Reading Guide for The Ramayana
As part of your reading, you should consult the thought questions and the vocabulary provided for each chapter. You do not need to physically write out answers for all of these questions, nor do you have to look up every word. Be sure, however, that you think about the questions and that you understand the meaning of the words. Reading quizzes and class discussions will be built on the questions and the meanings of these words in context. And, as you are now aware, the exam on this work will come right from this packet.
Book One – Rama’s Youth
Date Due: ______
Reverence 2
Recounted 3
Mantras 4
Wreaked 6
Embodied 7
Initiated 8
Intrusion 9
Bombard 10
Invocations 11
Hermitage 11
Guru 11
Besieged 12
Deftly 15
Intoning 15
Devoted 15
1. How do Narada, Valmiki and Lord Brahma interact in this section? How is their interaction related to the purposes of myth? (2-4)
2. How does Valmiki respond to the hunter shooting the crane? How does this reaction teach Valmiki that he has been changed? Explain. (3)
3. What was King Dasaratha’s petition to the gods? How did he make this petition? What was the result? (4)
4. What petition did the gods make to Vishnu about Ravana? What is Vishnu’s answer? How is Vishnu’s answer related to King Dasaratha’s promise? (4-6)
5. Who creates a race of divine monkeys? For what purpose? What qualities will they have? (6)
6. What are the names of the four sons born to King Dasaratha? To which queen is each born? What is their relative status, one to the others? (6-8)
7. What does the sage Visvamitra want Rama to do to help out Visvamitra’s ashram? How does King Dasaratha respond? What does Visvamitra offer Rama as a reward? (8)
8. Who is Tataka? How is Tataka described? Why? How is the description of Tataka similar and different to the way Humababa is described in Gilgamesh? (8-10)
9. Describe the fight between Rama and Lakshmana and Tataka? Who wins? How? Why? (9-11)
10. Who is Janaka? Who is his daughter? What does her name mean? What could this name symbolize? (12)
11. Describe the great bow that Janaka has. What does Rama do with this bow? Why is this action important? (12-14)
12. Describe the marriage of Rama and Sita. Who else is married? What is the tone of this section? How does the reader know that this is the tone? (14-16)
Book Two – Banishment in the Forest
Date Due: ______
Banishment 18
Auspicious 18
Deceitful 19
Boons 20
Imploring 22
Revert 23
Prolong 25
Diminished 26
Disown 26
Sage 28
Ascetics 28
Dualities 31
Teemed 32
Steadfast 33
Balm 36
1. How does Rama prepare himself to rule his people? Why are these skills important for a ruler? Explain. (18)
2. What does King Dasaratha want to do now that he is old? How does Rama feel about this change? How does Rama act? Why does Rama act in this manner? (18-19)
3. Who is Manthara? What does Manthara convince Queen Kaikeyi to do? How does Marantha convince Queen Kaikeyi to do this? (19-20)
4. Describe the interaction between Queen Kaikeyi and King Dasaratha regarding Bharata and Rama. How does this interaction end? (20-21)
5. How does Rama respond to hearing that he will be exiled? Explain the importance of this reaction.
6. How do Lakshamana and Sita respond to Rama’s exile? What do they promise to do? What kind of figurative language is used in this section? (22-23)
7. Describe the scene when Rama, Sita and Lakshmana leaveAyodhya. What examples of figurative language are used in this section to help express the tone? (23-26)
8. What happens to Rama, Sita and Lakshmana when they first enter the forest? Who is Guha? How is he involved in Rama’s journey? (26-28)
9. Describe the tone of Ayodhya after Rama leaves it. What examples of figurative language are used to help create this tone? (30-31)
10. What does Bharata do when he finds out what his mother did for him? Why does he do this? How does Guha help Bharata? (32-33)
11. Describe the interaction in the forest between Bharata and Rama. What do they agree to do? Why? (33-36)
Book Three – Forest Life
Date Due: ______
Brooding 38
Emerged 38
Deformed 38
Celestial 39
Ashram 39
Infested 41
Sanctified 41
Reap 42
Glinting 43
Luring 44
Mendicant 45
Invincible 46
Scoured 48
Decisive 49
Ethereal 52
1. Who is Viradha? What happens when Rama and Viradha first meet? What request does Viradha eventually make of Rama? (38-39)
2. When Rama, Sita and Lakshmana visit the ashrams in the forest, what do they find out that these people are upset about? What does Rama do to try and help? (39-40)
3. Who is Jatayu? What happens when Rama, Sita and Lakshamana first meet Jatayu? How is their first impression proved wrong? (40-41)
4. Describe the setting of Panchavati. What is the tone of this description? (41)
5. Who is Surpanakha? How is she described? Why is she described in that manner? How does she interact with Rama, Sita and Lakshmana at first? (41-42)
6. How does Lakshmana punish Surpanakha? Why? (42)
7. Who is Khara? What does Khara do? How does Rama respond? Why is this response important? (42)
8. Who is Ravana? How does Ravana react to Surpanakha’s injuries? (43)
9. Who is Maricha? How does Maricha help Ravana? (43)
10. Describe the episode of the golden deer. What mistakes does Sita make? How? Why? (43-46)
11. What does Jatayu do when he sees Sita being kidnapped? After Jatayu fails to stop the kidnapping, the gods say “Our purpose is accomplished.” Why? (47)
12. Who sees Sita tie her jewels in a silk wrapper and drop them? (47)
13. When Rama and Lakshmana get back to the cottage and find it empty, how do they react? What do they do? Why? How? (47-52)
