(Extra Credit) Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Part B

In this section of the Ramayana, Narayan describes the beginning of Rama't time in exile -- his encounters with his brother Bharatha (who had learned of Kaikeyi's deception) and with the demon Soorpanaka; his battles against Soorpanaka's fourteen commanders and against Kara; and his pursuit of Mareecha disguised as a golden deer. Narayan also recounts the great power of Ravana in occasionally funny ways, like when Ravana insults the moon. Also, Ravana reveals the ancient Indian conception of time -- the flow of seasons. When Ravana ordered the seasons to cease, "there was a complete standstill in time. Minute, hour, day, month, and year lost their boundaries. And mankind was lost in a seasonless confusion" (82). 

I feel bad for Soorpanaka. Kinda. Source.

At the beginning of this reading and in the middle were similarities to the ancient Greek epic the Iliad. As you can probably tell by now, I really enjoy finding parallels between Eastern and Western epic tradition. First, Rama rebukes Lakshmana for his rage: "Do you want to let your anger rage until you have vanquished an innocent brother... Is this anger, which seeks to destroy all firm relationships, worth nurturing?" (55). This parallels to Achilles' rage at Agamemnon for taking Briseis from him; however, in the Greek epic Achilles' rage is celebrated to a point. Though it causes the death of many Greeks and among them Patroclus, Achilles' best friend (and potential lover), Achilles' rage is presented as manly and honor-bound, and it becomes another name for the epic poem: The Rage of Achilles.


In the middle of the reading, Rama confronts Kara, a demon and relative of Soorpanaka. In their very brief battle sequence -- contrasting with the near-constant battle sequence of the Iliad -- Rama is descibed as having "the anger of a lion" (76). In the Iliad, the conflation of a hero with a lion is often a sign of an aristeia -- a savage, divinely-inspired killing spree. In Greek myth, this is characterized by comparison to an animal (usually a lion), a high body count, and divine help. In the Ramayana, Rama is compared to a lion; he has a high body count as he "defeated Kara and his allies" (77); and he is an avatar of Vishnu with all the powers and asthras of Viswamithra. He checks all three boxes. This is really interesting to me considering the great distance between the two epic poems in both geography and time. Do these point to universal human ideas about the state of nature, the gods, the inherent animalization of all humans, and the purpose humans serve? To fight like a savage animal, kill many foes, and have the help of a god?


Bibliography: Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana.