Week 7: Reading Diary A - Sita's Return

Reading Diary pg. 325-373
The Ramayana by William Buck

• The fight to get Sita back still continues at this point in the book
• Hanuman and Sugriva kill Ravana's magicians, Lightning Tongue and Thunder Tooth. They were fighting with Jambavan in order to keep him from killing other demons, but they ended up being killed by Hanuman and Sugriva. 
• There is a feeling of despair among Lanka. I feel like this may be so because of the many losses this town has recently experienced. Shuka makes the feelings throughout the town known to Ravana.
• In the midst of all of this drama, Mandori exclaims her love to Ravana. 
• Ravana gets into a bit of a scuffle with the time god, Kala, but brushes it off his shoulder, because he feels as if he is invincible
• This stands out to me because it seems as if Ravana is quickly losing more and more of his troops and that he should be feelings pretty insecure and worried at this point. 
• Rama and Ravana finally go into battle. I feel like there was a lot of suspense coming up to this point, and now they are finally able to meet face to face and determine who is the better god
• The battle is a tough one. Rama repeatedly cuts off Ravana's heads, but they grow back every time. Ravana disguises as Indra, which catches Rama off god, but Matali is able to see right through it and keep Rama on the right track 
• Ravana may be in a state of weakness at this point because he is thinking Rama will fall for this trick, and might not be quite as on guard.
• Rama is finally able to kill Ravana for good
• Once Ravana is dead, Shuka delivers a note from Ravana to Rama. This does not happen in the other version of the Ramayana, so I like reading something that was unique to Buck's version.  
• Vibhishana becomes the new king of Lanka. 
• Hanuman is sent to tell Sita of the news of the victory
• Rama and Sita are able to reunite for the first time. The fire god, Agni, is able to prove Sita's loyalty to Rama.
• The time has come where Rama's exile is nearing its end. He is rushed for time to make it back to Ayodhya in time, so that his brother, Bharata, doesn't kill himself as he previously vowed he would do if Rama had not returned by the time his exile had ended.