Guide: Mahiravana

This is a guide to Mahiravana: A Magician Outwitted (Volume 526). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.526

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Mahiravana (pp. 1-6). Mahiravana, magician, king of the netherworld, senses that his father, Ravana, needs his help, so he goes to Lanka. Ravana has summoned him in desperation after the deaths of his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Indrajit in battle. Ravana tells Mahiravana about Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. Mahiravana promises to help Ravana defeat Rama.

Additional reading: The story of Mahiravana (Ahiravana) is not found in Valmiki's Ramayana. Instead, it is found in other versions of the Ramayana. Sometimes Mahiravana is the brother of Ravana, and sometimes his son. You can read another version of the story of Ahiravana at Wikipedia. (It is quite different from the version here in the comic book!)

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The Fortress (pp. 6-11). Ravana's brother Vibhishana (now loyal to Rama) takes the form of a bird to spy on Ravana. He tells Rama about Mahiravana. Stretching his tail, Hanuman builds a fortress to protect Rama and Lakshamana, with the discus Sudarshan on top of the fortress to keep watch while Hanuman stands guard on the ground.

Additional reading: You can read about the Sudarshana Chakra (discus) of the god Vishnu at Wikipedia.

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The Tunnel (pp. 12-19). Meanwhile, Mahiravana plans to kidnap Rama and Lakshmana and sacrifice them to the goddess Durga. Mahiravana disguises himself as King Dasharatha in order to enter the fortress, and then as Bharata. These tricks fails, but when he pretends to be Vibhishana, Hanuman lets him in. When the real Vibhishana shows up, they rush inside but it's too late: Mahiravana has taken Rama and Lakshmana out through a tunnel, while all the rest of the army is fast asleep.

Additional reading: You can read about the goddess Durga, one of the many manifestation of Devi (the goddess), at Wikipedia.

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Hanuman in the Nether World (pp. 19-23). Hanuman goes on a rescue mission, following the tunnel that Mahiravana used to get out of the fortress. Although Hanuman hides in a tree, two women see him and from their conversation he learns of a prophecy that says that the arrival of monkeys and men mean that Mahiravana is doomed. Hanuman also learns that the sacrifice to Durga is about to begin, so he finds the temple and enters, disguised as a fly.

Additional reading: You can find out more about Patala, the nether world, at Wikipedia.

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Victory (pp. 24-31). Rama and Lakshmana awake, and Hanuman then goes to get Durga to help them. The goddess tells Hanuman how to defeat Mahiravana. Mahiravana begins the sacrifice, but Rama and Lakshmana refuse to bow, saying they don't know how. They ask Mahiravana to show them, and when he bows before the altar, Hanuman attacks! Mahiravana is defeated, and Hanuman takes Rama and Lakshmana back up through the tunnel to safety.

Additional reading: The story of Mahiravana is usually connected with Hanuman Panchamukha, "Five-Faced Hanuman." You might want to read that story at Wikipedia. It is a very cool story about why Hanuman needed to assume his five-faced form to rescue Rama and Lakshmana from Mahiravana. You can also find the story told in the Wikipedia article about Anjaneri, Hanuman's birthplace.

Guide: Rama

This is a guide to Rama: Retold from the Ramayana (Volume 504). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.504

See the detailed reading guide below.

Young Rama (pp. 1-6). The story starts in the city of Ayodhya on the Sarayu River where Dasharatha is king. His sons are Rama, son of Queen Kaushalya; Bharata, son of Queen Kaikeyi; and Lakshmana and Shatrugha, sons of Queen Sumitra. Already a skilled archer as a young boy, Rama helps the sage Vishvamitra to kill the demoness Tataka. Vishwamitra then takes Rama and his brother Lakshmana to the court of King Janaka of Mithila. To win Janaka's daughter Sita in marriage, Rama not only lifted but snapped a mighty bow. Rama's father, King Dasharatha, comes to Mithila for the wedding of Rama and Sita.

Additional reading: The sage Vishvamitra was originally a king and only later became a sage. You can read his story in this comic book: Vishvamitra: The King Who Became an Ascetic.

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Rama's Exile (pp. 7-12). King Dasharatha decides to make Rama his successor but Manthara, maid of Queen Kaikeyi, persuades Kaikeyi to demand that Dasharatha exile Rama and make Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, king instead. Because of a promise he once made to Kaikeyi, Dasharatha has to agree, although he is grief-stricken. Rama obeys his father's wishes without question, and Sita and Lakshmana join Rama in his exile. Bharata had been away from home during these events and when he returns, he learns that his father has died after sending Rama into exile. Bharata seeks Rama in the forest, hoping to persuade him to return to Ayodhya, but Rama insists on carrying out Dashratha's commands. Bharata takes Rama's sandals and puts them in place of Rama on the throne.

Additional reading: You can read the sad story of Dasharatha's last days in this comic book: Dasharatha: The Story of Rama's Father.

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Shurpanakha (pp. 12-14). While Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana are living in the forest, a beautiful woman, Shurpanakha, sees Rama and falls in love with him. Rama explains that he is married and refers her to Lakshmana, while Lakshmana jokingly sends her back to Rama. Furious, Shurpanakha reveals her true form: she is a demoness. Lakshmana cuts off her nose and ears, and she runs screaming to her cousins, Khara and Dooshana, for help. Khara leads a demon army to attack Rama and Lakshmana, but Rama defeats the demons and kills both Khara and Dooshana. Shurpanakha goes to her brother, Ravana, the ten-headed king of the demons, and tells him what happened.

Additional reading: For more about Ravana and his family, see this comic book: The Lord of Lanka: The Rise and Fall of a Demon King.

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Ravana (pp. 15-18). Ravana summons his uncle, the demon Maricha, and tells him to take the form of a golden deer. Sita urges Rama to catch the deer for her. Rama chases the deer, who cries out in Rama's voice to Lakshmana. Sita forces Lakshmana to go after Rama, and when she is alone, a sanyasi approaches her, begging for food, but it is Ravana in disguise. He grabs her and takes her away in his chariot. The vulture Jatayu tries to stop Ravana, but Ravana is too strong. Rama and Lakshmana return to find Sita gone; Jatayu tells them that Ravana took her and went south before he dies.

Additional reading: The word "sanyasi" refers to someone who has renounced the material world and is living the life of an ascetic. You can find out more about the stage of life called sannyasa in this Wikipedia article. As that article explains, the literal meaning of the word "sannyasa" is to "put everything down," i.e. renunciation, to set aside the material world.

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Rama and the Monkeys (pp. 18-22). Heading south, Rama and Lakshmana meet Sugriva, brother Vali, king of the monkeys, and his friend Hanuman. They help Sugriva defeat Vali, and Sugriva becomes king. Rama gives Hanuman his ring and sends her in search of Sita. Hanuman and the monkeys go to the southern tip of India, and then Hanuman leaps to Lanka. He finds Sita there, being held prisoner. He gives her the ring and promises to take news of her to Rama. He fights with the demons and even kills Ravana's son, Akshaya Kumar. Ravana sends his son Meghanada to capture Hanuman. Meghanada brings Hanuman before Ravana, and Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on fire. Hanuman grows to a gigantic size, which allows him to set all of Lanka on fire. Hanuman then returns to Rama with news of Sita.

Additional reading: Meghanada is better know as Indrajit, the "Conqueror-of-Indra," because when Ravana attacked the gods in their heaven, Indrajit defeated Indra. You can read more about Indrajit (Meghanada) at Wikipedia; Meghanada is the Sanskrit form of the name, while Meghnad is a modern version (much like Rama is Ram, Lakshmana is Lakshman, etc.). There is also an article at Wikipedia about Akshayakumara, who was Ravana's youngest son. 

