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CHAPTER III COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RĀMA-STORY
A comparative study of the Rāma-story of Paumacariyam has been made particularly with that of the Vālmīki and Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa while other important Jaina and non-Jaina works dealing with the story of Rāma have been referred to in general wherever necessary to illustrate the points of agreement and variation.
SECTION I KING DASARATHA, HIS WIVES AND SONS A. Queens of Dasaratha :
According to the Paumacariyam? of Vimalas ūrī, Dasaratha, the king of Sāketapuri (Ayodhyā) marries (22.100-108) Aparājita (Avarāiya), the daughter of king Sukošala and his queen Amstaprabhā of the city of Aruhasthala (Aruhatthala), Sumitrā (Somitti), the daughter of king Subandhutilaka (-tilaa) and his queen Mitrā (Mitta) of Kamalasankulapura (22.106-8) and Kaikeyi (Kegar), the daughter of king Subhamati (Suhamai) and his queen Pșthvīśrī (Puhaisiri) of the city of Kautukamaigala (Kouyamaigala). Kaikeyi's brother's name is Dronamegha (Donameha 24.2-3).
According to the Valmīki-Rāmāyana, the name of the first queen of Dasaratha who reigns over Ayodhyā, is Kausalyā (1.14.33). The names of the other two queens are identical with those mentioned in the PCV. It does not refer to the birth-places and the parents of the first two queens. Kaikeyi's father is said to be king (1.73.1-2) Aśvapati (2.9.22) of Kekaya country with his capital at Rajagļha (2.68.6), also called as Girivraja (Ibid. 21). Kaikeyi's brother is named as Yudhājit (1.73.1).
2.
1. Dr. Bulcke mentions four queens of Dasaratha. This number is found in
the Padmacaritam of Ravişena, not in the Paumacariyan. Bulcke has quoted in his Rāmakathā all the references from Padamacaritam on the basis that the Paumacariyam and the former are identical. But there are certain differences also. Besides there three queens, Dasaratha is said to have 500 wives (ruyagunasāliņiņam pañcasaya jassa pavarajuvainam 28.7 ). The Padamacaritam of Ravişeņa agrees with this number (28.161). The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa also refers to 350 (trayaḥ satasatārdha-2,39.36 ardh asaptasata 2.34.13) wives of Dasaratha. The Ananda Rāmāyana mentions 700 wives of Dasaratha (1.1.72).