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Ramayana - Lesson 7

Last updated 11 months ago
4 questions
Note from the author:
from “Battle of Lanka”
from Ramayana: Divine Loophole
by Sanjay Patel

In keeping with the rules of engagement (1), Rama dispatched a final messenger to ask Ravana to release Sita and avoid war and bloodshed. But the demon king laughed off the request, declaring that the only thing Rama would gain from Lanka was his own death. Having no further choice, Rama instructed his army to make themselves ready for an attack. The bears uprooted trees and boulders, while the vanaras (2) tore down branches and gathered stones, making weapons with whatever might crack a rakshasa (3) skull. The jungle army stood ready to attack at Rama’s signal. The blue warrior waited for the auspicious moment (4) when the sun reached its zenith (5) in the sky. The demon army, being creatures of darkness and gloom, would be at their weakest during this hour. As the sun finally reached its highest point in the sky, Rama issued the order to attack. A deafening roar erupted from the charging vanaras and bears as they surged toward the hordes (6) of demons, who responded in kind (7), blowing their horns and conchs.

1 rules of engagement: Rules of how opponents should behave and treat one another during battle
2 vanaras: Intelligent monkey-like people who live in jungles in the Hindu epic Ramayana
3 rakshasa: Demon
4 auspicious moment: The time most likely for success or luck
5 zenith: Highest point
6 hordes: Large crowds or swarms
7 in kind: In the same way Patel, Sanjay.

Ramayana: Divine Loophole. Chronicle Books, 2010, pp. 93–94.
from “Battle of Lanka”
from Ramayana: Divine Loophole
by Sanjay Patel

In keeping with the rules of engagement (1), Rama dispatched a final messenger to ask Ravana to release Sita and avoid war and bloodshed. But the demon king laughed off the request, declaring that the only thing Rama would gain from Lanka was his own death. Having no further choice, Rama instructed his army to make themselves ready for an attack. The bears uprooted trees and boulders, while the vanaras (2) tore down branches and gathered stones, making weapons with whatever might crack a rakshasa (3) skull. The jungle army stood ready to attack at Rama’s signal. The blue warrior waited for the auspicious moment (4) when the sun reached its zenith (5) in the sky. The demon army, being creatures of darkness and gloom, would be at their weakest during this hour. As the sun finally reached its highest point in the sky, Rama issued the order to attack. A deafening roar erupted from the charging vanaras and bears as they surged toward the hordes (6) of demons, who responded in kind (7), blowing their horns and conchs.

1 rules of engagement: Rules of how opponents should behave and treat one another during battle
2 vanaras: Intelligent monkey-like people who live in jungles in the Hindu epic Ramayana
3 rakshasa: Demon
4 auspicious moment: The time most likely for success or luck
5 zenith: Highest point
6 hordes: Large crowds or swarms
7 in kind: In the same way Patel, Sanjay.

Ramayana: Divine Loophole. Chronicle Books, 2010, pp. 93–94.
1

This item has two parts. Answer PART A; then answer PART B.

Read these sentences from the passage.

“In keeping with the rules of engagement, Rama dispatched a final messenger to ask Ravana to release Sita and avoid war and bloodshed. But the demon king laughed”

PART A: What is the meaning of dispatched?

1

PART B: What context helps the reader understand the meaning of dispatched?

1

Read the following definition of dharma.

dharma (n.): The belief that everyone has a moral duty to exhibit righteous or proper behavior

How does this scene contribute to the development of the theme that following dharma is the right path?

1

Choose a detail that belongs in a summary of this passage.