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Vibhishana (pp. 23-25). Rama leads his army of monkeys and bears to Lanka. Ravana's virtuous brother Vibhishana urges him to return Sita to Rama, but this infuriates Ravana. Vibhishana then goes over to Rama's side, and Rama accepts him as an ally. The monkeys build a bridge across the sea, and Rama then sends Vali's son Angada as an ambassador to Ravana, offering peace in exchange for Sita. Ravana refuses the peace offer.

Additional reading: There is also a detailed article at Wikipedia about Vibhishana, along with a great article about Rama's bridge to Lanka.

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The War (pp. 25-28). Meghanada wounds Lakshmana, and Hanuman brings the physician Sushena... and he brings Sushena's house too! Sushena says he needs the sanjeevani herb which grows on a far-away hill, so Hanuman flies away and brings back the hill itself so that Sushena can revive Lakshmana. Ravana's brother Kumbhakarna slaughters many of the monkeys before Rama is able to kill him, and then Lakshmana kills Meghanada. When Ravana hears his son is dead, he goes into battle himself.

Additional reading: You can read more about Hanuman and the Medicine Hill in this comic book: Hanuman to the Rescue: Hanuman Brings the Sanjeevani.

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Rama's Victory (pp. 28-32). Ravana uses all twenty of his arms to attack Rama and Lakshmana, while Rama rides out to challenge him in a chariot given to him by the god Indra. Ravana then uses his magical powers to conjure up more Ravanas. Rama slices off one head after another with his arrows, but Ravana keeps on fighting. Finally Vibhishana reveals that Ravana's nectar of life is in his navel, so Rama is able to kill Ravana by shooting an arrow into his navel. Rama makes Vibhishana king of Lanka, and he returns to Ayodhya with Sita, traveling in Pushpaka, the flying chariot, where he crowned king at last.

Additional reading: There is a detailed article at Wikipedia about the Pushpaka Vimana. For the story of how Ravana came into the possession of the Pushpaka, see this comic book:  Kubera: The Lord of Wealth.

Guide: Hanuman

This is a guide to Hanuman: The Epitome of Devotion and Courage (Volume 502). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.502

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Hanuman and Rama (pp. 1-3). When he was little Hanuman grabbed at the sun, thinking it was a fruit to eat. He got stronger as he grew, and saved Sugriva from a wild elephant. When Sugriva had to flee his brother Vali by going into exile in the wilderness, Hanuman joined him. It was in the wilderness that Hanuman first met Rama and his brother Lakshmana; not sure who they were, Hanuman disguised himself as an ascetic. Overwhelmed by love for Rama, Hanuman then revealed who he was and carried Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders to meet with Sugriva.

Additional reading: The usual version of the story is that Hanuman thought the sun was a mango; more about Hanuman's childhood at Wikipedia. Pavana is another name for Vayu, the god of wind. You can read more about Sugriva and his brother Vali at Wikipedia, and there is also an article about the vanaras, often translated "monkeys" in English.

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Sugriva and Vali (pp. 4-6). Sugriva tells Rama about how he had trapped his brother Vali in a cave, thinking he was dead, and how Vali emerged from the cave, furious to discover that Sugriva had taken the throne in Vali's absence. Rama agrees to help Vali defeat his brother. Sugriva then shows Rama the jewels that fell from the sky; Rama recognizes them as belonging to his wife Sita, who has been kidnapped by Ravana, king of the rakshasas. Sugriva duels with Vali, but Rama cannot tell who is who. The next time they fight, Sugriva wears a garland and this allows Rama to recognize Vali and kill him. Sugriva becomes king again, and Vali's son Angada is made crown prince.

Additional reading: You can read all about the conflict between Vali and Sugriva in this comic: Vali: The Downfall of an Arrogant King.

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Leap to Lanka (pp. 4-9). Sugriva then sends Hanuman and the other monkeys to search for Sita. When Hanuman, Angada, and Jambavan, king of the bears, reach the southern shore, Sampati the vulture king tells them Sita is in Lanka. Hanuman leaps all the way to Lanka. Along the way he rests on Mount Mainaka, who is a friend of Hanuman's father, and he also battles with the monster Surasa.

Additional reading: There are some wonderful illustrations of this episode in the Wikipedia article about the monster Surasa. Valmiki's Ramayana tells the story of Mount Mainaka in detail: Mount Mainaka was hiding under the water to escape from the god Indra who wanted to cut off the wings of all the mountains; Vayu, Hanuman's father had rescued the mountain by blowing it into the ocean. After Mainaka helped Hanuman, Indra was so impressed that he then came to see the mountain and promised not to cut off Mainaka's wings, so Mainaka is the only winged mountain left in the world.

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Hanuman and Sita (pp. 10-13). Hanuman looks everywhere in Lanka for Sita. He sees Ravana's many wives in the palace, and he sees Ravana himself. At first the thinks Mandodari, Ravana's wife, might be Sita, but he realizes Sita would never give herself to Ravana. Finally he finds Sita in the ashoka garden. Hanuman hides and listens as Ravana tries to seduce Sita. He then hears the rakshasis teasing Sita. When Sita is alone at last, Hanuman goes to her and gives her Rama's ring. He offers to take Sita away, but Sita decides to stay so that Rama will come and defeat Ravana once and for all.

Additional reading: What the comic book does not explain was that Ravana could not force Sita because of a curse resulting from his rape of the apsara Rambha; you can read more about Rambha at Wikipedia.

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Fire in Lanka (pp. 13-17). Hanuman then starts uprooting the trees and attacking the rakshasas, who are terrified of him. Indrajit, Ravana's son, then used his snake-arrows to capture Hanuman. Ravana wants to execute Hanuman, but his virtuous brother Vibhishana urges him to treat Rama's messenger with respect. Ravana decides to set Hanuman's tail on fire, but Hanuman's tail grows so large that they run out of oil. When they set the fail on fire, Hanuman runs through the streets and sets all of Lanka on fire, and then plunges his tail in the ocean before leaping back to India.

Additional reading: Indrajit's weapon is called a nagastra or a nagapasha in Sanskrit; you can read more about this weapons and other supernatural weapons in the Astras article at Wikipedia, and there is also a detailed article about Indrajit.

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March to Lanka (pp. 17-21). When Hanuman returns, Rama raises an army of monkeys and bears to march on Lanka. The monkey engineer Nala builds a bridge so that they can cross the ocean. Ravana's brother Vibhishana decides to ally himself with Rama. On the way to Lanka, Hanuman carries Rama on his shoulders and Angada carries Lakshmana.

Additional reading: There is a fascinating article about the Rama Setu, or Rama's Bridge, at Wikipedia. The title of the article is Adam's Bridge because of an Islamic tradition that associates Sri Lanka with Adam (see the article Adam's Peak), so when a British mapmaker drew the bridge on a map in 1804, he used the name "Adam's Bridge."

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The Battle Rages (pp. 22-24). When Hanuman and Vibhishana capture some rakshasa spies, Rama sends them back to Ravana to warn him. Ravana is not afraid, and vows to destroy Rama and all his allies. The rakshasa general Jambumali fights with Hanuman, but Hanuman smashes his chariot and lifts up Rama and Lakshmana so they can rain down arrows on their enemies. Hanuman slays the rakshasa general Dhumraksha, and he crushes the giant Akampana with a tree.

