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

Link to Photo

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.