banishment, his brother is now supposed to step into this position. But he refuses. So he goes out into the wilderness to find Rama tell him of his father's death and tell him that Rama can be king now. Rama then refuses his brother saying that he feels the need to fulfill a full 14 years of banishment to honor his father's request of him. Confused by this odd desire to fulfill a dead mans request of Rama, his brother urges him to take the position. Rama continues to refuse, so his brother comes up with a different idea. His brother gives Rama a pair of golden sandals that he tells Rama to put on. Rama puts them on and takes them off and his brother says that these sandals will be guarded in his stead outside of the city in waiting for Rama's banishment to end. The sandals will sit on the throne since Rama cannot. Many trials come the way of Rama, Sita, and Lakshamana, such as the man eating Rakshasa, the demon army that tries to kill them all too. But Rama and Lakshamana kill both groups with the celestial weapons that were given to them.

The Ramayana 

Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Bharata, Rama, and the Golden Sandals

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Reading Notes: Ramayana part A

I have chosen to read the public domain edition of the Ramayana. In this reading I noticed some great pieces of love and devotion and inspiration. The whole story, at least that I noticed was all in rhyme. I liked how this was done in rhyme because it made it all together a more fun read. The read went by faster to me and made me enjoy the sound of the story.

 The story of Rama began so well with him being the most beautiful of the sons of the king. When Rama was a young man he had the power to kill evil spirits with the celestial weapons that were given to him by the gods. Rama continued to show valor and strength his entire life being so strong that he alone could pull the god Vishnu’s bow. The story became romantic when Rama took the beautiful Sita as his wife. More valor were shown as everyone in the kingdom desired to place Rama as the king of the lands. Everyone but the king’s wife that is… The king’s wife convinced the king out of his love for her to ban Rama to the wilderness for 14 years and not allow him to be king over the nation, but instead to put Rama’s younger brother in charge of the nation. The king unhappily accepts the desires of his wife and Rama faithfully accepts the wishes of the king and leaves immediately with his wife and one of his brothers to go to the wilderness and wait till his 14 years of banishment comes to an end. The king accidentally kills a young man when he was out hunting and weeps because it reminds him of how he has lost his son Rama to the wilderness and will not see him again until he passes away.

The Ramayana Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

The Birth of Dasharatha's Sons