Additional reading: According to some versions of the story, Dhumraksha and Akampana were both sons of Sumali, Ravana's grandfather. You can find out more about Sumali and the history of Ravana's family in this comic book: Kubera, The Lord of Wealth.

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Hanuman and the Mountain (pp. 24-27). Using his power of invisibility, Indrajit manages to shoot Lakshmana. The physician Sushena says he needs the sanjeevani plant to heal Lakshmana, so Hanuman flies to Mount Gandhamandan to look for the plant; unable to find the plant, he brings the whole mountain back with him. The plant cures Lakshmana and brings thousands of monkeys back to life.

Additional reading: You can read all about this episode in a different comic book: Hanuman to the Rescue: Hanuman Brings the Sanjeevani.

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Victory for Rama (pp. 27-32). With Hanuman's help, Rama destroys Ravana's chariot, but he lets Ravana go rather than kill an unarmed enemy. In desperation, Ravana decides to wake up his brother Kumbhakarna. Although Kumbhakarna is a fierce warrior, Rama defeats him. Meanwhile, Lakshmana interrupted Indrajit during a prayer that would have made him invincible, killing him with an arrow. Ravana rides out on the battlefield again, and Rama finally defeats him. Vibhishana becomes king, Rama and Sita are reunited, and Hanuman takes the news of victory to Ayodhya, announcing Rama's return. When Rama sends all his other allies back home, Hanuman will not leave, vowing to stay with Rama forever.

Additional reading: You can read more about the defeat of Kumbhakarna in this comic book: Kumbhakarna: The Sleeping 
Giant. Hanuman's absolute devotion to Rama and Sita is often represented in visual form by having Hanuman open up his heart to show that Rama and Sita are there inside, as you can see in these images of Hanuman.

Guide: Dasharatha

This is a guide to Dasharatha: The Story of Rama's Father (Volume 570). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.570

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

The Hunting Accident (pp. 1-4). The young Dasharatha accidentally kills a young boy while hunting in the dark and must tell the boy's old, blind parents what happened. The old man curses Dasharatha: "Your son too shall be parted from you, and you shall die grieving for him."

Additional reading: In other accounts this boy is named Shravan; you can learn more at Wikipedia.

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Queen Kaikeyi (pp. 4-8). Dasharatha also married three women: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi (promising Kaikeyi's father Ashwapati that her son would be heir to the throne), and Sumitra, but none of them bore him a son. The god Indra had sought Dasharatha's help in the war between the gods (devas) and demons (asuras), and Kaikeyi rode with Dasharatha when he went to help Indra battle the asura Shambara. She saved his life on the battlefield, and he granted her two wishes whenever she wanted them.

Additional reading: You can read more both about the god Indra and the asura Shambara at Wikipedia.

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The Sons of Dasharatha (pp. 8-10). Dasharatha decides to perform a sacrifice to the gods so that they will grant him a son. A celestial being emerged from the sacrificial fire for payasa (rice pudding); he told Dasharatha that if his wives ate the payasa, they would have sons. Kaushalya gave birth to Rama, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Sumitra to Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Rama was everyone's favorite; even Kaikeyi agreed that Rama would be the best king to rule after Dasharatha, although there was a rivalry between Kaushalya and Kaikeyi.

Additional reading: Another name for this rice pudding, called payasa in the comic book, is kheer. You can read more about it at Wikipedia.

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Vishvamitra (pp. 11-15). Vishvamitra asks for Rama's help in doing battle with the rakshasas who disturb his sacrifices. Dasharatha reluctantly agrees to send Rama and Lakshmana. News then comes that Rama has won Sita, the daughter of King Janaka, as his bride, and Janaka offers his daughter Urmila as a bride for Lakshmana and his nieces as brides for Bharata and Shatrughna.

Additional reading: Vishvamitra is one of the most famous of the Indian sages, and he is involved in many adventures beyond the stories recounted in the Ramayana. You can read more about Vishvamitra at Wikipedia.

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Dasharatha's Plans (pp. 15-19). Bharata's uncle, Yudhajit, has taken him to visit his grandfather, Ashwapati. Dasharatha decides to name Rama as "yuvarajah," or crown prince, the heir apparent. Rama is surprised that he will be made king while Bharata is away, but he agrees to his father's wishes. Kaikeyi's servant Manthara, eavesdropping, finds out what is happening and informs Kaikeyi.

Additional reading: You can learn more about Kaikeyi and her family in the article about Kaikeyi at Wikipedia.

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Manthara and Kaikeyi (pp. 19-22). Kaikeyi is at first delighted to hear the news about Rama from Manthara, but Manthara then turns her heart against Rama, and she persuades Kaikeyi to ask for her two wishes from Dasharatha: to make Bharata king and to send Rama into exile.

Additional reading: In some versions of the story, Manthara has hated Rama ever since he was a small boy. You can read about that at Wikipedia.

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Kaikeyi and Dasharatha (pp. 23-27). Despite Dasharatha's desperate protests, Kaikeyi insists that he honor his promise and grant her wish that Bharata be made king and Rama go into exile for fourteen years.

Additional reading: The place where Kaikeyi awaits Dasharatha is the kopa gruha (or kopa bhavan, kopa mandir), the "anger room." 

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Dasharatha's End (pp. 28-32). Rama learns of the change in plans and obeys without question, and departs into exile with Lakshmana and Sita. Dasharatha rejects Kaikeyi and spends his last days with Kaushalya. On the sixth night of Rama's exile, he remembers the old curse and dies. Bharata, however, will not rule in Rama's stead; he refuses to be crowned king and places Rama's sandals on the throne.

Additional reading: The Sanskrit term for these slippers or sandals is paduka; you can read more at Wikipedia.

Guide: Vishvamitra

This is a guide to Vishvamitra: The King Who Became an Ascetic (Volume 599). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.599

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Vishvamitra and Vasishtha (pp. 1-4). As the story begins, note that Vishvamitra is a king. He is impressed by the lifestyle of the sage Vashishtha. Vishvamitra is also amazed by Vashishtha's cow Kamadhenu, but Vashishtha refuses to sell him the cow at any price.

Additional reading: You can read about these two very famous figures at Wikipedia: Vishvamitra and Vashishtha. There is also an article about Kamadhenu!

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Stealing Kamadhenu (pp. 4-7). Unable to buy the cow, King Vishvamitra steals her. Kamadhenu escapes back to Vashishtha and complains. She then conjures up an army to fight Vishvamitra's soldiers. Vashishtha then burns Vishvamitra's sons and horses to ashes.

Additional reading: The power of the sages often manifests in the form of heat. For more about the "heat" of spiritual practices, see this article about tapas at Wikipedia.

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Vishvamitra's New Powers (pp. 8-13). Vishvamitra bestows the kingdom on his one remaining son and goes to the Himalayas to practice austerities. Shiva rewards him with a knowledge of weapons and warfare, and Vishvamitra then challenges Vashishtha. Vashishtha halted all of his weapons, even the Brahmastra. Vishvamitra vows to become a great sage, a brahmarshi, like Vashishtha. Vishvamitra takes his queen to live with him in a hermitage, and she gives birth to more sons there. The god Brahma recognizes Vishvamitra as a rajarshi, "king-become-rishi."

Additional reading: The supernatural Brahmastra weapon also has an article at Wikipedia. You can also read about rishis at Wikipedia, and there is also an article about brahmarshis and about rajarshis.

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Trishanku's Wish (pp. 13-18). While Vishvamitra is becoming a sage in his own right, King Trishanku seeks Vashishta's help to visit heaven because Vashishtha is his guru. When Vashishtha refuses him, he goes to Vashishtha's sons for help. They are outraged and curse him to become a chandala (lower caste or outcaste). In desperation, Trishanku goes to Vishvamitra, and Vishvamitra agrees to help him. The devas (gods), however, do not respond to Vishvamitra's sacrifice.

