Reading Notes: Mahabharata PDE Part C

Hanuman Statue (Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics)

Source

Bhima and Hanuman, The Mahabharata, A Summary, John Mandeville Macfie.

When Bhima met Hanuman:

1. They are half brothers, Vayu (God of Wind) is their father
2. Bhima found Hanuman while gathering flowers for Draupadi
3. Bhima knew this was not a regular monkey, he could not lift him by the tail using both hands
4. Hanuman introduced himself
5. Told Bhima about the events of the Ramayana
6. Bhima repeatedly asked Hanuman to display his powers
7. Hanuman showed his mass changing abilities
8. Hanuman talked about the caste system with Bhima:
1. How the castes came to be:
1. Krita Yuga (1st age)  or Age of Truth
1. no religious acts, gods, demons, malice, sin, or pride
2. Brahma was attainable by all
3. Vedas did not yet exist
2. Treta Yuga (2nd age) or "collection of three arousing things"
1. sacrifices were introduced
2. men tried to be virtuous
3. men practiced extreme self control
3. Dwapara Yuga (3rd age) or "two ahead"
1. the Vedas were divided into four parts
2. man's devotion to virtue decreased by 50%
3. men's opinion divided over religious observances and rites
4. less devoted to the truth
5. men became more passionate
6. this brought about disease and calamities
7. selfishness brought about sacrifices to secure heaven
4. Kali Yuga (4th age) "strife or discord" not to be confused with the goddess
1. only 25% of virtue remained
2. evil prevailed
3. this brought famine, disease, sloth, and anger
4. religious acts started to have adverse effects
2. Duties of the castes:
1. brahmin
1. priests, scholars, teachers
2. get to heaven by penance, self-denial
2. Vaishya
1. farmers, merchants
2. get to heaven with gifts and hospitality
3. kshatriya
1. rulers, warriors
2. get to heaven by protecting others
4. shundra
1. servants, laborers
2. Hanuman said nothing about them getting into heaven

Reading Notes: Mahabharata PDE Part D

Mongoose (Wikipedia)

Source
The Mongoose, The Story of The Great War, Annie Besant.

1. Takes place after the great horse sacrifice
2. A mongoose with a half gold coat appears
3. says the horse sacrifice is nothing compared to a brahmin giving barley powder
4. The others asked the mongoose to explain
5. So the mongoose told the story
1. A brahmin and his family lived on grain after a harvest
2. they ate once a day
3. they were starving
4. a stranger came to visit and asked for food
5. the father, mother, son, and young wife gave their food to the stranger
6. After eating the visitor reveled him self as Dharma (Yama) Lord of Death
7. Dharma blessed the entire family and took them to heaven
6. The mongoose got his coloring by roll in the family's left over barley-powder
7. The mongoose looks for a sacrifice as great as the family's meal
8. He has yet to find one
9. Not even Yudhishthira's gold and jewels compare

Source

The Pandavas Depart, Indian Myth and Legend, Donald A. Mackenzie.

1. Team Pandava and wife Draupadi were told by the sage Vyasa their time had come to leave this world
2. One by one they all died in the following order:
1. Draupadi (loved Arjuna over the other brothers)
2. Sahadeva
3. Nakula
4. Arjuna (overconfidence in his skills)
5. Bhima (pride, cursing, and gluttony)
3. Yudhishthira is the only one to make it to heaven
4. Indra told Yudhishthira to leave his dog behind
5. He said no saying he would have no joy if he abandoned his faithful hound
6. The hound transformed into Dharma (father)
7. Dharma praised his so for being loyal to him
8. He said their is no equal in heaven because of Yudhishthira's loyalty.

Tech Tip: Meme Generator

I made the following memes using ImgFlip.com

Story Lab: TED talks about stories and storytelling

TED logo (Wikimedia Commons)

Video 1:  The Danger of a Single Story, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


Definition:  The single story is when a people is shown as one thing and one thing only.  So from an outsiders point of view that is the only thing that group of people can be.

Examples: Mexicans as only immigrants.  Africa is a beautiful land with beautiful animals, but all its people are poor and dying of AIDS.

