AM E074197 Ramayana

Rama searching for Sita

6 scenes [ref reg], Rama searches for Sita. After the abduction of Sita, Rama starts out to look for her. Scenes read left to right: 1. Rama and Laksamana with Twalen and Morda start out. 2. They find the dying Jatayu, after he has told his story he dies and they cremate him, he goes to heaven and is reborn as a god. 3. They are attacked by a Raksasa who dies after his right arm is cut off by Rama, Delem and Sangut support the Raksasa. The Raksasa is a god Hastra Bau who ate unmixed, undistributed food with his right hand straight to his mouth, this is a sin of pollution and he was made a Raksasa as punishment; by cutting off his right arm Rama frees him. 4. Hastra Bau now in god form (note God spot on forehead) thanks Rama etc. He is evidently not a god of high status or much refinement, I believe the text gives his name as Dirghabahu, the oral Balinese version may be a confusion with Sastra Bau of the Arjuna Wijaya, but they don't seem to confuse the characters. 5. Rama etc. meet a nun doing penance in the forest, in one version she receives them well and being released by Rama's visit from her penance, he cremates her and she returns to heaven. She is known as Dewi Suparta, chucked out of heaven for her menstrual offences, name sometimes given as Shabari. 6. Rama etc. continue to wander. 7. They meet Hanoman [ref LC]