Additional reading: You can read more about Trishanku at Wikipedia. There is also an article about chandalas, and you can also learn about gurus there.

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Trishanku's Fate (pp. 18-21). Vishvamitra then uses his own powers to cause Trishanku to ascend to heaven, but the gods push him back. Vishvamitra creates a new heaven in the sky for Trishanku, and vows to make Trishanku king of the gods. The gods agree to let Trishanku remain in heaven as a constellation, head down, and now they fear Vishvamitra's powers.

Additional reading: The constellation associated with Trishanku in the Indian tradition is the one that is called "The Southern Cross" in the European tradition. You can read more about that constellation at Wikipedia.

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Ambarisha (pp. 21-24). Ambarisha, the king of Ayodhya, has lost his sacrificial animal. In fact, the god Indra has stolen it. Seeking a human sacrifice, Ambarisha goes to the sage Richika and asks him for his son. Richika refuses, but his son Shunahshepa volunteers. On their way back to Ayodhya, they pass by the hermitage of Shunahshepa's uncle: Vishvamitra! None of Vishvamitra's sons will take Shunahshepa's place, so Vishvamitra curses his sons and then teaches Shunahshepa powerful mantras to use for protection. Hearing the mantras, Indra spares Shunahshepa from the sacrifice.

Additional reading: You can read more about the god Indra at Wikipedia. There are is also an article about Ambarisha. You can also learn about the power of mantras.

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Menaka (pp. 25-27). While practicing his spiritual discipline, Vishvamitra sees the sage Menaka and falls in love with her. Only later, he realizes the gods sent her to entrap him. He sends Menaka away, returns to his spiritual practices, and finally Brahma recognizes him as a maharshi (great-rishi), but Vishvamitra still wants to be a brahmarshi and practices even greater austerities.

Additional reading: There are articles at Wikipedia about Menaka and about the other heavenly nymphs called apsaras in Sanskrit.

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Rambha (pp. 28-32). The god Indra decides to tempt Vishvamitra again, this time with the apsara named Rambha. She is frightened and refuses, but Indra promises to protect her, disguising himself as a cuckoo. Vishvamitra sees through the trick and curses Rambha to turn into a rock. Indra tries again to trick Vishvamitra, but Vishvamitra keeps getting stronger and stronger. Brahma finally makes Vishvamitra a brahmarshi, and Vashishtha salutes him.

Additional reading: You can read more about Rambha at Wikipedia; she plays an important role in Ravana's life story!

Guide: Vali

This is a guide to Vali: The Downfall of an Arrogant King (Volume 546). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.546



See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Dundubhi (pp. 1-7). When Vali was king of Kishkindha, a mighty rakshasa named Dundubhi roamed the world. After terrifying the Ocean, Dundubhi went to do battle with Himavan (the Himalayas). Himavan tells Dundubhi that Vali would make a worthy opponent. Dundhubi turned himself into a water buffalo and went to Kishkindha. Vali defeated Dundhubi and threw his carcass on Rishyamuka mountain, near the hermitage of the rishi Matanga, and for this the rishi cursed Vali: if he set foot on the mountain, he would die.

Additional reading: As you can see, Vali has extraordinary powers. You can read more about the legend of Vali's super-strength at Wikipedia.

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Mayavi (pp. 7-12). Next, Dundubhi's son Mayavi came to challenge Vali. Vali's brother, Sugriva, also joins in the chase. Mayavi runs into a cave. Vali goes into the cave and tells Sugriva to wait outside. Days pass. When Sugriva hears a loud roar and sees blood flowing out of the cave, he concludes that Vali is dead. To trap Mayavi inside, he seals up the cave with a giant boulder. But Vali was alive, and found himself trapped in the cave.

Additional reading: In other versions of the story, Mayavi is not Dundubhi's son but his brother. In that version they are the children of the divine architect Maya and the apsara Hema, which makes them brothers of Mandodari, who will later be the wife of Ravana; this version of the story appears in the Uttara Kanda section of Valmiki's Ramayana.

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King Sugriva (pp. 13-17). In Vali's absence, Sugriva becomes king, with Hanuman as his minister. But Vali finally pushes aside the boulder. He returns home and accuse Sugriva of having trapped him on purpose. Sugriva had to leave the kingdom, but Vali took his wife, Ruma, for himself. Hanuman and Sugriva went to Rishyamuka where Vali could not follow them.

Additional reading: You can read more about Vali's main wife Tara at Wikipedia, and there is also a brief article about Ruma, who is Sugriva's main wife. In some versions of the story, Tara is not a monkey but is instead an apsara, a celestial being.

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Rama and Lakshmana (pp. 18-24). When Sugriva sees Rama and Lakshmana in the forest, he suspects they are Vali's agents. He sends Hanuman, in disguise, to investigate. Rama explains that he is seeking Sugriva to ask for his help in rescuing Sita. Hanuman carries them on his shoulders to meet Sugriva. Rama and Sugriva vow to help each other. Rama proves his strength by kicking aside Dundhubi's skeleton. He also does better than Vali once did in a test of archery.

Additional reading: Hanuman has many supernatural powers, including the ability to change his shape and his size, along with the ability to fly. For more about Hanuman, see the detailed Wikipedia article.

~ ~ ~

Sugriva Fights Vali (pp. 25-29). Sugriva calls Vali out to fight with him but runs away when Vali gets the upper hand. Rama explains that he could not tell one brother from another, so he was not able to intervene. Rama gives Sugriva a garland to wear around his neck. Again, Sugriva challenges Vali. From his hiding place, Rama shoots an arrow at Vali.

Additional reading: The fact that Rama killed Vali in such an apparently dishonorable way has provoked much discussion, with different storytellers and commentators finding ingenious ways in which to justify Rama's actions. There is a nice discussion of this in Stuart Blackburn's Inside the Drama House, which you can read online here: Rama's Confession.

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Vali's Death (pp. 29-31). Vali protests that what Rama did was not right, and Rama justifies himself. Vali tells his wife Tara and his son Angada to trust Rama, and Vali entrusts his wife and son to Sugriva, bestowing on Sugriva his golden chain.

Additional reading: Other versions of the story tell us that this golden chain was a gift to Vali from the god Indra, his father. In some versions, this chain is what gives him the supernatural ability to take half of the strength of his opponents. 

Guide: Ancestors of Rama

This is a guide to Ancestors of Rama: A Noble Inheritance (Volume 572). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.572

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

King Dilipa (pp. 1-6). King Dilipa, Rama's great-great-grandfather, and his wife Sudakshina had no children. He consults the sage Vashishtha who explains that the divine cow, Surabhi, planned to bless Dilipa with many children, but because Dilipa was flirting with his young bride, he did not pay attention to Surabhi, so the blessing became a curse. They need to atone by honoring Nandini, Surabhi's daughter.

Additional reading: You can read about both Surabhi, also known as Kamadhenu, at Wikipedia. Nandini means "she who brings joy," and it thus also means "daughter."

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Nandini (pp. 6-10). Nandini decides to test Dilipa's valor. When Dilipa sees her seized by a lion, he is ready to fight the lion, but finds he is paralyzed. The lion explains why he is going to kill the cow, and Dilipa offers his life in her place. Nandini created the illusion to test him, and now she grants his wish for a son. His name is Raghu.