• The single story creates stereotypes, especially negative ones.
• It is not the complete story, just overshadows other more positive stories.
• Remember to reject the single story.

Video Two: Imaginary Friends and Real World Consequences: Parasocial Relationships, by Jennifer Barnes

• Why do we spend so much time, money, and emotion engaging with fictional characters?
• We know that they are not real, we know them but they do not know us
• What effect does this engagement have on us?
• Benefit from imaginary relationships same way we do with actual relationships
• Why do we care about fictional characters?
• On a deep level we believe that they are real, even though they are not
• What effects do these relationships we form with these characters have on us?
• Make up for loss of confidence, or rejection 
• Parasocial relationship is formed by learning about someone without actually meeting them.
• Be mindful of how you can take your feelings toward fictional characters, and apply it to the real world.

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part B

Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana (Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics)

Sources

The Gambling Match, Indian Myth and Legend, Donald A. Mackenzie.

The Second Match, Indian Myth and Legend, Donald A. Mackenzie.

Gambling Part 1

1. Duryodhana jealous of Team Pandava wanted revenge
2. He enlisted the help of Prince Shakuni, a famous gambler
3. Shakuni challenged Yudhishthira to a dice game
4. Shakuni won every round because he used loaded dice
5. Yudhishthira lost everything, and became a slave
6. The last round Yudhishthira gambled with Draupadi's freedom and lost
7. Draupadi lost her freedom as well

Gambling Part 2

1. Dhritarashtra heard of the aftermath of the gambling match
2. He went to Draupadi to make amends
3. He granted her two boons:
1. Yudhishthira was granted his freedom
2. Arjuna, Bhima, and the others were granted their freedom and weapons
4. Duryodhana feared retaliation from Team Pandava
5. So he got Shakuni and Yudhishthira to play dice again with the loaded dice
6. Yudhishthira lost again
7. Team Pandava and Draupadi were exiled for 12 years
8. Bhima swore revenge against Duryodhana and Dushasana (brother)

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part A

Drona Tests the Princes (Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics)

Sources:

1. The Sons of Pandu, Indian Myth and Legend, Donald A. Mackenzie.
2. Gandhari and Dhritarashtra, Indian Myth and Legend, Donald A. Mackenzie.
3. The Contest, Mahabharata, Epic of the Bharatas, Romesh C. Dutt.

Team Pandavas:

1. Parents : Pandu (father, dead), Kunti (first wife, alive), Madri (second wife, dead)
2. Kunti's children:
1. Yudhishthira (father, Dharma, God of Justice)
2. Bhima (father Vayu, God of wind)
3. Arjuna (father Indra, king of heaven)
3. Madri's children:
1. Nakula (father Ashwin twins, son of Sun God Surya)
2. Sahadeva (father Ashwin twins, son of Sun God Surya)
   

Team Kauravas:

1. Parents: Dhritarashtra (father, blind), Gandhari (mother)
2. Duryodhana eldest son 
3. 99 younger sons (so far most are nameless)

The Contest:

1. Bhima and Duryodhana fight
1. they use maces
2. both took it seriously
3. turned deadly
4. Drona (their trainer) stopped the match
5. it was a draw
2. Arjuna displays his archery
1. hard targets
2. small targets
3. wild boar plates had five arrows in their mouths
4. a moving cow horn on a string was struck 21 times

Week 5 Story: The Exclusive Interview of Hanuman

Hanuman mistaking the sun for a fruit (Wikimedia Commons)

The Exclusive Interview of Hanuman

Interviewer:  First I would like to thank you Hanuman for agreeing to meet with me for this exclusive interview.

Hanuman:  Not a problem, I always enjoy a good conversation.

Interviewer:  May we begin with your formative years?  Although your adventures with Rama during the war with Ravana, not many know about your childhood.

Hanuman:  Sure thing, I have very fond memories.  However, depending on who else you ask you may get different answer.

Interviewer:  It is well known that your father is the god of wind Vayu, and your mother is the monkey Anjana.  In your known opinion who do you take after more?

