Reading Notes: Part C of Narayan's Ramayana

The battle between Sugriva and Vali

(Source: Wikipedia)

As a general thought, I thought this portion of reading as it seemed like it was a side story of sorts. Obviously, it was important to the story because it allowed the location of Sita to be discovered after her kidnapping, but I still feel like it could have happened in an simpler way than the chain of events that occurred. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it. It seemed like a change of pace and I definitely appreciated it. It may have actually been my favorite reading just because there was a lot going on and I really enjoyed the conflict.

The monkeys (vanara) that dominated this portion of reading were nothing short of entertaining. It was somewhat comical that Hanuman thought he would get away with a disguise in the presence of Rama. I was hoping it wouldn't fool him because that would discredit Rama's excellence in my eyes. Rama didn't disappoint when he noted the transparency of Hanuman.

Not necessarily a surprising event, but a somewhat concerning outcome was Surgriva's post-crowning. Characters tend to do odd things in this epic and case and point was evident when Surgriva was nothing short of discourteous in aiding Rama in his quest for Sita.

Lakshmana's loyalty and bravery were present yet again when he goes to confront Surgriva on his agreement with Rama. I was happy to see that Surgriva ultimately helps Rama and there was not much of an issue present with this.

The conflict between Sugriva and Vali was my absolute favorite section I've read from the Ramayana. The history behind the two was all over the place. The retrieval of his brother which ultimately resulted in his riddance from the kingdom was a fun read. The fact that he stole his wife was just icing on the cake.

Even though Vali was off-the-wall crazy, I was disappointing to see his death. I wanted a little more out of him, but I understand it was necessary for the story's progression.

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Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana
Link to this reading guide