Additional reading: You can read more about Raghu at Wikipedia. This entire dynasty was often referred to as the "Raghu Dynasty," or Raghuvamsha. The poem by the classical Sanskrit poet Kalidasa with that title — Raghuvamsha — is the source for the stories in this comic book. Here is an English translation of the poem.

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Raghu (pp. 11-16). When Raghu is a young prince, Dilipa assigns him to guard the horse in an Ashwamedha, a horse sacrifice. Raghu thus defeats many kings, but some of them vow revenge. The god Indra is also angry at Raghu's ambitions. Even though Indra makes himself invisible, Raghu sees him take the horse and attacks Indra. Indra finally hurls his vajra weapon at Raghu, but Raghu survives and Indra rewards him. Dilipa then crowns Raghu as king.

Additional reading: You can read more about the horse sacrifice, Ashwamedha, at Wikipedia.

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Raghu and Kubera (pp. 17-21). When the vengeful kings defy him, Raghu vows to conquer the whole world. He succeeds, and then he distributes all the wealth to the kings and his subjects. A sage arrives after the wealth has been distributed to ask for as massive sum to pay his teacher. Raghu realizes he will have to get the wealth from Kubera, the god of wealth, himself. Kubera, fearing Raghu's arrival, sends a shower of gold into the palace. The sage blesses Raghu, promising him a great son. This son is Aja.

Additional reading: The god Kubera once ruled Lanka, but when Ravana took over Lanka, Kubera went to live in the mythical city of Alaka in the Himalayas, which is where he is living during the time of this story. You can find out more about Kubera at Wikipedia.

~ ~ ~

Aja and the Elephant (pp. 21-23). Aja is a virtuous prince, and Raghu sends him to Vidarbha to compete for the hand of Indumati, daughter of King Bhoja in a swayamara. On the way, an elephant attacks Aja; when he spears the elephant, it transforms into a gandharva, a celestial musician, who gives Aja a magical spear.

Additional reading: For more about the celestial gandharvas, see Wikipedia. For the tradition of bride-choice (literally, self-choice), see the Wikipedia article about the swayamvara.

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Indumati's Swayamvara (pp. 24-31). The other princes are intimidated by Aja's arrival at the swayamara. Princess Indumati inspects the competitors and chooses Aja, as Ganga joins the ocean. The rivals plan to attack the happy couple on their way home to Ayodhya. In the battle, Aja uses his magic spear, putting his enemies to sleep. Raghu then makes Aja king and Aja's son will be King Dasharatha, Rama's father.

Additional reading: You have now see the chain, starting with Dilipa (Rama's great-great-grandfather), his son Raghu (Rama's great-grandfather), Aja (Rama's grandfather), and you already know Dasharatha (Rama's father).

Guide: The Lord of Lanka

This is a guide to The Lord of Lanka: The Rise and Fall of a Demon King (Volume 541). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.541

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Sumali (pp. 1-4). The story begins with Sumali, ancient king of the rakshasas, and his daughter Kaikesi. While searching for a husband for her among men, he sees the great wealth of Kubera, king of Lanka and son of the sage Vishrava. He urges Kaikesi to seduce Vishrava. He marries her and they have four rakshasa children: Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Surpanakha, and Vibhishana.

Additional reading: You can read more about Sumali the asura and Vishrava the sage at Wikipedia. There is also a long article about Kubera.

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Ravana's Sacrifice (pp. 4-7). The young Ravana is jealous of his half-brother Kubera's great wealth. He goes with his sister and two brothers to Gokarna to perform sacrifices. Ravana cuts off nine of his heads, casting them into the sacrificial fire. As he is about to cut off the last one, Brahma appears and grants him a boon. Brahma refuses to give him immortality but Ravana cannot die at the hand of a god, demon, rakshasa, serpent or spirit.

Additional reading: You can read more about the sacred city of Gokarna at Wikipedia.

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Ravana Takes Lanka (pp. 7-10). Sumali urges Ravana to go capture Lanka from Kubera. Vishrava urges Kubera to go to Mount Kailash in the Himalayas, ceding Lanka to Ravana. Kubera was later distressed to hear of Ravana's wicked deeds. Ravana rides out to attack Kubera.

Additional reading: The sacred peak of Mount Kailash is famous for being the home of the god Shiva, as you will see in the next episode.

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Ravana and Shiva (pp. 11-15). Ravana defeats Kubera in battle and seizes the Pushpaka chariot. Despite a warning not to disturb Shiva, Ravana lifts up Mount Kailash. The mighty Shiva traps Ravana beneath the mountain, so Ravana begins to sing, beginning Shiva to release him. Pleased, Shiva releases Ravana and gives him a sword.

Additional reading: For a different version of this episode, see Ravana Humbled. See also the Wikipedia article which lists even more versions of the Ravananugraha.

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Vedavati-Sita (pp. 15-18). Ravana finds the beautiful Vedavati meditating in the jungle. She rejects Ravana's advances and throws herself into the fire, vowing she will be reborn to destroy him. Ravana later found a beautiful baby inside a lotus, but his ministers predicted she would cause his death, so he cast her into the river. By a miracle she appeared before King Janaka, who adopted her as his own daughter. By breaking Shiva's bow, Rama won Sita as his wife.

Additional reading: You can read more about the famous legend of Vedavati at Wikipedia. Like Sita, she is an avatar of the goddess Lakshmi.

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Rambha (pp. 21-23). Ravana happened to see the beautiful Rambha on Mount Kailash. She explains that she is going to marry Nalakubera, son of Kubera, Ravana's half-brother and rival. Ravana attempted to take Rambha for himself, and Nalakubera cursed him: if Ravana ever married a woman against her will, his heads will explode.

Additional reading: Rambha is an apsara; you can read more about her at Wikipedia.

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Sita and Ravana (pp. 24-30). Ravana finds Sita in Dandaka forest and abducts her. Rama marches on Lanka with an army to rescue Sita. Vibhishana urges Ravana to return Sita and, when Ravana refuses, Vibhishana joins Rama's side. Ravana show Sita the head of Rama, and she faints, thinking he is dead. Later, the illusion vanishes.

Additional reading: The comic book does not name the friend who consoles Sita when she fears Rama is dead. That friend is Sarama, sometimes considered to be the wife of Vibhishana.

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Ravana's Downfall (pp. 31-32). Rama defeats Ravana in battle and makes Vibhishana the new king of Lanka.

Additional reading: You can read more about Vibhishana at Wikipedia. He is considered one of the immortals known as Chiranjivis.

Guide: Kubera

This is a guide to Kubera: The Lord of Wealth (Volume 839). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.839

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Kubera's Birth (pp. 1-5). The sage Pulastya, son of the god Brahma, comes to the ashram of sage Trinabindu, and he marries Trinabindu's daughter. Their child is Vishrava. When the virtuous Vishrava grows up, sage Bharadwaja arranges for Vishrava to marry his daughter, and their child is Vaisravana, also known as Kubera. Thanks to his austerities, Kubera impresses his great-grandfather Brahma. Kubera asks to be a lokapala, a guardian of the world. Brahma makes Kubera the guardian of wealth and he gives him the flying Pushpaka chariot, made by Vishvakarma, architect of the gods. Vishravan then advises his son to go live in Lanka.

Additional reading: There is a detailed article about Kubera at Wikipedia, and you can also learn more there about the lokapalas. There's an article about the Pushpaka Vimana too!