Hanuman:  Both of my parents are a huge influence on me.  My powers and immortality of course came from my father.  However, my wit and cleverness I inherited from my mother.  She always told me that there will always be someone stronger and faster than me and told me not to rely on my powers only.  My father agreed and said that the mind is the most powerful tool.  There is no limit to what I can achieve when I put my mind to it.

Interviewer:  It is true you showed your cleverness, and quick thinking when you infiltrated Lanka.  Is there anyone other than your parents to who helped with your education as a child?

Hanuman:  Oh yes of course there is!  Although I got my tenacity from my parents.  The strategic, decisive, and unorthodox think came from my teacher.  Well, to be honest he is more than my teacher, mentor would be a better word.  Surya was my instructor for most of my childhood.  Although, he did not care for me at first.

Interviewer:  How so?  Do you care to elaborate?

Hanuman:  Well, when I was a toddler, maybe two or three, I looked up at the sky and thought the sun was a nice juicy mango.  So, pushing my fledging powers to the limit, I grew large and jumped as high as I could, so I could eat it.  To say the least, Surya did not enjoy the experience, and he took it personally.

Interviewer:  Ha- Ha!  I dare say one would enjoy that!  So how did you convince him to take you on as a pupil?

Hanuman:  Well, at first, he refused.  He claimed he was too busy traveling all day, then resting all night.  However, I did not accept that answer.  I decided to train my strength and endurance at the same time Surya educated my mind.  So, I pushed my mass manipulation abilities to the maximum, by increasing my size to where I had one leg in the east and the other in the west.  I held that shape all day, and I always faced Surya, giving him my undivided attention.  Fortunately, he changed his mind and tutored me since I did not keep him from his daily travels.

Interviewer:  How long did he tutor you?

Hanuman:  Well, it is difficult to say, I have a lot of foggy gaps in my memory. 

Interviewer:  Could you take a guess?

Hanuman:  I guess I would have been about eleven or twelve.  I can definitely say the lessons stopped when my powers were bound by the sages and monk’s.  There spell was so complete I forgot that I had powers.  Let alone even using them to continue my education with Surya.

Interviewer:  Oh my.  That must have been so tragic for you.

Hanuman:  Not at all!  You can’t miss what you don’t know you possess.  Besides they did not permanently separate me from my powers.  They allowed me to regain them when someone reminded me that I had them.  Can’t say that I blame them.  All they wanted was peace and quiet to meditate.  I never allow them either one as a child.  My powers are fully restored now.  So, I say no harm no foul.

Interviewer:  Well Hanuman, I am afraid that that is all the time we have today.  I was wondering if we could do this again?  I and my readers would love to hear your firsthand account of your adventures with Rama.

Hanuman:  Of course!  I would enjoy that as well.

Interviewer:  Thank you for your time.

Hanuman:  No problem, anytime.

Authors Note:
I chose to use an interview format instead of a prose style for this weeks story.  Without a doubt, Hanuman is my favorite character in the Ramayana.  He is just so cool.  So for the reading this week I read the graphic novel The Triumph of Hanuman.  I really liked it, but I wanted to know more about what Hanuman was thinking.  So I thought an interview with him would be the easiest way to do that. Also, I enjoyed the last pages in the book the best because it give me more background information about Hanuman.  I focused on that information so that way people who have only read the Ramayana would learn more about Hanuman.

Source:

Tulsidas Sundarkaand, The Triumph of Hanuman

Reading Notes: Hanuman Part B

Hanuman (Wikimedia Commons)

Tulsidas Sundarkaand, The Triumph of Hanuman

Sundarkaand, is the fifth book of Tulidas’s Ramayana, still popular today, many verses are used as proverbs

Tulsidas (1532-1623)

