This post is my reading diary of The Divine Archer, written by F.J. Gould. I will be covering Part A.
- Much like the original Public Domain Edition of the Ramayana I read, this story starts with the birth of Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and finally Shatrughna. Rama is again the embodiment of Vishnu.
- I don't understand why Dasaratha is reluctant to let his sons fight for Vishvamitra. It seems inconceivable to me that Kaushalya would keep secret the fact that Rama is a God from Dasaratha.
- It seems weird that a different version of Rama (Parashurama, I'm assuming from the future or a parallel timeline) appears and doesn't know what is going on. If he knows Shiva's bow was broken he should know who broke it.
- It is very storybook romantic that Rama and all three of his brothers get married on the same day
- King Dasharatha's succession is also a pivotal moment in this story. I don't know what it is about the prose, but it feels much more serious and dramatic in this version to me.
- I think Rama going into exile is designed to remind readers that they must be loyal to the wishes of their parents, even if it may not be in their benefit.
- I wouldn't call Rama's exile the exact karma from Dasharatha's curse. King Dasharatha doesn't lose a son, Rama lives a long and happy in life, but he loses his own life while he thinks his son is going to die because of his actions. That seems much worse than actually losing a son to me.
- Shurpanakha is introduced and the main Rakashi plot begins again. Reiterating an earlier point, something about this style of writing makes it feel much darker to me. For instance, it is much clearer in this version that Lakshmana essentially tortures Shurpanakha.
Thanks for reading guys, look for more soon.
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