Showing posts with label Book: Ramayana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book: Ramayana. Show all posts

Tiny Tales of the Ramayana

Welcome to Tiny Tales from the Ramayana. This is a retelling of the Ramayana using two hundred episodes that are each just 100 words long.

Creative Commons. This work is released with a Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. That means you can remix and reuse individual stories or the contents of the whole book with attribution for non-commercial purposes, provided that you release your work with the same license. Find out more.
Attribution: Tiny Tales from the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs.
Version: December 23 2020.


You can access the book in a variety of formats, along with individual stories here at the blog (see story title list and links below).

Pressbooks. This is a web-based presentation of the book with all the stories on one page, chapter by chapter.  

Audiobook. There is a free audiobook you can listen to via SoundCloud. I've also made the mp3 files available for download if you prefer not to use SoundCloud and/or if you want to repurpose the audio (which is also released with the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license).

EPUB. You can use this epub file for ebook readers like Nook, etc. (I'm a fan of the app ReadEra.)

MOBI. You can download this free mobi file to load onto your Kindle. (Here's how to add a free MOBI file to your Kindle.)

Kindle. A Kindle version of the book is available for 99 cents.

Print. The paperback version is $6.25 from Amazon (free Prime shipping). 

Text file. This is a plain text file, no special characters. This option might be useful if you want to repurpose the entire book with your own formatting; see Creative Commons licensing CC BY-NC-SA above.

HTML. This is a super-simple very vanilla HTML version.

PDF. You can download a PDF copy of the book.

Website. The website has illustrations for all the stories, along with some notes, plus a clickable glossary of characters and terms. The reading is broken up into four parts (my students read two parts per week, finishing the book over a two-week period).

~ ~ ~

TINY TALES FROM THE RAMAYANA
A Book of Two Hundred 100-Word Stories

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The Ramayana — Rama-Ayana, "Rama's Journey" — is the story of Rama and his wife Sita, avatars of the devas (gods) Vishnu and Lakshmi. Rama was born to vanquish Ravana, king of the fierce rakshasas (demons). There are many versions of the Ramayana in India, and Rama's adventures are also famous throughout South Asia. In this book, you'll see Rama's story revealed in a series of vignettes from the ancient Sanskrit Ramayana composed by the poet Valmiki, along with other Ramayanas from India and beyond. For first-time Ramayana readers, I've included a list of characters and additional notes at Ramayana.LauraGibbs.net.

The paragraph you just read about the Ramayana is 100 words long, as is this paragraph, and that's also the length of each episode in this book. The episodes go by fast, but you can slow down when you find one you like. Read it again. Let it sink in. You might even write your own versions of your favorite episodes, using your imagination to add details. Meanwhile, if you get confused by a particular episode, don't get bogged down; just keep reading! You can find more 100-word stories from the Ramayana, along with more stories from India, at 
100Words.LauraGibbs.net.