Text Shtam Prakash, Art Sachin Nagar

1. Ravan’s Court and the destruction of Lanka
1. Hanuman warns Ravan to release Seta and ask for Ram’s forgiveness.
2. Angered Ravan orders Hanumans death, changes his mind since Hanuman is a messenger, instead orders his tail to be burned
3. Hanuman grew his tail really long, Agni (God of Fire) protected him from the fire
4. Hanuman ran around the city catching everything on fire except the ashok tree garden
5. Then returns to others across the sea
2. Hanuman: The Early Years
1. Mischievous and playful
2. Thought the sun was a ripe fruit and tried to eat it
3. Indra, king of Gods, struck him in the chin with a thunderbolt, in Sanskrit hanu is chin so Hanuman is “the one with the broken chin”
4. Surya, sun god, was Hanuman’s teacher. This was done by Hanuman growing big, with one leg in the east, the other in the west, and facing Surya as he crossed across the world in daytime
5. Hanuman interrupted sages and monk’s meditation one to many times, so they cursed him, sealing his powers
3. After the Ramayana
1. Did not leave with when Ram and the others left for heaven, Hanuman stayed behind
2. He would stay on earth as long as people chant Ram’s name with faith and devotion
3. He is a chiranjivi (relevant epic characters are eternal)
4. Broke a pearl necklace given by Ram, said it was worthless because there was no image of Ram
5. When others said there was no image of Ram on Rams heart, Hanuman opened his chest showing that his heart had an image of Ram and Sita on it
6. He is a sankatmochan (one who helps in overcoming crisis 

Reading Notes: Hanuman Part A

Hanuman (Flickr)

Tulsidas Sundarkaand, The Triumph of Hanuman

Sundarkaand, is the fifth book of Tulsidas’s Ramayana, still popular today, many verses are used as proverbs

Tulsidas (1532-1623)

Text Shtam Prakash, Art Sachin Nagar

The detailed adventures of Hanuman:

1. Sent to find Sita and bring her word of Rama
2. Regained his dormant powers when Jambavan, king of the bears, reminded Hanuman of them, ending the childhood curse placed on him by sages
3. The trails of crossing the ocean tested by the gods
1. Snake mother Sursa wanted to eat him both grew in size, Hanuman shrank flew in and out of her mouth quickly, she let him go
2. Singhika, ogress, fed on birds by grabbing their shadows, Hanuman struck her with his mace, defeated her with one blow
4. Hanuman scouts the city of Lanka
1. Lankini, garden and protector of Lanka, he hits her. She lets him pass, recalling that if she hit by a monkey, Lanka’s destruction is close, according to Brahama (God of Creation)
2. Hanuman tears up the ashok trees garden, defeated a group of soldiers
3. Fought Akshaykumar, Ravan’s son, hanuman killed him
4. Fought Meghnaad, Ravan’s oldest bravest son, Hanuman knocked him out, when he came to he shot Hanuman with the Brahmastra
5. Hanuman allowed the weapon to tie him up, captured he was taken to Ravan’s court

Comment Wall

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My portfolio website: Mona's Bookshelf 

Reading EC: Tales of Durga

Comic Book Cover Art (Indian Epics: Amar Chitra Katha)

Source:

Tales of Durga: Tales of the Mother Goddess, Subba Rao (writer), Souren Roy (artist), Anant Pai (editor), Amar Chitra Katha (publisher).

http://ackguide.blogspot.com/2015/07/guide-tales-of-durga.html

Story 2:  Chmundi or the birth of Kali

1.       Parvati brought Durga out of her body to fight Shumbha

2.       He drove the Gods out of heaven

3.       Shumbha wanted to marry Durga

4.       She vowed only to marry who could defeat her in battle

5.       Durga grew angry when his army attacked her

6.       Kali came out of Durga’s head

7.       Kali killed the army by throwing an elephant and crushing them

8.       Then killed Chanda and Munda (Shubha’s commanders)

9.       Durga renamed Kali Chamundi

Story 3: How Durga Slew Shumbha:

1.       Female versions of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara, and Durga came to help Durga and Kali defeat Shumba

2.       Everytime they struck him down more of him rose from his blood to take his place

3.       Kali killed all the Shumbhas and prevented his blood from touching the ground

4.       Shumbha claimed there is no victory in her win because she had help.

5.       Durga said all Godosdesses are just different forms of her

6.       Durga obsorbed all the Goddesses into her

7.       Shumbha flew into the sky with Durga

8.       Durga killed him mid air, then threw him to the ground

Wikipedia Trail: Kali to Brahman

Ashta-Matrika (Wikipedia)

Article 1: Kali, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali

I started with article to help with my decision about my class project.  I am thinking about doing a story book about Kali.  Turns out that she is one of ten Mahavidyas, or group of Hindu Goddesses.  She most known for killing demons.  Over time she has also been viewed as a protector who grants liberation from life and death cycles.

