Week 3: Reading Diary B

I'm glad Hanuman realized that the first woman he found was not Sita.  It was also good, in a way, for him to see Sita refuse Ravana's advances so he can testify first-hand to Rama about it if need be.  As for Sita, it's good she trust Hanuman, but if someone had my husband's ring, I would think that person killed him.  However, thank goodness Hanuman found her when he did or she may have committed suicide.  I wonder why Hanuman did not just try to take Sita back then and there.  Perhaps it was because he knew he couldn't successfully rescue her so he would rather not make it worse for anyone and instead wait for Rama and the others to try to rescue her- there would then be a much greater chance for success.  Skipping forward, when Rama listens to Hanuman about whether or not to protect, I really appreciate that Rama listens to Hanuman.  First of all, it shows that he values everyone's opinion regardless of whether or not they seem "qualified" or not.  Also, it shows that Rama is open-minded and not prejudiced.  To the others, it may make Rama look somewhat foolish for listening to a monkey but on the flip side, Rama looks at the ideas themselves, not who they are necessarily attached to.  I think if people in today's world acted more like Rama did in this instance, we would all be better off.  Also, it's definitely an added bonus that Vibishana was able to inform Rama of Ravana's troops/weapons so that they would be more prepared.  On another note, I think it's nice that Rama sent a messenger as a heads up to Ravana that he was coming and it wasn't too late to make things right, but I can't recall a myth/story from history in which that ever worked out... During the battle, I wonder why one of Ravana's women, Trijata, tried to encourage Sita in the fact that her husband wasn't dead.  Do Ravana's women despise him?  And if so, wouldn't Ravana have died because of the curse that kills him upon touching women without their consent?  Later in the battle, one of Ravana's sons reminded Ravana that he had "Brahma's gift of invincibility"- really?  I don't recall that.  However, I do recall Hanuman's brother having that or at least something similar.  I see that his heads/arms grow back, but he still gets weaker.  I think it's strange that he has the power of invincibility but is not completely invincible.  Maybe a more accurate term to describe his powers would be the power of healing.