THE STORIES

1. Ravana Is Born
2. Ravana Petitions Brahma
3. Ravana's Brothers Petition Brahma
4. Ravana Confronts Shiva
5. Ravana Sings for Shiva
6. Shiva Rewards Ravana
7. Meghanada Becomes Indrajit
8. Shurpanakha Argues with Mandodari
9. Vaishravana Becomes Kubera
10. Ravana Occupies Lanka
11. Ravana Battles Yama
12. The Devas Hide from Ravana
13. Kubera Rebukes Ravana
14. Ravana Attacks Kubera
15. Ravana Rapes Rambha
16. Ravana Encounters Vedavati
17. Ravana Fights Kartavirya
18. Ravana Fights Vali
19. Ravana Battles Rama's Ancestor
20. Dasharatha Longs for a Son
21. Dasharatha Summons Rishyashringa
22. The Story of Rishyashringa
23. Rishyashringa Meets a Woman
24. The Devas Make a Plan
25. The Devas Answer Dasharatha's Prayer
26. Rama Amazes Kaushalya
27. Kaikeyi Saves Dasharatha
28. Dasharatha Goes Hunting
29. Vishvamitra Visits Dasharatha
30. The Story of Tataka
31. Vishvamitra Arms Rama
32. Rama Faces Tataka
33. Tataka's Sons Attack
34. The Story of Ahalya
35. They Come to a Deserted Ashram
36. The Story of Indra
37. They Go to See Janaka's Bow
38. The Story of Sita
39. Another Story of Sita
40. Yet Another Story of Sita
41. Sita Learns to Cook
42. Sita Surprises Her Sisters
43. A Stranger Comes to Janaka's Court
44. Sita Meets Two Strangers
45. Rama Comes to Janaka's Court
46. Parashurama Appears
47. Sons and Daughters Marry
48. The Story of Arundhati
49. The Story of Ramachandra
50. Sita Looks at Ayodhya
51. Will Rama Renounce the World?
52. Manthara Persuades Kaikeyi
53. Dasharatha Sends Rama into Exile
54. The Exiles Depart
55. Lakshmana Guards Rama and Sita
56. Dasharatha Grieves for Rama
57. Bharata and Shatrughna Return
58. Bharata and Shatrughna Go to Rama
59. Bharata Petitions Rama
60. Manthara Begs Forgiveness
61. Rama Visits Sutikshna
62. Rama Visits Sharabhanga
63. Viradha Attacks
64. Rama Comes to Panchapsaras Lake
65. Sita Tells a Story
66. Rama Visits Agastya
67. Agastya Arms Rama
68. Lakshmana Chases a Boar
69. Sita Visits Anasuya
70. Sita and Rama Wander the Forest
71. Indra Tests Lakshmana
72. Jatayu Appears
73. Shurpanakha Sees Rama
74. Khara and Dushana Attack
75. Word Reaches Ravana
76. Ravana Visits Maricha
77. Maricha Becomes a Golden Deer
78. Lakshmana Draws a Line
79. An Ascetic Approaches Sita
80. Jatayu Fights Ravana
81. How Ravana Tricked Jatayu
82. Sita Arrives in Lanka
83. Rama Realizes the Danger
84. Rama Grieves
85. A Rakshasi Sees Lakshmana
86. Shabari Welcomes Rama
87. Kabandha Grabs the Princes
88. Paths Cross
89. The Story of Vali and Sugriva
90. Another Story of Vali and Sugriva
91. Another Story of Hanuman
92. Yet Another Story of Hanuman
93. When Hanuman Was Hungry
94. The Devas Bless Hanuman
95. Hanuman Grows Up
96. Hanuman Finds a Guru
97. Dundhubi Challenges Vali
98. Matanga Pronounces a Curse
99. Mayavi Challenges Vali
100. Vali Returns
101. Vali Torments Sugriva
102. Hanuman Meets Rama
103. Sugriva Becomes Rama's Ally
104. Sugriva Fights Vali
105. Tara Mourns Vali
106. Sugriva Is Crowned King
107. Lakshmana Rebukes Sugriva
108. Hanuman Heads South
109. The Monkeys Enter the Cave
110. The Search Party Reaches the Ocean
111. The Story of Sampati and Jatayu
112. Sampati Turns his Gaze to Lanka
113. Who Will Jump to Lanka?
114. Jambavan Inspires Hanuman
115. Hanuman Leaps
116. Mount Mainaka Greets Hanuman
117. Surasa Attacks Hanuman
118. Simhika Attacks Hanuman
119. Lankini Challenges Hanuman
120. Ravana Comes to Sita
121. The Rakshasis Taunt Sita
122. Hanuman Addresses Sita
123. Hanuman Shows Sita the Ring
124. Sita Tells Hanuman a Story
125. Hanuman Runs Wild
126. Hanuman Fights the Rakshasas
127. Hanuman Warns Ravana
128. Hanuman Spreads the Fire
129. Hanuman Burns the Houses of Lanka
130. Hanuman Returns
131. The Monkeys and Bears Celebrate
132. Dadhimukha Reports to Sugriva
133. Rama Receives Hanuman
134. Ravana Seeks Advice
135. Ravana Speaks with Kumbhakarna
136. Vibhishana Comes to Rama
137. Rama Petitions the Ocean
138. Nala Builds a Bridge
139. A Squirrel Wants to Help
140. A Woman's Body Washes Ashore
141. Who Destroyed the Bridge?
142. Rama Marches to Lanka
143. The Army Meets the Enemy
144. Ravana Summons a Magician
145. Rama Sends Angada to Ravana
146. Indrajit Attacks
147. Sita Visits the Battlefield
148. Trijata Consoles Sita
149. Garuda Arrives
150. Rama Worships Durga
151. Ravana Awakens Kumbhakarna
152. Kumbhakarna Marches into Battle
153. Indrajit Attacks
154. Hanuman Goes to the Himalayas
155. Indrajit Conjures an Illusion
156. Indrajit Conducts a Sacrifice
157. Lakshmana Confronts Indrajit
158. Indrajit's Wife Comes to Rama
159. Rama Battles Taranisen
160. Rama Duels with Ravana's Son
161. Ravana Invokes Kali
162. Ravana Threatens Sita
163. Ravana Rides into Battle
164. Rama Duels with Ravana
165. Vibhishana Grieves for Ravana
166. Vibhishana Fetches Sita
167. Sita Rebukes Rama
168. The Story of Maya-Sita
169. Indra Grants Rama a Boon
170. Rama Goes Home
171. Rama Becomes King
172. Sita Rewards Hanuman
173. Hanuman Honors Rama
174. Sita Has News for Rama
175. The Story of Ratnakar
176. Ratnakar Becomes Valmiki
177. Valmiki Becomes a Poet
178. Narada Tells Valmiki about Rama
179. Valmiki Reads Hanuman's Ramayana
180. Gossip Spreads
181. Rama Makes a Decision
182. Lakshmana Takes Sita to the Forest
183. Sita Meets Valmiki
184. Sita Gives Birth
185. Another Story of the Twins
186. Shatrughna Hears the Twins Singing
187. Valmiki Takes the Twins to Ayodhya
188. Rama Summons Sita
189. Sita Arrives
190. Rama Makes Plans
191. Rama Makes a Statue
192. The Statues Speak to Rama
193. Rama Confronts Shambuka
194. Kala Comes to Rama
195. Rama Grieves for Lakshmana
196. Hanuman Seeks Rama's Ring
197. Rama Departs
198. A Story about Tenalirama
199. Another Story about Tenalirama
200. A Story about Shiva

