Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Section D

Ravana's Lament & Indrajit 

 

• I picked these two because they have really different views of the rakshasi. 
• In Ravana's Lament, the rakshasi are again depicted as loving and caring for Sita. They protect her from Ravana and urge him to not harm her. They take on almost a sisterhood type vibe and are true feminists in this story. This is also the first time I have seen them together in a group and not single-handedly destroying civilizations. 
• In Indrajit, we see the typical view of rakshasi, as warriors. 
• " Thus an equal battle raged till evening, but the rakshasas waited for the night, and eagerly desired the setting of the sun, for night is the rakshasas' time of strongest might. So night fell, and the demons ranged, devouring monkeys by thousands." We learn that they rakshasi are better at fighting during the night and that they "fight with cunning and magic." 
• I understand that this piece is referring to female and male rakshasas, but I really like picturing this whole thing as like a feminist rage battle. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

Ravana's Lament ~ The prose portion comes from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913) and the verse portion comes from Ramayana, The Epic of Rama, Prince of India, condensed into English verse by Romesh Dutt (1899).

Indrajit ~ Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1914).

IMAGE: The battle with the monkeys and the rakshasas.