The boy's parents had come to him, hoping that he could help their son with the awful nightmares that had plagued him for the past few weeks. He reported terrible images, gruesome deaths and a man, the color of the sky, who peered into his soul. His dream would always end the same way, all other images would vanish with the eyes coming closer and closer, searching, but for what were they searching? David was ten and as normal as any other ten-year-old. These dreams preoccupied his waking moments and he didn't understand what they meant.
During the first session, the doctor decided to try hypnosis on David. Under hypnosis, could David recover something from the dreams that might help the doctor isolate what was causing them? The doctor was completely unprepared for what happened during that second session.
He looked at the device again and decided it was time to push play.
"Now, David, I am going to tell you a
story. It might make you sleepy, but that is OK. Allow it
to make you feel that way. Your eyes may feel heavy, but
don't be afraid. You are not going to fall
asleep. I am going to sit here and talk with you the whole time."
"OK," said David, already slumping in his seat from exhaustion.
Psychiatrist: "David, can you still hear me?"
David: "David is here, but so am I."
Psychiatrist: "I am sorry...who exactly are you?"
David: "Why, I am he who exists to ensure balance in the world. I have manifested myself nine times in order to do so."
Psychiatrist: "Do you have a name?"
David: "Oh, young man, I have many!"
Psychiatrist: "Which name shall I call you today?"
David: "Today, call me Rama, for I will tell you of that life."
Author's Note: This is basically a retelling of both Narayan's and Buck's Ramayana using a frametale that is very experimental, but I think it will be fun to explore. There are so many details that I could not include due to length of story and course requirements for maximum length; I will add links that I find that will complement the information that I have added here. The basic idea is that Vishnu had to incarnate himself as a man once again, to kill Ravana, who was entirely out of control. Nothing could stop him from obtaining that which he desired. At least, Ravana thought so. Absorbed in his own power and corruption, he had entirely forgotten of any potential weakness, which is always the down fall of the bad guy, it seems. I have included this story in an attempt to illustrate how and why Vishnu must incarnate and how the balance is out of whack: clearly any one being with that much power unchecked will create an imbalance in the world. Also, I wanted the reader to see several things: if Rama had not been banished, and had their attempt at seclusion from the people of Ayodhya not led them so far to the South, they would not have encountered the Rakshasha race; therefore, Sita’s kidnapping and recovery would not have taken place; and, ultimately, resulted in the undoing of Ravana, who had previously removed the balance from the world.
"OK," said David, already slumping in his seat from exhaustion.
Psychiatrist: "David, can you still hear me?"
David: "David is here, but so am I."
Psychiatrist: "I am sorry...who exactly are you?"
David: "Why, I am he who exists to ensure balance in the world. I have manifested myself nine times in order to do so."
Psychiatrist: "Do you have a name?"
David: "Oh, young man, I have many!"
Psychiatrist: "Which name shall I call you today?"
David: "Today, call me Rama, for I will tell you of that life."
| Once lived
a great demon king, Ravana. He
was given the power of invincibility after proving his devotion to Brahma. You see, he cut one of his ten heads every year until he was down to his final head. It was at this moment that Brahma, who could no longer bear to watch this carnage, intervened and granted him any wish that he desired.  Ravana requested invincibility against all gods and god-like creatures, he knew that he was better than any other creature that existed. Ravana's new power made him hungry for the ultimate power: control. He warred on heaven and won. He thought that all things were in his possession. This clouded his vision. His power did not include invincibility against man. He was convinced that warring with man was beneath him. Because of this he was not aware of his vulnerability. After Ravana defeated the gods and destroyed their heaven, I was begged to return as a man to defeat Ravana. I was born to a King in a city called Ayodhya. Sesha was reborn as my brother, Lakshmana and Lakshmi was born as a daughter of the Earth and a King who had no other sons or daughters. I was named named successor and I agreed, and in retrospect, probably too quickly. My father had other wives and other sons: jealousy and deception consumed them. As a result, my father was forced to banish me to the forest for fourteen years. I did as my father requested because he was bound to his promise and I was bound to obey him. I did not question him. I knew there was a reason that I needed to be in the forest. It turned out that I was right.  Both Sita and Lakshmana accompanied me. Of course, I have not told you of my qismet meeting with Sita. The moment we laid eyes on one another, we knew that we couldn't live without one another. I won her hand in marriage and we hadn't ever parted until our fated moment in the forest when Ravana stole her from me against her will. This is what led to my confrontation with Ravana. We were eventually joined by two monkeys in the forest and they knew many bears and other monkeys that would help us get Sita back.  Ravana had a large army and illusion on his side, as well as Indrajit, who could conceal himself, and his brother, Khumbakarna, the great sleeper, who was massive. There were many gains and losses. I was actually killed on the battlefield, but a flying monkey went to the Himalayas to retrieve medicines that revived me.  I felt sorry for Ravana's beautiful wife, Mandodari, the daughter of Illusion; but, Ravana had gravely injured Dharma, they Way of Truth, and it was my duty to relieve the world of his burden. |
The
psychiatrist pushed the stop button. Tapped his
finger for a moment. He picked up the phone to call the boy's
parents. He wasn't
exactly sure how to explain. As he worked it out, he also planned
the next hypnosis session. He
had so many questions
for the individual that he had met during their first.
for the individual that he had met during their first.
Author's Note: This is basically a retelling of both Narayan's and Buck's Ramayana using a frametale that is very experimental, but I think it will be fun to explore. There are so many details that I could not include due to length of story and course requirements for maximum length; I will add links that I find that will complement the information that I have added here. The basic idea is that Vishnu had to incarnate himself as a man once again, to kill Ravana, who was entirely out of control. Nothing could stop him from obtaining that which he desired. At least, Ravana thought so. Absorbed in his own power and corruption, he had entirely forgotten of any potential weakness, which is always the down fall of the bad guy, it seems. I have included this story in an attempt to illustrate how and why Vishnu must incarnate and how the balance is out of whack: clearly any one being with that much power unchecked will create an imbalance in the world. Also, I wanted the reader to see several things: if Rama had not been banished, and had their attempt at seclusion from the people of Ayodhya not led them so far to the South, they would not have encountered the Rakshasha race; therefore, Sita’s kidnapping and recovery would not have taken place; and, ultimately, resulted in the undoing of Ravana, who had previously removed the balance from the world.
| Image
Source: Rama - Media Radiosai Ravana - UCLA Rama, Sita and Lakshmana - Tempus Fugit Hanuman - DLSHQ.org Hanuman with Mountain of Healing Herbs - Vedic School Story Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. |
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