STORY SOURCES

For story-specific sources, see the links above.

Devi, Shoshona.  Indian Fables and Folklore.
Lutgendorf, Philip. Hanuman's Tale.
Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version.
Pattanaik, Devdutt. Hanuman's Ramayan.
Pattanaik, Devdutt. Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana.
Ramakrishna. Tales and Parables.
Ramanujan, A. K. Folktales from India.
Rangachari, Devika. The Wit of Tenali Raman.
Sattar, Arshia. Uttara: The Book of Answers.
Tulsidas. Ramcharitmanas (see Ramcharitmanas.org for an English translation).
Valmiki. Ramayana (see WisdomLib.org for an English translation).

GLOSSARY. See the website for a clickable glossary of characters and terms.



Errata.

Need to fix printing error for the line break for Shurpanakha in the chapter title.

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~ 192. The Statues Speak to Rama ~

Some say that Rama had a new golden statue of Sita made for every sacred ritual. Then, after each ritual, the golden statue would be installed in a special temple.
One day Rama went to visit the temple, and the golden statues of Sita all called out to him. "Husband!" they cried. "Husband! Who will take care of us when you depart this earth?"
"I will see you again," Rama promised, "and we will be reunited in love during my next lifetime."
In his next lifetime, Rama would return as Krishna, and the golden statues would be Krishna's beloved gopis.


Inspired by: Golden Sitas become gopis.
Notes: I don't have any idea how old this story is; I found it at a website online, and I liked it. 



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~ 198. Afterword: A Story about Tenalirama ~

The royal painter decorated the palace walls with Ramayana murals. Tenalirama scoffed. "Where's the rest of Lakshmana?" he asked, pointing to one figure.
"That's a profile!" replied the painter. "You have to imagine the rest."
"I will decorate the summer palace with my own Ramayana paintings!" boasted Tenalirama.
A month later, he was done. The king came to see ... and there were only noses. Everywhere! Noses painted all over the walls!
"What is this?" he shouted angrily.
"Well, this is Rama, of course. And Sita, Lakshmana..." Tenalirama pointed out each nose one by one. "You have to imagine the rest."
Inspired by: The Wit of Tenali Raman by Devika Rangachari
Notes: This story is on p. 34 of the book. In the original story he painted noses and legs and arms and various body parts; I changed it to just noses in honor of his encounter with Kali: Tenalirama and Kali. This story appears in Tiny Tales of India.