Article 2: Devi Mahatmya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devi_Mahatmya

This is the text that Hindu Goddesses appear.  It is divided into three episodes.  The first is about Devi in as Shakti (universal form), and is involved in creation.  The second episode is about Durga killing Mahishasura, and restoring order.  The third episode is about Kali coming out of Durga's head to kill three demons.  The image I used for this blog is from this Wikipedia article.

Article 3: Shakti https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti

Shakti is a concept or personification of feminime creative power.  Shaktism thinks that the Goddess is the supreme Brahman.  Other Godesses are just different aspects of her.  The Shakti Goddess is called Amma (mother).

Article 4: Brahman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman

Brahman is the highest universal principle in Hinduism.  It is also known as the ultimate reality in the universe.  It is mentioned with Atman (soul, self).  It is mentioned in the Vedas.

Wkipedia Trails: Durga to Vedas

Standing Ardhanari (Wikipedia)

Article 1: Durga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga

I started with article to help me decide if I want to do a storybook for my class project.  Durga is a cool mother/ warrior Goddess.  She was created by three other Gods to fight demons.  She is celebrated in the Durga puja.  It is festival that lasts for 9 days or 4 days.

Article 2: Devi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devi

Devi is the Sanskrit word for Goddess.  The Devi Sukta from the Rigveda talks about the ultimate reality is a goddess.  Devi says she is the creature of earth and heaven, and lives there.

Article 3: Ardhanarishvara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanarishvara

Ardhanarishvara is the combined form of Shiva and Parvarti.  The name means " the lord who is half woman."   The image above came from this article.  This deity is a popular and its image can be found in Shiva temples.  It symbolizes the balance of male and female energies.

Article 4: Vedas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas

It is a large ancient text from India.  Veda is Sanskrit for the word knowledge. They include mantras, stories, rituals, philosophy, and other stuff as well.  There a four major Veda texts.  The Rigveda is the oldest.

Story Lab: Crash Course

Thought Bubble (Max Pixel)

For todays story lab assignment I choose the crash course video series.  I have watched some of the world history crash course videos and I enjoyed them a lot.  The myth videos were just as good, I like the animation, their sense of humor, and the way he would ramble on.  

You can watch the same three videos on you tube at:

 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrWYQjLLbXcigjUCnKKR86F5zrcQqfiP-

The first video explained the that myths are stories of significance and staying power.  Also, I highly recommend watching it for the Persephone story, I got a good laugh out of it.

The second video I must confess was a little boring.  He did talk about Jung and his archetypes, which I found interesting.  It is interesting how the same types of characters pop in stories from different times and cultures.

The third video was all about Campbell's Hero Journey.  I think this one was the most beneficial one for me.  I just finished reading the Ramayana this week, and it was no big surprise that the Ramayana fell perfectly in line with Campbell's Hero Journey.  The hero must leave home, faces trials, returns home, and tries to gain acceptance from the people at home.

Reading Notes: Ramayana PDE Part D

Hanuman and Medicine Hill (Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics)

Sources:

Hanuman and the Mountain: Myths of Hindus and Buddhists, Sister Nivedita, 1914, website.

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/pde-ramayana-herbs.html

Rama Departs: Myths of Hindus and Buddhists, Sister Nivedita, 1914, website.

