Topic Brainstorm
The topic I chose to write my Storybook over is Rama. I am not quite sure which storyline I'll be choosing, but I've found a few stories with Rama included.
The first story I read and chose for my Storybook is Dasharatha: The Story of Rama's Father. The story is about Dasharatha, Rama's father, and how Rama came about. Rama's mother is Kaushalya. It all starts when a young aged Dasharatha kills a young boy while hunting during the night time. The young boy's parents curse Dasharatha for the accident and say, "Your son too shall be parted from you, and you shall die grieving for him. One day, in the middle of battle, one of Dasharatha's wive's saved his life. He promised Kaikeyi two wishes whenever she wanted them. After some ritual sacrifices, Dasharatha had three sons from three different wives. He had Rama from Kaushalya, Bharata from Kaikeyi, and Lakshmana and Shatrughna from Sumitra. All three wives and Dasharatha knew that Rama was the best from all the sons and that he would be honored as King. Right before naming Rama king, Kaikeyi asks Dasharatha for the two wishes. One to make Bharata king, and the second to send Rama into exile. Bharata refuses to be crowned king and places exiled Rama's sandals on the throne instead.
A useful source to use for additional information behind this story would be a wikipedia link about Kaikeyi and her family.
The second story I read for my story book is The Sons of Rama: Luv and Kush -- The Invincible Twins. The story begins as Rama tells his brother Lakshmana to take Sita away, regardless if she is pregnant or not. Someone named Valmiki rescues Sita and takes her back to his hermitage. Valmiki raises both twin boys to praise and cherish Rama and his accomplishments, but never tells them that he is their true father. As Rama prepares for an important ritual that included a horse, the horse begins to wander and Shatrughna attempts to capture it. Instead, Luv and Kush capture and the horse and defeat Shatrughna for it. Rama then sends his brother Lakshaman for the horse. He hurts Kush, and Luv challenges him to a duel. Lakshmana also falls to the Twins. When Rama finds out, he sends his other brother Bharata and the monkey army led by Hanuman. They also couldn't take on the twins. Rama eventually finds out that the two powerful twins are his sons and faints. Sita does not return with Rama, she goes back as a refuge with her mother, the Earth Goddess, Bhumi.
A useful source to use for additional information behind the story would be articles in wikipedia over Luv and Kush.
The third story I chose for my Storybook is The Lord of Lanka: The Rise and Fall of a Demon King. The story begins with Sumali, Kaikesi's father, looking for a husband for her. He urges Kubera, king of Lanka and son of Vishrava. He urges Kaikesi to seduce Kubera. They end up married and have four rakshasa children: Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Surpanakha, and Vibhishana. Ravana is jealous of Kubera's wealth and he begins to do sacrifices. Right before cutting the tenth head, Brahma appears and grants him a boon. Brahma chooses to not give him immortality, but he can't die at the hand of a god, demon, rakshasa, serpent, or spirit. Ravana defeated Kubera in battle and meets with Shiva. Shiva gives Ravana a sword after serenading her. Sumali insists that Ravana go capture Lanka from Kubera. After constant quarrels, Rama defeats Ravana in battle and makes Vibhishana the new king of Lanka.
A useful source to use for additional information behind the story would be articles over Sumali the asura.
The fourth story I chose to perhaps include in my Storybook is Rama: Retold from the Ramayana. The story begins with Rama breaking a might bow to win Janaka's daughter, Sita, for marriage. Rama's father, Dasharatha attends the wedding of Sita and Rama. The start of this story is the ending of the first story. Bharata leaves Rama's sandals on the thrown after not wanting to be crowned king. Rama and Lakshmana are being seduced by Shurpanakha, a demoness, but neither of them want her. Lakshmana cut her nose and ears off and that left Shurpanakha pleading her cousins for help, Khara and Dooshana. Khara leads a demon army to attack Rama and Lakshmana, but Rama kills the army and both her cousins. Now Shurpanakha goes to her brother, Ravana, and tells him what happened. Ravana kidnaps Sita with strategic planning. Ravana takes Sita south. Rama and Lakshmana also head south and Sugriva, brother Vali, king of monkeys, and his friend Hanuman. They help defeat Vali, making Sugriva king. They find Sita being held as a prisoner and send her home to let Rama know the news. Hanuman stays to fight the demons and kills Ravana's son, Akshaya Kumar. After all of this, Ravana sends his other son Meghanda to capture Hanuman. He ends up capturing Hanuman and Ravana sets his tail on fire. This causes Hanuman to increase to a gigantic size and he sets all of Lanka on fire. Arriving back to Rama with news, Rama accepts Vibhishana as an ally. Vibhishana helps Rama defeat Ravana. He tells Rama that is able to destroy Ravana if he shoots an arrow into his navel that contains his nectar of life.
A useful source to use for additional information behind the story would be articles over Ravana and his family.
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