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~ 199. Another Story about Tenalirama ~

A courtesan invited Tenalirama to recite the Ramayana, the epic story of Rama's adventures, just for her.
Tenalirama began with the story of King Dasharatha and Rama's birth, followed by the intrigue in King Dasharatha's court, then Rama's exile into the forest, accompanied by his devoted wife Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana.
"So," he said, "Rama, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana, went into the forest to begin their exile."
Then Tenalirama fell silent.
The courtesan waited, and finally she could wait no longer. "Then what happened?" she demanded.
"Be patient," said Tenalirama. "They are still walking through the forest."
Inspired by: Folktales from India, edited by A. K. Ramanujan
Notes: This is "Tenali Rama's Ramayana" (p. 57). This story also appears in Tiny Tales from India.

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~ 36. The Story of Indra ~

After Ahalya departed with Gautama, Rama asked about Indra. "Was Indra ever freed from Gautama's curse?"
"Indra begged the devas for help," said Vishvamitra, "but no one knew what to do. Then Agni had an idea: they could give Indra the testicles of a ram. They found a ram tied to a pole, ready to be sacrificed. They cut off the ram's testicles and took them to Indra, so that he could replace the testicles he had lost."
Lakshmana burst out laughing, but Rama knew this was a serious matter. The curse of a rishi can afflict even the gods.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is from the Bala Kanda (Book 1), sarga 49. I added the part about Lakshmana laughing. In the many different versions of Ahalya's story, there are different versions of the curses. In some versions, Indra is cursed to be covered with female genitalia, for example. In this case, he is meṣavṛṣaṇa in Sanskrit, ram-testicled.

Gautama Curses Indra




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~ 81. How Ravana Tricked Jatayu ~

Jatayu could have rescued Sita, but Ravana had tricked him.
"Where exactly does your strength reside?" Ravana asked Jatayu.
Jatayu didn't reply; he just kept fighting.
"My strength is in my right big toe," Ravana said. 
Honor then compelled Jatayu to share his secret, as Ravana had. "My strength is in my wings!" Jatayu said as he swooped down and began pecking at Ravana's toe.
But nothing happened. Ravana had lied: his strength wasn't in his toe but in his navel, where he concealed the pot of immortal nectar.
Ravana then tore Jatayu's wings to shreds, laughing, while Sita wept.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This folktale is on p. 136 of the book. 
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~ 161. Ravana Invokes Kali ~

Ravana decided to pray to the warrior-goddess Kali for protection. With Kali's help, he could become completely invincible, safe even from humans and monkeys.
"You must stop him!" Vibhishana said to Hanuman and Angada, so they flew to Lanka and found Ravana deep in meditation. The monkeys pelted Ravana with fruits and flowers he had offered to the goddess, but they could not break Ravana's meditation.
Then they began stripping off Mandodari's clothes. "Help me, husband!" she screamed.
This broke Ravana's meditation. He came to Mandodari's aid, and the monkeys flew away, mission accomplished: Ravana received no boon from Kali.


Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 240 of the book. Pattanaik notes that in other versions of this story, Ravana invokes Shiva. Angada's attack on Mandoari appears in the Adhatma Ramayana and in other regional versions. 

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~ 101. Vali Torments Sugriva ~

Because of Matanga's curse, Vali could not set foot on Rishyamukha Hill. If he did, his head would explode into a thousand pieces. 
Thus Sugriva took refuge there, thinking he would be safe from Vali.
Vali, however, still found a way to torment his brother. Every day he would fly over Rishyamukha Hill and kick Sugriva in the head, which was painful and humiliating for Sugriva.
Finally, Hanuman grabbed Vali by the ankle. "Stop it!" Hanuman shouted. "If you come back again, I'll pull you down to the ground."
Knowing that Hanuman meant what he said, Vali stopped tormenting Sugriva.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This folktale is on p. 173 of the book.

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~ 193. Rama Confronts Shambuka ~

An old brahmin came to Rama, carrying his dead child. "This is your fault!" he said to Rama. "Things are out of control. My son has died before me."
Not sure what to do, Rama sought advice from Narada. "There is a low-born man practicing austerities in the forest," Narada said. "He is a shudra, the lowest caste, and a shudra should not aspire to gain heaven by practicing austerities. His name is Shambuka, and you must stop him."
Rama found Shambuka in the forest and beheaded him.
At that very instant, the dead brahmin boy came back to life.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 64 and following. Narada explains that in the first age, the brahmins were ascetics, and in the second age, the kshatriyas aspired to become ascetics, and in the third age, vaishyas would do so; only in the Kali Yuga would shudras have such aspirations.