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/pde-ramayana-ramas-ring.html

More about Hanuman:

1. Hanuman's awesomeness just gets better
2. after a major battle many of Rama's allies were killed or wounded
3. Hanuman was asked to save the lives of many monkeys and bears
4. he was told about the four life giving herbs on the Himalaya Mountain
5. so he jumped across seas, hills, cities, woods, and rivers to get there
6. when he reached Himalaya, he could not find the 4 herbs
7. being clever, Hanuman picked up the entire mountain
8. when he brought back the mountain to the battle field he saved many lives
9. because Hanuman is a demigod he is immortal
10. Rama told Hanuman that he will live as long as the poem Ramayana is remembered

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana Part C

Hanuman's Ocean Leap (Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics)

Sources:

Hanuman's Leap, Myths of Hindus and Buddhists, Sister Nivedita, 1914, website.

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/pde-ramayana-hanumans-leap.html

The Burning of Lanka, Myths of Hindus and Buddhists, Sister Nivedita, 1914, website.

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/pde-ramayana-burning-of-lanka.html

Hanuman:

1. coolest charater yet to be introduced
2. he is a monkey
3. he is a demigod
4. his mother is Anjana (monkey)
5. his father is a wind god
6. his superpowers include
1. can increase or decrease his mass (body size), think Antman
2. can jump great distances
1. over 3000 leages as a child
2. can jump farther as an adult
7. defeated an ocean demon at Lanka jumping in it and growing large enough inside to make demon explode
8. does not face danger alone, his father protects him
1. when Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on fire his father doesn't let the fire burn him
9. Hanuman is extremely clever
1. since he can't feel the fire he runs around Lanka setting the city on fire
10. Hanuman is cares about his friends well being
1. he checks on Sita after setting fire to the city to make sure she is not hurt

Topic Research: Kali

Kali lithograph (Wikimedia Commons)

Sources:

1. Ancient History Encyclopedia-Kali, by Mark Cartwright, website, https://www.ancient.eu/Kali/
2. Kali-A Most Misunderstood Goddess, by Linda Heaphy, website, https://kashgar.com.au/blogs/gods-goddesses/kali-a-most-misunderstood-goddess
3. Kali: The Dark Mother Goddess in Hinduism, by Subhamoy Das, website, https://www.thoughtco.com/kali-the-dark-mother-1770364

The Kali article from Ancient History Encyclopedia focuses on the goddess's origin.  The article talks about four different versions about who she came to be.  So my first story would be about Kali herself setting the record straight.  I think it would be a good story to be written in the first person.

The second article a lot of information how Kali has transformed over the years.  Apparently, people reinvent her looks, and change the aspects that she represents.  So a second story would be about how the goddess changes with time.  Which is interesting because her name means time.  It could be written in the first person.

The third article focuses on Kali being a mothering goddess.  It also explains some of the symbolism that appear in her images. So a third story could be about how and why her image is a contradiction.  She looks scary adorned with human heads and arms.  However, her smile is kind and her right hands make gestures of blessings and not to fear.

Feedback Strategies

Growth Mindset Cat Feedback (Growth Mindset &Feedback Cat)

The first article about feedback I read was Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset, written by Gravity Goldberg.  It gave five good pointers about giving feedback to students learning to read.  However, the are two that I think can be applied to other situations that require giving feedback.  The fourth pointer was, make sure it transfers.  This applies to the person giving the feed.  If feedback is given properly, the person who received it can apply it to other things.  The fifth pointer said to take yourself out of the feedback.  It seems like a no brainer, but it is worth mentioning.  A feedback session is about the person receiving it, not the person giving the feedback.

The second article I read about feedback was How to Give Feedback Without Sounding Like a Jerk, written by Adam Grant.  It was a good article because it supplied simple strategies to give feedback with causing problems between the giver and receiver.  First pointer was to explain why you are giving the feedback, the person will be more open to it.  I find that most issues come from bad communication.  If you are open and direct most people appreciate it.  The third pointer was to ask the person if they want feedback.  Most people will say yes.  It shows that you are taking an active interest in what the are doing.

Week 3 Story: The Fall of the House of Thataka

Rama and Lakshmana battle Thataka (Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics)

The Fall of the House of Thataka

Listen now to the tale of the destruction of the evil house of Thataka.  For these events occurred long ago when man was first evolving into their own.  Originally, the race of demons was a proud and noble race, with powers that far surpassed the abilities of mankind.  Over time the demons grew increasing cruel and sadistic toward the humans.  Eventually, the demon’s main source of food was human flesh.  The Gods and Goddess looked down and upon the suffering of the humans and grew angry.  They could not in good conscience allow the subjugation of the humans continue.  So many of them sent avatars of themselves to liberate the humans.  