14. Where does Ravana take Sita? Why?
Book Four – The Monkey Kingdom
Date Due: ______
Alliance 54
Lotus 54
Hermit 54
Confided 56
Penetrated 57
Quiver 57
Uphold 59
Absolved 59
Ascends 59
Bosom 60
Monsoon 60
Vast 62
Expanse 62
Prowess 62
Colossal 62
1. How does Rama feel about losing Sita? How is this feeling similar and different to the way that Gilgamesh felt about losing Enkidu? (54)
2. Who is Sugriva? Who is Hanuman? How do Sugriva and Hanuman interact with Rama and Lakshmana when they first meet? (54-55)
3. What news can Sugriva give to Rama about Sita? What does Sugriva want in return? (56-57)
4. Who is Vali? Describe the death of Vali. How does Rama explain to Vali why Vali has to die? How is this explanation related to the Hindu culture? (57-59)
5. Who is Tara? What message does Rama give Tara about Vali’s death? How is this message related to Hindu culture? (59-61)
6. What does Rama have to wait to end before he can continue his search for Sita? How does this waiting relate to real life for the people who write this epic? (61)
7. How does Hanuman change himself to find Sita? What obstacles does Hanuman have to overcome to find Sita? (61-62)
Book Five – The Island of Lanka
Date Due: ______
Churning 64
Battlements 64
Boisterously 65
Splendor 65
Sensuous 65
Contemplated 65
Fasting 65
Venerable 66
Forbearing 66
Love-stricken 66
Humiliated 68
Vanquished 68
Consumed 72
Intervened 72
Recollection 73
1. How is the Island of Lanka described as a setting when Hanuman first gets there? What is the tone of this description? (64-65)
2. How is Ravana’s personal residence described? What is the tone of this description? (65-66)
3. What do Ravana and Sita say to each other while Hanuman overhears? What does this conversation show about Ravana? What does this conversation show about Sita? (66-68)
4. What do Hanuman and Sita say to each other, which no other character overhears? What does this conversation show about Sita? What does this conversation show about Hanuman? (67-69)
5. What does Hanuman do to Lanka before he leaves? Why? How? (70-72)
6. Why doesn’t Hanuman rescue Sita? Explain.
7. What news does Hanuman have for Rama? How does Rama react to Hanuman’s news? What proof does Hanuman bring? (72-74)
Book Six – Victory for Rama
Date Due: ______
Hovered 76
Encampment 77
Consecrated 77
Seared 77
Causeway 77
Tumultuous 77
Commemorated 78
Forsaken 79
Hoards 80
Onslaught 80
Wafted 83
Invulnerable 83
Sorcery 83
Oppressed 83
Expel 84
Enmity 86
Pyre 87
Relinquish 87
Temperate 92
1. Who is Vibishana? How is Vibishana similar and different to his brothers? (76-77)
2. How does Rama react to Vibishana falling at Rama’s feet? (77)
3. What does Rama do when he is trying to figure out how to cross the ocean? How does this “strategy” of contemplation relate to Hindu culture? (77)
4. Who is Varuna? How do Varuna and Rama interact? What does Varuna agree to? (77)
5. How is the bridge to Lanka built? Who builds it? How? What link to real life does this bridge have? Explain. (78)
6. Describe the “Great Battle” between Rama’s army and Ravana’s army. (80-81)
7. Who is Kumbhakarna? What happens when he wakes up? (81)
8. In the middle of the battle, Hanuman leaves – why? What does he bring back? How does it help? (81-82)
9. Who is Indrajit? How do Indrajit and Lakshmana interact? (81-83)
10. Describe the direct battle between Ravana and Lakshmana. What kinds of figurative language examples are used? What to tone do they create? (83-84)
11. How does Ravana die?
12. What is Sita’s “Ordeal by Fire?” To what extent is this ordeal fair or unfair? Explain. (87-89)
13. What is the one special wish that Indra grants Rama? Why is this action important to the story? (89)
14. Describe Rama and Sita’s homecoming. (89-91)
15. What do the following sentences mean: “Whoever daily hears this Ramayana, composed in ancient times by Valmiki, is freed from all sins. Those who hear without anger the tale of Rama’s victory will overcome all difficulties and attain long life, and those away from home will be reunited with their loved ones” (Prime 92).
Book Seven – The Final Episode
Date Due: ______
Coronation 94
Dumbfounded 95
Dissuade 95
Consolation 96
Recited 96
Inconsolable 96
Causal 96
1. What happens in this final episode? Why does the narrator say that it is difficult to talk about what happens?
2. Why does the epic end this way? Explain.