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~ 35. They Come to a Deserted Ashram ~

As they continued their journey over mountains and through forests, Vishvamitra led the princes into a deserted ashram. Rama wondered why Vishvamitra had brought them there. And then... something surprising happened. As Rama's foot brushed against a rock, a beautiful woman suddenly appeared before him. 
"You have liberated me, Rama," she said. "I am Ahalya, and I welcome you to Gautama's ashram."
Next, Gautama emerged from the trees. He bowed to Vishvamitra and the princes, and then he extended his hand to Ahalya. Smiling, she took her husband's hand. 
All was forgiven.
Rejoicing, the devas rained down flowers from heaven.


Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is from the Bala Kanda (Book 1), sarga 49.

Ahalya Emerges




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~ 10. Ravana Occupies Lanka ~

Ravana's maternal grandfather, Sumali, always hoped Ravana would reclaim the golden city of Lanka. "Take the city from Kubera!" Sumali urged. "Let it be a rakshasa city again as it was long ago."
Ravana's general, Prahasta, agreed. "The devas were wrong to drive the rakshasas from Lanka, and we are right to take it back."
Ravana sent Prahasta to Lanka as his emissary. "Give us back the city," Prahasta said to Kubera, "or we will fight you."
To Prahasta's surprise, Kubera yielded the city. "I will go to the Himalayas," he said. "Tell my brother that golden Lanka is his."

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana
Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 11.

Golden Lanka



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~ 14. Ravana Attacks Kubera ~

Kubera rallied his yaksha soldiers to defend their mountain home from Ravana's attack. Kubera and the yakshas fought bravely, but they were no match for the rakshasas. Soon the battlefield was littered with yaksha corpses lying in rivers of blood that streamed bright red in the snow.
The surviving yakshas all fled, and Kubera alone confronted Ravana on the battlefield. 
"Someone will finally send you to hell," Kubera said, "and then you will understand the consequences of your actions." 
The half-brothers fought until Kubera fell, wounded but not dead. 
Ravana then stole Kubera's flying chariot and returned, triumphant, to Lanka.


Inspired by: Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana
Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 14.


Himalayas



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~ 13. Kubera Rebukes Ravana ~

Kubera was appalled by Ravana's repeated attacks on the priests, on the devas, and on his own yakshas, so he sent a message to him, brother to brother. "Your deeds dishonor our father," Kubera's messenger told Ravana. "You need to stop your bad behavior."
Enraged, Ravana shouted, "I will kill Kubera for this! And I will kill all the other guardians of the world as well. Nobody speaks to Ravana this way!" 
Then Ravana seized Kubera's messenger and sliced off his head.
"Come, rakshasas!" Ravana shouted, and he led his army in an attack on Kubera's home in the Himalayas.

Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana
Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 13.

Ravana


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~ 158. Indrajit's Wife Comes to Rama ~

Lakshmana's arrow severed Indrajit's head with such force that it flew through the air and landed at Ravana's feet. 
"Forgive me, Father," said the head. "I failed you." Then the head spoke no more.
Sulochana, Indrajit's wife, was determined to cremate Indrajit's head and body together.
She walked fearlessly across the battlefield until she found Indrajit's body.
"Indrajit was an obedient son, like you," she said to Rama, "and I am a faithful wife, like Sita. I beg you: let me take my husband's body away from here."
Rama agreed, and Sulochana carried Indrajit's body away, grieving for her husband.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 232 of the book. Sulochana is also called Pramila. Some say she was a Naga, and Lakshmana's famed naga-pasha was her gift to him. In some versions of the story, she commits sati, burning herself on Indrajit's pyre.

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~ 160. Rama Duels with Ravana's Son ~

Ravana's son Virabahu was devoted to Vishnu. Seeing Rama in battle, he recognized Rama as Vishnu on earth. 
"O God!" shouted Virabahu, bowing down before Rama. "I am yours! Let your sword send me to heaven." Then he offered his neck to Rama's sword.
"I cannot kill someone who shows such devotion," Rama said.
"Then I will make you kill me," shouted Virabahu, and he launched an attack. They fought violently, until finally Rama's sword cut off Virabahu's head.
The head's mouth kept chanting the name of Rama.
Rama bent down and touched the head, and Virabahu ascended to heaven.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 235 of the book. This story comes from the Dandi Ramayana and the Bengali Ramayana. Pattanaik explains the ending as follows: "This is an example of viparit-bhakti, reverse devotion, displaying devotion by mocking and taunting God." In the full version, Virabahu rides an elephant, and he cannot die while the elephant is still alive, so much of the battle consists of efforts to kill the elephant.