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The Story of Lanka (pp. 5-7). Vayu the wind god and Vasuki the cosmic serpent once had a contest to see who was strongest. Vasuki wrapped around Mount Meru while Vayu tried to blow the mountain away. Vishnu ordered them to stop and when Vasuki let go, Vayu's breath blew the peak of Trikuta off the mountain. It landed in the sea, and that was the origin of Lanka, which would later be the home of the rakshasas.

Additional reading: You can read about Mount Meru at Wikipedia, which is a sacred mountain in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions, and there is also an article about peak Trikuta. You can learn more about Vayu and Vasuki too!

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Rakshasas in Lanka (pp. 7-10). When reciting the Vedas, the god Brahma felt hungry and his hunger gave birth to Praheti, a yaksha, and Heti, a rakshasa. Heti's son married Bhaya, sister of the god Yama, and their son Vidyutkesa had a son with the giantess Salakantaka, but the abandoned the baby. Shiva and Parvati rescued the child, who was named Sukesa. Parvati commanded that all rakshasas be born as adults, and so able to care for themselves, and Shiva bestowed great wealth on Sukesa. With a gandharva wife Sukesa had three sons: Malyavan, Sumali and Mali, but they used their powers for wicked purposes. They went to Lanka, living in a city built of solid gold by the divine architect Vishvakarma.

Additional reading: See Wikipedia for more about the rakshasas and yakshas. You can also learn more there about Vishvakarma, the divine architect and engineer. There is also a special section in that article about the construction of Lanka. 

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Kubera in Lanka (pp. 10-13). Malyavan, Sumali, and Mali challenged the gods, and the gods went to Vishnu for help. Vishnu led an attack, riding on Garuda, and he killed Mali with the Sudarshan chakra. Malyavan and Sumali retreated to Lanka, but Vishnu vowed to destroy them even there, so the rakshasas then fled to Patala, the underworld, abandoning Lanka. Kubera now goes to live in Lanka, ruling over the yakshas as their king.

Additional reading: You can read more about Vishnu and his Sudarshan weapon at Wikipedia, and also about Garuda, who is Vishnu's vahana (vehicle). There is an article about Patala too!

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Dashagriva, Son of Vishrava (pp. 14-18). When Sumali seeks Kubera's wealth, he decides to make his daughter Kaikesi the wife of Vishrava, the father of Kubera. Vishrava predicts that all their children, with one exception, will be wicked. They had four children: one daughter Shurpanakha and three sons — the ten-headed Dashagriva, Kumbhakarna, and Vibhishana. Vibhishana was the virtuous one of the four. When Kubera comes to visit his father, Kaikesi urges Dashagriva to make himself greater than Kubera. To gain power, Dashagriva cuts off his heads, one by one, and his brothers also do penances. Brahma grants them boons: Vibhishana asks to always be virtuous, and, thanks to a trick of the goddess Saraswati, Kumbhakarna asks to sleep for ages. Dashagriva asks for immortality, but Brahma refuses, so Dashagriva asks to be invincible, protected against other powerful beings, but he omits humans from the long list of beings.

Additional reading: Of course, Dashagriva is Ravana; he will gain that name later, but Dashagriva is his birth name. You can read about all four of the rakshasas at Wikipedia: Ravana, Shurpanakha, Kumbhakarna, and Vibhishana.

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Kubera Leaves Lanka (pp. 18-23). Sumali urges his grandson Dashagriva to take Lanka back from Kubera. At first Dashagriva is reluctant to fight his brother (half-brother). When he thinks about how the devas (gods) and the daityas are brother races (again, half-brothers) who are at war with one another, he changes his mind. Dashgriva demands that Kubera return Lanka to the Sumali and the rakshasas. Kubera agrees, but their father Vishrava urges Kubera to escape to the Himalayas, and there Kubera builds the city of Alakapuri.

Additional reading: There is an article at Wikipedia about Alakapuri, along with an article about Mount Kailash, which is the sacred abode of the god Shiva also — and remember that Shiva played an important role in this story, too, rescuing the infant Sukesa, the father of Sumali, Ravana's maternal grandfather.

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Dashagriva Attacks Kubera (pp. 24-29). King Dashagriva now leads the rakshasas into a war with all the three worlds, including devaloka, the home of the gods. Kubera asks Dashagriva to cease his attacks. Dashagriva is enraged and decides the time has come to attack Kubera's stronghold of Alakapuri. Although the yakshas are strong and possess magical powers, the rakshasa army defeats them. Even Manibhadra, Kubera's minister, falls in battle. Kubera then duels with Dashagriva. Kubera uses an Angeyastra (an Agni-weapon of fire), which Dashagriva answers with a Varunastra (a Varuna-weapon of water). Although Kubera cannot be killed, Dashagriva overwhelms him completely and steals the Pushpaka.

Additional reading: There is a long article at Wikipedia about the divine weapons called astras. An Agneyastra is a weapon of the fire god Agni, while a Varunastra is a weapon of the ocean god Varuna. 

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Rama Defeats Dashagriva (pp. 29-30). Years later, Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, builds a bridge to Lanka and defeats Dashagriva, now called Ravana, in battle, killing him at last. He makes Ravana's virtuous brother, Vibhishana, the king of Lanka. Rama flies the Pushpaka back to Ayodhya, and then returns the flying chariot to its rightful owner: Kubera.

Additional reading: Rama's defeat of Ravana is the subject of the epic Ramayana of course!

Guide: Sons of Rama

This is a guide to The Sons of Rama: Luv and Kush — The Invincible Twins (Volume 503). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.503

See the detailed reading guide below.

Rama's Rule (pp. 1-5). The comic book begins as Rama orders his brother Lakshmana to take Sita away, even though she is pregnant. Sita is terrified at being left alone.

Additional reading: There is an overview at Wikipedia of the Uttara Kanda, the final book of Valmiki's Ramayana. 

After you are done reading the comic book, you might also want to browse through an English translation of the Uttara Kanda portion of the Ramayana: The Ramayana: Book 7, Uttara Kanda.

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Valmiki (pp. 6-10). Valmiki rescues Sita and takes her to his hermitage where she gives birth to twin sons. Valmiki educates the boys and tells them of Rama's accomplishments, all the while concealing the fact that he is their father.

Additional reading: The Wikipedia article about Valmiki tells you about how the sage Valmiki began his life as a robber named Ratnakar and how he later went on to write the Ramayana. There is a famous story about how he invented the poetic śloka meter out of grief and anger over a bird slain by a hunter.

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Rama's Aswamedha (pp. 11-15). Back in Ayodhya, Rama prepares for the royal sacrificial ritual of the Horse-Sacrifice, the Aswamedha. Rama uses a golden statue of Sita to take her place during the ritual.

Additional reading: You can learn about the Horse-Sacrifice at Wikipedia; pay special attention to the section on the Aswamedha in the Indian epics. There are two such sacrifices in the Ramayana: one performed by Dasharatha, and the one performed by Rama which you are reading about in this comic book. 

You can also look at the Wikipedia article on Swaha to understand p. 14 where the priests are shouting "Swaha!"

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Luv and Kush (pp. 16-22). As the horse wanders, Luv and Kush capture it and defeat Rama's brother Shatrughna when he attempts to recapture the sacred horse. Rama then sends out Lakshaman: after Lakshmana wounds Kush, Luv challenges him to a duel.

Additional reading: To learn more about Luv (Lava) and Kush (Kusha), see the articles in Wikipedia: Lava and Kusha.

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Bharata and the Monkeys (pp. 23-25). Hearing that Lakshmana has fallen, Rama then sends out Bharata and the monkey army led by Hanuman. They also fail.

Additional reading: The "monkeys" here who are Rama's allies are called vanaras in Sanskrit; you can read more about the vanaras at Wikipedia.

