I have been reading Ramayana to my daughter over the past few weeks as a bedtime story - one chapter of the simplified children's version of the book at each sitting.
Recently, I was reading to her about the start of the war between the Rakshasa army, led by Ravana, and the Vanara army, led by Rama / Sugreeva.
The vanara army is camped on the banks of the ocean and they can see the city of Lanka with Ravana's palace at a distance. Rama, Lakshmana, Sugreeva, Hanuman and commanders of the army are standing outside in view of the city / palace and discussing.
Meanwhile, Ravana comes to the balcony of his palace and sees the vanara army, thinking how tiny they all are.
Seeing Ravana on the balcony, Vibhishana comes to Rama and indicates that Ravana is watching them. Sugreeva, Lakshmana, Hanuman and others also turn towards the palace and watch Ravana.
So, this is the setting when it gets interesting.
Sugreeva immediately jumps towards the palace, on the balcony and knocks off the ten crowns on top of Ravana's heads and jumps back to stand next to Rama. All this happens in an instant before Ravana could even realise about it !!
As soon as I narrated this, I was thinking, "Man... Such a mind game !! Now, if this was a movie and I was in the front seat, I would be stnading up whistling off to the swag of Sugreeva". Such a power rush !
More than anything, Sugreeva just declared to Ravana "I can touch you wherever you are, in your palace and on the balcony of your bedroon. And there is nothing you can do".
Amazing, isn't it? Imagine how bold that statement was, without even speaking anything.
Wow.. what a Swag
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