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~ 159. Rama Battles Taranisen ~

Across the battlefield, Rama saw a rakshasa ferociously attacking the monkeys and bears. As he watched, Rama realized the rakshasa was tattooed all over with his name.
"How strange!" Rama said to Vibhishana. "Who is that?"
"He is Taranisen," Vibhishana explained, "and he worships you. He bears your name everywhere, but not on his teeth. Strike him in the teeth, and he will fall."
Rama plunged into battle and struck the strange warrior in the teeth, thus killing him.
After the battle, Rama asked Vibhishana, "How did you know about his teeth?"
"Because," Vibhishana said sadly, "he was my son."

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 235 of the book. The story of Taranisen comes from the Bengali Ramayana of Krittivasa.


Rama confronts Taranisen






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~ 143. The Army Meets the Enemy ~

Rama and his army were about to march onto the shore of Lanka when Vibhishana shouted a warning.
"Stop, Rama! Stop!" he yelled. "Do you see that rakshasa coming towards us?"
"Yes!" said Rama. "He's wearing a blindfold. Who is he?"
"That's Bhasmalochana," Vibhishana explained. "His eyes incinerate everything that he gazes at. I brought this just in case!" Vibhishana handed Rama a mirror. 
Rama grasped the mirror and pointed it in the direction of Bhasmalochana. 
Then, as soon as the rakshasa removed his blindfold, he found himself gazing into the mirror and incinerated himself.
Rama had thwarted Ravana again.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 217 of the book. The legend of Bhasmalochana comes from the Bengali Ramayana.


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~ 142. Rama Marches to Lanka ~

When they finally finished building the bridge, Rama led his army of monkeys and bears on their way to Lanka.
But Ravana was watching! Before Rama and his army could enter Lanka, he shot two massive arrows that destroyed each end of the bridge.
Rama's army could not go forward or backward, and hungry sea-monsters were swarming in the waters around them.
"Help us, Hanuman!" shouted Rama.
The mighty Hanuman leaped to Lanka and then enlarged himself, expanding his tail to span the gap.
Rama's army then marched over Hanuman's tail into Lanka.
Rama had thwarted Ravana's plans once again.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 216 of the book, and it comes from the Thai Ramakien and other southeast Asian Ramayana legends. Pattanaik suggests an influence of the Jataka story of the noble monkey-king who makes his body into a bridge of safety between two trees for his monkeys.

marching over Hanuman
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~ 141. Who Destroyed the Bridge? ~

The bridge soon reached halfway to Lanka.
But then, during the night, sea-monsters destroyed the bridge. In the morning, they saw the sea-monsters splashing in the ruins, dragging away the rocks. 
"I'll find out who did this!" Hanuman shouted. He dove down into the water. There he found a palace, and inside the palace he found the mermaid Suvannamaccha.
"Ravana asked me to destroy your bridge," she said. "But you are a very handsome monkey. I like you! My creatures will help repair the bridge. Forgive me, please!"
Hanuman smiled at the mermaid.
Later, she would bear his son: Macchanu.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 214 of the book. The story of Suvannamaccha is found in the Thai Ramakien and other south Asian vesrions of the Ramayana. Sometimes she is Ravana's daughter. Hanuman and Suvannamaccha become lovers, and Hanuman later meets his son Macchanu when he goes to rescue Rama and Lakshmana from Mahiravana. In the Adbhuta Ramayana, Hanuman's sweat impregnates a sea creature and he gives birth to a son that way.

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~ 140. A Woman's Body Washes Ashore ~

One morning, they saw something floating in the water... a woman's body, tangled in the seaweed.
Lakshmana ran up. "It's Sita!" he wailed in horror.
Rama came running, and the princes wept, stricken with grief.
But Hanuman was suspicious. He built a pyre, put the body on top, and set it on fire.
"Stop, Hanuman!" Rama shouted. "What do you think you are doing?"
Before Hanuman could answer, the supposed corpse rose up and shrieked.
"It's not Sita!" said Hanuman. "This is Benjakai; I saw this evil sorceress in Ravana's palace."
Howling in defeat, Benjakai fled back into the ocean.

Inspired by: Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 210 of the book. The episode comes from the Thai Ramakien where Benjakai is the daughter of Vibhishana, and Ravana has forced her to engage in this plot. Vibhishana is prepared to execute her, but Rama spares her and sends her back to Lanka. She becomes Hanuman's lover.



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