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ANANDA RAMAYANAM - V

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Kalyani Krishnamachari • April 30, 1997 


                          Sri RAmajayam

                       Stories from SRI VALMIKI's ANANDA RAMAYANAM - Continued

This is the fifth posting in Ananda RAmAyaNam series:

4.  Stories from SAra KANdam :

Noted below are some major differences between SrI VAlmIki RAmAyaNam and the
Ananda RAmAyaNam. The instances described in Ananda RAmAyaNam seem to 
decrease the pathos associated with RAma and SItA's separation process and 
the pains of war inflicted upon RAma and LakshmaNa.  

1)  Ananda RAmAyaNam - SArakANdam chapter 7: Before the abduction of SItA by 
RAvaNa, RAma asks SItA to divide into 3 forms: rajOrUpam to stay in Lord
Agni's custody, satvarUpam to be part of RAma's right side and chAyArUpam 
to be abducted by RAvaNa.  

2)  In VAlmIki RAmAyaNam - Yuddha KANdam chapters 31 and 32, SItA grieves
over RAma's head shown by RAvaNa.  She is in extreme pain till Saramai
(VibhIshaNa's wife) tells Her it is is only mAyai (chapter 33).

In Ananda RAmAyaNam - SArakANdam chapter 11, When RAvaNa plans to show 
SItA a mAyA head of RAma and make her grieve, Lord Brahma reveals this 
plan to SItA well ahead of time and prepares Her.

3)  In VAlmIki RAmAyaNam - Yuddha KANdam chapter 81, Indrajit kills
MAyA SItA to scare the vAnaras and in chapter 83, RAma swoons when He
hears about it and is then consoled by VibhIshaNa who tells Him it is only
mAyai (chapter 84).

In Ananda RAmAyaNam - SArakANdam chapter 11, Lord Brahma reveals the 
mAyai to RAma when RAvaNa shows the head of mAyA SItA to the vAnaras,
who in turn inform RAma.

4)  In VAlmIki RAmAyaNam - Yuddha KANdam chapter 45, Sri RAma and 
LakshmaNa are tied with NAgapAsam by Indrajit. Chapter 46 shows
SugrIva's grief; chapters 47 and 48 show SItA watching them in pain from
the pushpaka vimAnam and wailing over them; in chapter 48, RAma wakes
up and wails over LakshmaNa's plight.  Finally, in chapter 50, Lord
Garuda arrives on His own (as an old friend) and cures RAma and LakshmaNa. 

In Ananda RAmAyaNam - SArakANdam chapter 11, When Indrajit ties down RAma 
with nAgAstram, RAma thinks of Garuda in His mind and He comes immediately 
and alleviates RAma's and LakshmaNa's pain.  


More to come,

Kalyani Krishnamachari