The Story of Ramayana by Maharshi Valmiki

Long ago, Dasharatha, the wise king of

Ayodhya of Sarayu, India had three wives. Though
the King had three wives, he didn’t have any
children with them. The Chief priest Vasishta
advised the king to make fire sacrifice to obtain a
blessing from the gods. After the gods were
pleased, one of them appeared out of the flame and
handed him a pot full of nectar. The god told the
king to share the nectar with his three queens
namely Kausalya, Kaikeye, and Sumitra. While
the nectar had been shared, the three queens gave
birth to sons: Kausalya had Rama; Kaikeye had
Bharatha; and Sumitra had twins Lakshmana and
Shatrughna. A sage took the boys out to train them
in archery. In a neighboring city, the ruler's
daughter was named Sita. When it was time for
Sita to choose her bridegroom, at a ceremony
called a Swayamvara, the princes were asked to
string a giant bow. No one else could even lift the
bow, but as Rama bent it, he did not only string it
but also broke it into two. Sita indicated that she
chose Rama as her husband by putting a garland
around his neck. The disappointed suitors were
watching.
King Dasharatha, Rama's father, decided it
was time to give his throne to his eldest son Rama
and retired to the forest to seek moksha. Everyone
seems pleased. This plan fulfilled the rules of
dharma because an eldest son should rule and, if a
son can take over one's responsibilities, one's last
years may be spent in a search for moksha. In
addition, everyone loved Rama. However, Rama's
stepmother, the king's second wife, was not
pleased. She wanted her son, Bharata, to rule.
Because of an oath Dasharatha had made to her
years before, she got the king to agree to banish
Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata
even though the king, on bended knee, begged her
not to demand such things. Broken-hearted, the
devastated king could not face Rama with the news
that Kaikeyi must tell him. Rama, always obedient,
was as content to go into banishment in the forest
as to be crowned king. Sita convinced Rama that
she would always be at his side and his brother
Lakshmana also begged to accompany them.
Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana set out to the forest.
Bharata, whose mother's evil plot had won him the
throne, was very upset when he found out what
had happened. Not for a moment he did consider
breaking the rules of dharma and becoming king
in Rama's place. He went to Rama's forest retreat
and begged Rama to return and rule, but Rama
refused. "We must obey father," Rama says.
Bharata then took Rama's sandals saying, "I will
put these on the throne, and every day I shall place
the fruits of my work at the feet of my Lord."
Embracing Rama, he took the sandals and
returned to Ayodhya. Years passed and Rama,
Sita, and Lakshmana were very happy in the
forest. Rama and Lakshmana destroyed the
rakshasas (evil creatures) who disturbed the sages
in their meditations. One day a rakshasa princess
named Shurpanakha tried to seduce Rama, and
Lakshmana wounded her and drove her away. She
returned to her brother Ravana, the ten-headed
ruler of Lanka (Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon), and
told her brother, who is always attracted to
beautiful women, about lovely Sita. Ravana
devised a plan to abduct Sita. He sent a magical
golden deer which Sita desired Rama to hunt. A
long time had passed, but Rama didn’t return.
Thus, Lakshmana went off to find his brother.
Before leaving Sita, Lakshmana drew a protective
circle around Sita and warned her that she would
be safe if she would stay within the circle. As they
went off, Ravana, who could change his shape,
appeared as a holy man begging alms. The
moment Sita stepped outside the circle to give him
food, Ravana grabbed her and carried her off to
his kingdom in Lanka. Rama was broken-hearted
when he returned to the empty hut and could not
find Sita. A band of monkeys led by Hanuman
offered to help him find Sita. Ravana carried Sita
to his palace in Lanka, but he could not force her
to be his wife. So, he put her in a grove and
alternately sweet-talked her and threatened her in
an attempt to get her to agree to marry him. Sita
would not even look at him but thought only of her
beloved Rama. Hanuman, the general of the
monkey band could fly since his father was the
wind, and he flew to Lanka and found Sita in the
grove, comforted her, and told her Rama would
come soon and save her.
Ravana's men captured Hanuman, and Ravana
ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and
to set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman
hopped from house-top to house-top, setting
Lanka a fire. He then flew back to Rama to tell
him where Sita was. Rama, Lakshmana, and the
monkey army built a causeway from the tip of
India crossing over to Lanka. A mighty battle took
place. Rama killed several of Ravana's brothers
and then Rama confronted ten-headed Ravana.
Rama finally killed Ravana and freed Sita. After
Sita gained her freedom from Ravana, she proved
her purity through the trial by fire. Then, they
returned to Ayodhya and Rama became the king.
As Rama became the king, he ruled Ayodhya with
Ramrajya - an ideal time when everyone does his
or her duties and responsibilities.
Source: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-
ramayana/summary.