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Rama and his Sons (pp. 26-31). Rama learns from the boys that Sita is their mother and faints. Valmiki arrives and explains everything. Sita, however, will not return with Rama to Ayodhya: she takes refuge with her mother, Bhumi, the Earth Goddess.

Additional reading: Remember that Sita was born from a furrow in the earth: Sita's Birth. You can read more about Bhumi-Devi, the Earth-Goddess, at Wikipedia.

Guide: Kumbhakarna

This is a guide to Kumbhakarna: The Sleeping Giant (Volume 528). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.528

There is a detailed reading guide below!

Kumbhakarna and Indra (pp. 1-3). Meet Kumbhakarna, a giant rakshasa who is able to defeat even the god Indra in battle.

Additional reading: You can learn more at Wikipedia about Indra and also about Airavata, the celestial elephant that is his vahana (vehicle). 

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The Brothers' Wishes (pp. 4-7). Brahma awards boons to the three rakshasa brothers: Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Vibhishana. Indra is worried about Kumbhakarna becoming any stronger, so he arranges for Kumbhakarna to make a foolish wish.

Additional reading: You can find out more about the god Brahma and the goddess Saraswati at Wikipedia. You can also find out about Vibhishana and the wish he was granted at Wikipedia.

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Rama's Army (pp. 8-12). When Rama comes to rescue Sita, Ravana first sends the warrior Bhasmalochana to fight him, and Ravana himself then confronts Rama.

Additional reading: The story of Bhasmalochana comes from the Bengali folk tradition. Bashmalochana's "deadly gaze" may remind you of the Greek myths of Medusa and of the basilisk.

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Kumbhakarna Awakes (pp. 13-20). Unable to defeat Rama himself, Ravana turns to Kumbhakarna. Waking the giant is both difficult and dangerous, and when he wakes up, he is very hungry!

Additional reading: Arthur William Ryder has translated this famous part of the Ramayana into English verse which you can read here: Pot-Ear's Awakening. (The name "Kumbha-karna" means "Pot-Ear" in English.)

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Kumbhakarna in Battle (pp. 21-27). Kumbhakarna terrifies Rama's army, but the monkey warriors Neela and Sugreeva mount an attack.

Additional reading: You can read more about Sugreeva, the monkey king of Kishkindha, at Wikipedia.

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Rama and Kumbhakarna (pp. 28-30). Kumbhakarna returns to the battlefield and demands that Rama face him in combat.

Additional reading: Now that you are done with the comic book version, take a look at the Wikipedia article about Kumbhakarna and see how it matches up with what you read here.

Guide: Hanuman to the Rescue

This is a guide to Hanuman to the Rescue: Hanuman Brings the Sanjeevani (Volume 513). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.513

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

Hanuman's Quest (pp. 1-6). Ravana, king of the rakshasas, strikes Rama's brother Lakshmana in battle with his spear. Rama begs the monkey Sushena to save him, but he needs the Vishalya Karani herb from distant Mount Gandhamadana, and he needs it by dawn of the next day. Hanuman vows to get the herb. He grows to gigantic size and flies away. Ravana sees him in the sky and summons the monster Kalanemi to pursue and destroy Hanuman. Kalanemi tries to refuse, but finally agrees to Ravana's plan.

Additional reading: As you can see from the title of the comic book, there are different medicinal herbs mentioned in different versions of this story. One name is sanjeevani, whose scientific name is Selaginella bryopteris; there is an article about that medicinal herb at Wikipedia. The specific mountain that Hanuman brings back also has different names in different versions; you can read about Mount Gandhamadana at Wikipedia, and also about the Gandhamardan Mountains.

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The Crocodile (pp. 7-12). Kalanemi travels by magic to the mountain and disguises himself as a hermit. He then insists on entertaining Hanuman as his guest, urging him to bathe in the river where he knows there is a mighty crocodile. Hanuman defeats the crocodile and from its dead body emerges a heavenly dancer who had been cursed by Indra to live as a crocodile. She warns him about the hermit.

Additional reading: The celestial dancer is called an apsara; you can read more about the apsaras at Wikipedia.

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Hanuman and the Sun (pp. 12-19). Hanuman confronts the hermit, and Kalanemi reveals his true form. They fight, and Hanuman throws the monster all the way back to Lanka! Ravana then summons Surya, the sun god, whom he had conquered in an earlier battle, and he orders the sun to speed up the day so that Lakshmana will die before Hanuman returns. The sun rides out in his chariot, and Hanuman is shocked to see such an early dawn, so he decides to stop the sun. The sun says he wants to help Rama but fears Ravana, so Hanuman takes the sun under his arm and then carries on searching for the herb.

Additional reading: You can find out more about Surya, the sun god, at Wikipedia.

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Hanuman and the Mountain (pp. 19-23). Hanuman asks some gandharvas for help, but they have never heard of Rama. Hanuman gets angry, grows to a gigantic size again, and then kicks the gandharvas. Remembering his quest, Hanuman goes back to searching for the herb. In desperation, he decides to just bring the whole mountain back with him. Rama is amazed to see Hanuman flying through the air, carrying a mountain.

Additional reading: The etymology of the Sanskrit word gandharva is probably connected to the Greek word centaur. You can find articles about both creatures at Wikipedia: gandarvas and centaurs.

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Lakshmana Healed, Sun Freed (pp. 23-30). Sushena is able to find the herb on the mountain and revive Lakshmana. Hanuman then makes a return trip to take the mountain back where it belongs. Ravana sees him flying through the sky once again and sends seven rakshasa assassins to attack him. Hanuman uses his tail to defend himself, leaving one rakshasa alive to take the news of their defeat to Ravana. Hanuman also uses the herb to heal the gandharvas that he had attacked previously. Hanuman then flies back again to Rama's camp in Lanka, and Rama asks him about the glow under his arm. Hanuman explains that he is holding the sun prisoner, and Rama orders Hanuman to release him. The sun returns to the sky, and Rama thanks Hanuman for having saved Lakshmana's life.

Additional reading: For a long-ago encounter between Hanuman and the sun, see the famous episode at Wikipedia in which Hanuman mistakes the sun for a mango and tries to eat it.

Guide: Ravana Humbled

This is a guide to Ravana Humbled: An Arrogant King Finds New Friends (Volume 610). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.610

See the detailed Reading Guide below.

The Feet of Shiva (pp. 1-9). Ravana happens to disturb Mount Kailasa while Shiva and Parvati are arguing. Shiva presses down with his toe, trapping Ravana beneath the mountain. Shiva is impressed by Ravana's courage, and gives him the sword Chandrahasa.

Additional reading: You can read other versions of this famous legend at Wikipedia: Ravananugraha. In other versions of the story, Shiva keeps Ravana imprisoned until Ravana's beautiful singing persuades Shiva to release him. In a Tamil version, Ravana makes the veena that he plays out of his own body parts!

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The Mahishmati Episode (pp. 10-24). Ravana comes to the royal city of Mahishamati where Kartaveerya Arjuna is king (not to be confused the character in the Mahabharata who is also called Arjuna). Arjuna is bathing in the Narmada river and, provoked by his wives, he uses his arms to block the flow of the river.  Ravana, meanwhile, is worshiping a Shiva linga, but the flood of waters washes it away. Ravana challenges Arjuna to a fight, and Arjuna is the winner. Ravana's grandfather Pulastya begs Arjuna to set Ravana free, and he does, pledging friendship with him.

Additional reading: You can read more about Kartavirya Arjuna at Wikipedia. You can also read about the Narmada river, which is one of the seven sacred rivers of India.

