Setubandha

SR No.: 001384
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1976
Total Pages: 812
Language: English, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_English & Literature
File Size: 14 MB

Page 59

INTRODUCTION
sena. In our poem Vibhīşaņa piteously mourns the death of Rāvana, and begs leave of Rāma to pay homage to his brother; and Rāma, moved to pity by his tears, orders Hanūmat to perform the funeral rites for Rāvana. The different recensions of the Rāmāyaṇa have a special canto containing Vibhīşana's lament, his request for permission to perform the last rites, and Rāma's compliance with his wishes', but a subsequent canto of the Rāmāyaṇa has another account, in which? Vibhīşaņa refuses to perform the obsequies on account of Rāvaņa's impiety; and Rāma has to persuade him to do so by emphasizing Rāvana's greatness as a warrior. The verse containing Rāma's words, 'hostilities end with death' (or, 'victory', acc. to another reading), occurs in both the accounts; and obviously the two versions are inconsistent with each other. The critical edition of the Rāmāyaṇa (6.99.31ff.) adopts the latter account and gives the lament of Vibhīşana in an Appendix. So far as Pravarasena is concerned, he seems to follow the Vibhīşaņa-vilāpa as given in the different recensions of the Rāmāyaṇa; and was not probably acquainted with the verses describing Vibhīşaņa's refusal to undertake the funeral rites. In any case Pravarasena is consistent in his portrayal of Vibhīşaņa; and the lament attributed to him is in keeping with his character as conceived by the poet in the Setuband ha. In the Rāmāyaṇa Vibhīşaņa takes an active part in the battle and fights with Rāvana together with Lakşmaņa (6.88.17 ff.). In the Setubandha he is more or less a silent spectator; and even his role as a counsellor is reduced to a minimums, and what is more, Rāvana is filled with pity for him when he sees him on the battlefield. As the poet says, his arrow wobbles, because
1 NS ed. 6.109; Cal, ed. 6.94; Lahore ed. gives the Canto in a footnote from one of
the mss. at the end of 6.90. 2 NS ed, 6.111.92 ff.; Cal. ed. 6.96.45 ff.; Lahore ed. 6.92.39 ff. 3 Cf. Setu 14,56; 15.36.