Activity 1. 2-3-1 Challenge!

Directions: Read the story below and do the following
activity. Write your answers in your activity notebook.
Assessment 1.
Directions: Based on the story “In the Dark,” answer
the following questions below. Cite the sentences from
the text to prove your answer.
1. What point of view is used by the author?
_______________________________________________
__________________
Evidence/line from the text:
_______________________________________________
____________
2. What is the theme of the story?
_______________________________________________
____________
Evidence/line from the text:
_______________________________________________
____________
3. What societal issue is mirrored in the story?
_______________________________________________
___________
Activity 2.
Directions: Read the following excerpt. Then, using the
character chart below, give at least three words to describe
the following characters. Write your answers in your activity
notebook.

Lord Krishna
The future Lord Krishna was born into dangerous
circumstances. His uncle, the evil King Kamsa, had been
told that Krishna's mother would give birth to a son who
would destroy him. So, the king imprisoned his sister and
killed her children. But when Krishna was born, his father
spirited him away to be raised by another family. Though
young and gentle, Krishna had great wisdom bestowed
upon him by Lord Vishnu. In those days, Krishna lived in
Vrindavan, a holy town in Uttar Pradesh, northern India.
Each year, the people there made offerings to Indra, the
fierce ruler of clouds and rain, hoping to soothe Indra’s
temper. Krishna clearly
recognized that Indra was neither generous nor sincere; he
was selfish, haughty, and unworthy of respect.
Krishna thought of teaching Indra a lesson so he told the
people. “Indra is a bully we need not serve. Instead, it
makes more sense to worship Govardhan, our mountain
that supports us. Let us honor kind Govardhan, who
unselfishly shares her lush forests and urges the clouds to
shower us.” The people agreed
with Krishna’s idea. After Indra had known this, he flew
into a mighty rage. “These farmers ignore me to worship a
mountain on the advice of a child? What an insult! I shall
severely punish them!” he thundered. Indra ordered the
clouds to send furious winds and driving rains to
Vrindavan. The storm terrified the people who fearfully
sought help from young Krishna. With supreme calmness,
grace, and power, Krishna lifted Govardhan into the air
using only the little finger of his left hand. He steadfastly
held the mountainlike an umbrella, protecting Vrindavan
for seven stormy days and nights. With this, Indra
acknowledged his error. He ceased the storm and deeply
apologized to Krishna. Thus, this made humans learn not to
give in to disaster and become resilient.
Assessment 2
Directions: Based on the story “Lord Krishna,” fill in the
plot diagram below. Write your answers in sentence form.
Do this in your activity notebook.

My Childhood Sweetest Memory By Gemma B.

Espadero
 The power of traditional culture can gratify hand
pounding of paddy is a great sight the power of a
mortar with a pestle is missing for this kind of power is
greatly seen as the traditional milling process of rice
grain But as time passes by, this culture dies; As
technology brings changes this time The emerging
issues on pollution arise, I wish I could turn back the
hands of time; Where the traditional milling process
survived, For I was once a pounder of this paddy And it
lives in my childhood sweetest memory .
Think of your childhood sweetest memory. Then,
compare or contrast the writer’s sweetest memory with
yours. Write your answers under the corresponding
column. Be guided by the sentence starters provided
for you. Do this in your activity notebook.

