Reading Diary A: Week 2

Page 1:

I can't help but notice the first parenthetical, a women of pleasure stealing goods from a patron. I don't quite understand why the sentence is in parentheses and quotations as well. Can I get a footnote?

Page 4:

I find it interesting that the King depends on his mentor for his dynasty issues. You would think a King of his stature could easily find a way to bolster his lineage.I suppose him being 'childless' might also just be an archaic way of saying he was infertile.

The gods also apparently have a dire situation and need a person who can defeat their demon. These situations seem unrelated at this point.

Page 8:

The sage knows that Rama can help defeat the dragon, and I can sense that the King knows the sage knows that. With how quickly the sage is willing to leave the King's presence after being turned down, it sounds like the sage knew the King would give in all along. This plays into the "I know your son" statement that the sage talked about with Vishna
It's interesting that the King is willing to let both sons go after once toiling over having at least one person to continure the lineage.

Page 12:

Rama was only given the esoteric astrahs once he defeated the demon. I think these techniqures would have been very useful while the demigod was raining them with stones.
Vishnu also tells another story of a previous life where he destroys a tormentor of the world.

Ganges Story:

I briefly described part of this story in one of the storybook posts from orientation week. The gods apparently frown upon horse sacrifices to the point where they hide them underground. One of the surviving members does his best to establish the rivers and oceans of today.

Ahalya:

This story is one of pure god jealousy and competition. Indra had to have this woman that was destined for Gautama, but despite this he insisted on having her.This resulted in her petrification, and his disfigurement.

Rama & Sita:

Rama and Sita finally meet. They're a match made in 'heaven', seeing as they're both ignorant of their former lives before reincarnation. Sita is struck by complete heartbreak at the first sight of Rama, to the point where her attendants think she is ill.

Because of King Janaka's great gift he received as his daughter, he could only allow those to marry her if they could pass an Excalibur-like test, bending the Shiva bow. It's odd that the King regrets snaring her future with that bow, even though there are many other tough tasks that fathers can prescribe for their daughter's suitors. Rama succeeds and despite their divine connection, Sita has no idea her suitor has won her until a maid notifies her.

I found the ceremony and especially its setting to be tough to decipher. The gist I got was that even the most deplorable and unhappiest of people managed to appreciate the beauty of the couple that was about to marry.

Two Promises:

Rama's father, the King is finally acknowledging his age. I found it funny that a poet originally had him aged at over 60,000 years old. It is then denoted that whatever the age was, he was definitely ripened.
Rama, as a successor, seems like an obvious choice. However, I don't think we actually know what Rama is proficient at besides being a good man and warrior.
The King proposes to not let Rama's brother know of his immediate crowning, essentially because Rama should ask for forgiveness rather than permission to take the crown instead of his brother.

A bad mistake is made when the King owes his wife (Rama's mother) two promises. The apparently suicidal wife uses one of her promises to have another brother of Rama become king and have Rama exiled. This noticeably hurts the King and father, possibly on an emotional and physical level.

The interesting part is that the King was interested in doing his business while the other two sons were away, while the mother wished for Rama to be exiled for 14 years. Either she knows something he doesn't, or it's really just inter-family favoritism.

Despite this unkindness, Rama does not judge his mother, and similarly blames himself for this outcome. He concludes that not only is this his fault, but also heaven's plan. The entire kingdom is apparently against Rama's wicked mother, yet he decides to respect her promise. Thi cannot be a good start to a new King's reign.