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THE JAINA RĀMAYANAS
161
The poet takes a step further and converts Rāvana to the Juina religion. This means, among other things, that Rāvana must necessarily abstain from himsā or injury to any living being. This attitude is consistently kept up by the poet in the description of the campaigns of Rāvana. Rāvana becomes an invincible emperor of the three worlds not by killing all the kings that opposed him but by defeating them and making them his vassals. Kings seldom die at the hands of Rāvana. He cared much for the doctrine of ahimsa-non-injury. Once king Marut of Rājapura was performing a sacrifice. Rāvana coming to know of this affair rushed to the spot, not with any idea of killing the participants in it but only with the idea of preventing it. It was an act of righteousness on his part to do so, because sacrifice is associated with himsā. Unlike the Rāvana of Valmiki, who was a tormentor of sages, this Rāvana has great reverence towards Jaina ascetics. He bows before them and listens to their preaching of Dharma. Once he approached a sage named Anantavirya Kevali and with interest, heard his discourse on religion. He was fascinated by the pious story of Harişena. After his conquest of the three worlds Rāvana protected and helped in the propagation of Jaina religion by constructing several temples to the Tirhankaras. So Vimalasūri by making Rāvana a Jain, has further ennobled him.
When these facts are borne in mind, it does not seem to be a matter of surprise. if Vimalasuri maintains that Rāvana was an ideal king. As a king, he is powerful, great, and matchless. Vālmīki concedes to Rāvana this kingly stateliness and pomp. Vimalasūri retains the same and enhances their value. At the end of his conquest Rāvana is the abode of fame and wealth; several Vidyadhara kings bow before him; he has no enemy in all the three khandas (continents); all the citizens of his city praise him. Any country that he visits becomes a veritable heaven full of wealth, corn, and rubies and free from the fear of famines: it also becomes the abode of purya. The green earth, decorated by mountain streams and kutaja flowers, like a maideri, smiles at the approach of Daśānana and welcomes
21 PC., XI, 107-110.
| SR No. | 006565 |
| Book Title | Studies in Jainism |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta |
| Publisher | Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta |
| Publication Year | 1997 |
| Total Pages | 182 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 11 MB |