POST TEST
a.Directions: Read and analyze the following
questions carefully. Write the letter of
your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. What is a body of written works such as poetry,
novels, history, biography, and essays that reflects the
background of a certain culture?
A. epic B. literature C. poetry
D. prose
2. Which type of literature is a product of a writer’s
imagination?
A. feature B. fiction C. literature
D. non-fiction
3. What is defined as the sequence of events that occurs
from the first to the last line of the story?
A. character B. plot C. point of view
D. setting
4. Which type of literature is based on facts and talks
about real people, places, and events?
A. features B. fiction C. non-fiction
D. sci-fi
5. What part of a plot refers to the conclusion or ending
of a story?
A. climax B. falling action C. rising action
D. resolution
6. “Ravana abducted Sita and forced her to be his wife.
Rama came to rescue Sita. He fought and confronted
Ravana and his evil brothers. Finally, Rama killed
Ravana and freed Sita.” In this situation, the struggle is
directly set between the protagonist and the antagonist.
What type of conflict is used by the author?
A. man vs. man C. man vs. society
B. man vs. self D. man vs. supernatural
7. “Long ago, the kingdom of Ayodhya was ruled by a
wise king. Ayodhya is part of the Ancient Sarayu in
India.” What literary element is emphasized from this
statement?
A. character B. plot C. setting
D. theme
8. “While it is true that Rama’s stepmother, the second
wife, is against Rama to be crowned as the next king,
Ravana is considered as the main antagonist of the
story Ramayana.” What literary element is emphasized
in the text?
A. character B. plot C. setting
D. theme

For items 9 and 10, choose your answers from the

following sequence of events of the story Ramayana.
A. Rama, the son of King Dasharata, was the prince of
Ayohdya. In a neighboring city, the ruler's daughter
named Sita chose Rama as her bridegroom at
ceremony called a Swayamvara.
B. The ten-headed Ravana, the ruler of Lanka, devised
a plan to abduct Sita and sent a magical golden deer
which Sita desired her lover to hunt. While Rama was
away, Ravana grabbed Sita and carried her off to
Lanka.
C. A mighty battle took place. Rama killed several of
Ravana's brothers and then Rama confronted him.
Finally, Rama killed Ravana, and he freed Sita.
 D. After Sita had gained her freedom from Ravana,
she proved her purity through the trial by fire. Then,
they returned to Ayodhya and Rama became the king.
E. As Rama became the king, he ruled Ayodhya with
Ramrajya - an ideal time when everyone does his or her
duties and responsibilities.
9. The rising action of the story consists of the conflicts
and complications that the main character faces. Which
of the above events shows the rising action of the story
Ramayana?
10. The climax is the greatest point of interest or
turning point of a story. Which of the above events
shows the climax of the story Ramayana?
11. The theme is the central meaning or idea that the
writer conveys to the reader. What do you think is the
theme of the story Ramayana?
A. seeking happiness B. doing one’s
duties
C. forgiving and forgetting D. giving
importance to wedding
12. “Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita. He sent a
magical golden deer which Sita desired Rama to hunt.
A long time had passed, but Rama didn’t return. Thus,
Lakshmana went off to find his brother.” – Ramayana.
What point of view is used by the author?
A. first person C. third person
B. omniscient D. all of these
13. “I was standing in the dark. I was scared and cold.
Then, I felt something on my shoulder, and it was a
hand. I was trying to get away, but it wouldn’t let me
go. I screamed as loud as I could, but no one heard
me.” – In the Dark. What point of view is used by the
author?
A. first person C. third person
B. omniscient D. all of these
14. What values are evident in the story Ramayana?
A. trust and hatred
B. pride and prejudice
C. loyalty and responsibility (dharma)
D. humility and thriftiness
15. Literature reflects the culture of a certain place. In
the story Ramayana of India, Rama shows his undying
love to Sita by risking his life just to protect her. Which
of the following Filipino culture mirrors this value?
A. A husband remains loyal to his wife despite the trials
that they met.
B. A husband works hard in order to provide the needs
of his family.
C. A husband remembers the wedding anniversary
with his wife.
D. A Filipino family loves gathering especially during
special occasions

b.Unscramble the jumbled letters using the given

definition.
1.g t t i n S e _____ refers to place, time, weather
condition, social condition, and even mood or
atmosphere.
2.P o l t _____ is the sequence of events in a story or
play.
3.f l i c t C o n _____ is the sequence of events in a
story or play.
4.r a c t e r C h a _____ is the person in a work of
fiction and the characteristics of a person.
5.t o i n P of w i e V _____ is the angle from which
the story is told.
6.m e T h e _____ is the controlling idea or value in
a piece of fiction.