Two cunning avatars were brothers know as Rama and Lakshmana.  Although their ultimate goal was to destroy the high ruler of demonkind King Ravana, they decided that it would be better to weaken him.  To do this the brothers went after King Ravana’s allies first.  The first mission was to cause the House of Thataka fall into ruin.

The House of Thataka was a matriarchy, whose clan leader was a female demon named Thataka.  Word reached her about the brothers entering her territory.  After consulting with her son, Maricha, she sounded the call of the hunt.  A great reward was offered to whoever killed the brothers and gave their heads to Thataka as tribute.  

Unfortunately for Thataka, the brothers caught her unware.  Using her formidable powers, she attacked the brothers.  However, the brothers were seasoned warriors, and quickly dispatched Thataka.  The battle was the stuff of legend.  Rama aimed to slow her down by shooting off her arms.  Infuriated Thataka attacked with all her might.  Lakshmana, without pity or remorse cut off Thataka’s ears and nose.  Gravely injured the demoness turned invisible to escape the brothers, while causing an earthquake to bury them with rocks.  Rama using his enhanced sense of hearing and fired an arrow, which struck down the great matriarch Thataka.

Maricha entered the forest clearing as Rama struck his mother with the fatal kill shot.  So clouded by anger Maricha called upon his personal guard to help him avenge his fallen mother.  However, the demons did not notice the celestial weapons that the Gods had given Rama as a reward for slaying Thataka.  When the demons attacked the brothers, Rama tested out his new arsenal.  First, the great firebolt incinerated Maricha’s lieutenant Subahu.  Rama, knowing Maricha still had a part to play in the coming battle, used the tempest rod, and swept Maricha out to sea.

For months Maricha mourned the loss of his mother in an abandoned hermitage near the sea.   King Ravana decided that enough time had passed, went to talk to Maricha.  The king ordered Maricha to return to the frontlines and do his duty.  If Maricha refused Ravana would behead him as a warning to all other demons.  King Ravana, with his gift of foresight knew that Maricha was the linchpin to divide the brothers.  The plan was a simple one.  Maricha, using his shape shifting powers would lure Rama away.  This would weaken the brothers enough to destroy them both.  

Maricha, being clever, transformed into a deer.  This deer had a golden pelt with silver spots, antlers tipped with sapphires, and eyes of blue lotus flowers.  As Maricha lead Rama on a merry chase, Lakshmana stayed behind to look after Rama’s wife Sita.  Once again Rama’s aim was true, and his arrow pierced the heart of the deer.  As Maricha returned to his true form, he used the last of his strength to play one more trick on the brothers.  Disguising his voice to sound like Rama, Maricha cried to Lakshmana and Sita for help.  At Sita’s request Lakshmana went searching for Rama.

As the events were witnessed by those who dwell in the heavens, all deities celebrated.  For they all knew that it is the beginning of the end for all demonkind.  Because as they foresaw it all starts with the fall of the House of Thataka.

Author's Note:

The original versions I read was the PDE epics version.  After this note is a bibliography for each of the four sections I used as a starting point.  The four were Thataka, Ravana and Maricha, The Golden Deer, and The Chase.  I focused on these because they focused on one family of demons.  This allowed me freedom to expand on their backstory.  I found myself wanting more information about the antagonists of Rama, because they all seemed a little one dimensional.

Bibliography:

Thataka: Indian Myth and Legend, Donald A. Mackenzie

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/pde-ramayana-slaying-of-thataka.html

Ravana and Maricha: Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists, by Sister Nivedita (1914)

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/pde-ramayana-ravana-and-maricha.html

 The Golden Deer: Indian Myth and Legend, by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/pde-ramayana-golden-deer.html

The Chase: Indian Myth and Legend, by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/pde-ramayana-chase.html