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INSERT: Ravana the Mighty (pp. 16-17). On the tenth day of the festival of Dussehra, the people burn Ravana in effigy, commemorating Rama's victory.

Additional reading: You can read more about Dussehra and the Ramlila (Rama Play) at Wikipedia. There are lots of Ramlila videos at YouTube also!

~ ~ ~

Tailpiece (pp. 25-31). Ravana comes to Kishkindha. The monkey Vali is engaged in prayer, so he does not salute Ravana. This makes Ravana angry! He grabs Vali's long belt, but then he gets tangled. As Vali leaps from one side of the river to the other and plunges into the water, he drags Ravana behind him. He even carries Ravana to the Himalayas. When Vali finally realizes what has happened, he sets Ravana free and vows friendship with him.

Additional reading: The monkey king Vali is one of the main characters in the Ramayana; you can read more about him at Wikipedia.

Guide: Heroes of Hampi

This is a guide to Heroes of Hampi: The Mythology of Kishkindha (Volume 826). You can find it at Amazon.

Bizzell Reserves call number: PN 6790 .I443 A437 v.826.

In the commentary below, I have provided links so that you can compare the comic book version with other accounts of the story and/or important background information.

You can find out more about the prior history of the brothers Hakka and Bukka in another comic book:  Hakka and Bukka: Founders of the Vijaynagar Empire.

The Brothers (pp. 1-5). Hampi is located on the Tungabhadra river, and you can see ruins of ancient times there today. In the 14th century, Muslim forces from Delhi in the north attack Hampi, and the brothers Hakka and Bukka defend their territory. While hunting, they see a fiercely brave rabbit. A mysterious old man tells them the rabbit is a sign that they will become kings, and he then tells them the history of Hampi, land of heroes. He begins with the story of Pampa, a name used long ago for the Tungabhadra.

Additional reading: See Wikipedia for more about Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Tungabhadra River valley, and you can also read about the geography of the great Deccan plateau of central and southern India. There is even an article about the crocodile-like makara, the vahana (vehicle) of the goddess Ganga. The brothers here are historical figures, too: Hakka and Bukka.

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Shiva, Sati and Veerbhadra (pp. 5-9). The god Shiva has a wife named Sati, but her father Daksha disapproves. In anger, Sati immolates herself, and Shiva's bull Nandi must bring Shiva the sad news. Enraged, Shiva conjures up a supernatural warrior, Veerbhadra, who beheads Daksha. The other gods fear Veerbhadra's unstoppable wrath, and Vishnu attempts to placate him with lotuses, including his own lotus eye. Appeased, Veerbhadra gives Vishnu the Sudarshan chakra. This happened at Chakratirtha, on the river Pampa.

Additional reading: You can read all about Shiva and Sati at Wikipedia, and there is also an article about Veerbhadra. It is from the name "Sati" that we get the English word suttee. There is also an article about the Sudarshan chakra.

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Pampa (pp. 10-12). Sati is then reborn as the river goddess Pampa, with the god Brahma as her father. As she awaits Shiva, she rescues a sage who falls into the river; he is Shiva in disguise! As they get married, a shower of gold comes down, and the place is now called Hemakuta, Hill of Gold. As it turns out, the brothers are sitting with the old man on Hemakuta as he tells them the story. The next story will be about the monkey kingdom of Kishkindha.

Additional reading: You can visit Hemakuta in Hampi even today, and the hill offers a view of the surrounding temple complex: photo. In modern times, Pampa is a lake, rather than a river: Pampa Sarovar.

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King Vali of Kishkindha (pp. 13-14). Vali, king of the monkeys of Kishkindha, has a special gift: he gains half the strength of any opponent he fights. Anjana, a celestial apsara who is cursed to live as a monkey, comes to the kingdom. She prays to Shiva to give her a son. Vali is frightened that this son will be as strong as Shiva, so he decides to pour melted panchaloha (five-metals) on Anjana's belly. She is not harmed and gives birth to Hanuman, and entrusts him to the bear Jambavan.

Additional reading: You can read more about Vali and the kingdom of Kishkindha at Wikipedia. The tradition that Hanuman is a son of Shiva or an avatar of Shiva is not found in Valmiki's Ramayana, but it is a widespread belief dating to perhaps the 8th century. You can also read about the apsara Anjana and the bear Jambavan at Wikipedia. There is even an article about the panchaloha and the metals it contains!

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Little Hanuman (pp. 14-17). Baby Hanuman is both strong and mischievous. When Hanuman ties together the tails of an elephant and a lion, an angry rishi (sage) curses him to forget his own supernatural powers until reminded of them. Jambavan overhears the curse and knows that one day he will have to remind Hanuman of his powers. Hanuman then asks the sun-god Surya to be his guru, promising not to scare the little Valakhilyas, the thumb-sized sages. Surya teaches him the Vedas and the Shastras. Hanuman then pays the guru price, dakshina, promising to protect the monkey Sugriva, Surya's son, from his brother Vali.

Additional reading: You can read more about Surya and about the Valakhilyas at Wikipedia, and you can also read about Surya's son, the monkey Sugriva. There are also articles about the Vedas and Shastras, and also about the dakshina.

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Vali and Mayavi (pp. 17-21). Hanuman befriends Sugriva, arousing Vali's jealousy. Then the demon Mayavi challenges Vali to a fight. Vali chases Mayavi into a cave, leaving Sugriva at the entrance. When Sugriva sees blood coming from the cave, he concludes Vali is dead and seals the entrance, becoming king in Vali's place. But Vali comes back and chases Sugriva from the kingdom. Hanuman joins Sugriva in exile. They go to Rishyamukha Hill, a place forbidden to Vali because he defiled the land there and was cursed. The old man shows Hakka and Bukka the cave where Vali and Sugriva lived on Rishyamukha.

Additional reading: You can read about Vali's battle with the demon Mayavi and also with the demon Dundubhi in this comic book: Vali: The Downfall of an Arrogant King.

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Rama (pp. 22-23). One day, Sugriva and Hanuman see jewelry falling out of the sky. They then see two strangers calling the name "Sita!" The two strangers, Rama and Lakshmana, help Sugriva defeat Vali, and then Sugriva sends his monkeys in search of Sita. Hanuman and Jambavan go to the southern tip of India, and then Jambavan reminds Hanuman of his supernatural powers. Hanuman then leaps all the way to Lanka.

Additional reading: These two pages briefly summarize the plot of the Ramayana!

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Hanuman's Reward (pp. 24-27). After Sita's rescue, Rama wants to grant Hanuman a reward. The sage Narada helps Hanuman decide that he wants a temple, and Rama urges Hanuman to pray to Shiva. Shiva refers him to Veerbhadra who gives Hanuman a tiny idol, which then grows to a gigantic size. Hanuman builds a temple around it, now called the Uddana Veerbhadra Temple.

Additional reading: You can read more about Narada at Wikipedia. The temple is part of the Hampi complex: Uddana Veerbhadra Temple.

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The Brothers' Kingdom (pp. 27-31). Hakka and Bukka decide to build a fort, and the old man then leaves him. They seek him in the forest and learn that his name is Vidyaranya. The brothers think about naming the kingdom Vidyanagara, "kingdom of learning," or Vijayanagara, "kingdom of victory." They name the kingdom Vijayanagara, Vidyaranya becomes their advisor. There is a map of the Hampi ruins on p. 30.

Additional reading: You can read about Vidyaranya at Wikipedia, and there is also an article about the great kingdom of Vijayanagara, a UNESCO World Heritage site.