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The Rāmāyana Version of Puşpadanta
167
Rama told him not to weep for Rāvana, who was unequalled in the three worlds. He had only one defect - weakness for another's wife. At Rāma's command four persons lifted the dead body cf Rávaņa, put it in a palanquin, the palanquin was decked with plantain trees and umbrellas were held over it.48 Instrumental music accompanied the funeral of Rāvana. 49 Ravana's dead body was placed on pyre and that Răvana, who was consumed with Sita's curse, his own anger and unbearable separation, was now caressed burnt) by flames of fire!
Now by Rāma's order Sitā was brought by Vidyadhara kings, such as Sugriva, to Rāma and Sitä was united with her husband Rama like Ganga with the ocean.50
Then comforting the weeping Mandodari and Indrajit, Rāma invited all, banished the fear from the minds of citizens, first performed Jinäbhiseka and then installed Vibhisana on the throne of Lanka. Rāma thus kept his word by placing Vibhisana on the throne of Lankā.51
Offering the kingdom, treasure, army, in short, everything that was Rāvana's to Vibhisana, Ráma and Lakşmaņa set out to conquer the whole world.
Ravana's death and the Coronation of Vibhisana SANDHI LXXIX :
Rama and Laksmana in the course of their wanderings on earth went to Pitha-giri. Laksmana there lifted the Purva-Kou-bilā to the arnazement of all. A Yaksa, called Saunanda, was very pleased with Lakşmaņa's seat and offered him the Saunanda sword. Then they wandered from place to place for a period of 42 years and acquired the kingdom of three 'Khandas'. They went back to Ayodhya, where they were coronated by their vassals. They enjoyed prosperity and glory as did the first Baladeva and Väsudeva named Vijaya and Triprstha. Once, they saw Siva-gupta, a Jain monk, in the Nandanavana grove. They requested him to explain the true Dharma. He then expounded the true
48.
49.
The poet speaks of the umbrellas as thc icaves of the creeper of grief and of flags as the long branches of the huge tree of sorrow. The poet imagines that the instruments too experienced sorrow at Rāvana's death : The conch says: I am now without my lord ! I shall not sound, why should I live on other's breath! The flute says: I'll enter the forest, as my master is dead, will not sound; this wretched drum sounds on getting a morsel of rice ! It is not ashamed of taking food even when the master is dead! Here the poet heaps a number of fancies. Read Kaqavaka 27, 10-14. The poet exclaims : Mellivi Palmu Kasu suyanattanu Who but Rama is so noble"?
50. 51.