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मार्च २००९
७१
(2) Birth of Sita :
Paumacariya mentions that king Janka's wife Videhā gave birth to a twin, Sitã and Bhāmaņdala. A Vidyādhara abducted Bhāmandala. In course of time he was infatuated with Sitā. After knowing the reality, he became a monk.26 According to Uttarapurāņa, Sitā was an offspring of Rāvana and Mandodari. A fortune-teller declares the female child as unlucky and Rāvaņa abadones Sitā. Mārica keeps her in a box and buries underground at Mithilā, with ample wealth in the box. Some farmers find her and handover the child to Janaka and Vasudha.27 (3) Svayamvara of Sitā :
In Paumacariya, Janaka seeks help of Padma and Lakşmaņa against Mlecchas. He decides to give Sitā to Padma, a valiant warrior. Afterwards he arranges the Svayamvara.28 We do not find reference of Rāvaņa in this context. In Uttarapurāņa the episode of Svayamvara is totally dropped. (4) Kaikeyi and Her Demands :
In Paumacariya, Daśaratha declares his decision of renunciation and decision of the consecration of Padma. Bharata decides to follow the path of Liberation. Kaikeyi demands her boon which was kept previously with Daśaratha. She wants her son to be a king for engaging him in worldly life. Padma spontaneously declares his decision to go in forest. The span of fourteen years is not mentioned. 29
The account of Kaikeyi's demands is totally dropped in Uttarapurāņa. Daśaratha sends Rāma and Lakşmaņa to Vārānasi. Rāma became and king and Lakşmaņa, a crowned prince. 30
However, It is very surprising that in Vāsudevahindi, (6th Century A.D.) Samghadāsagani follows Valmiki in this whole account of fourteen-year forest-wanderings of Rama.
In Dasaratha Jātaka, Kaikeyi demands royal throne for
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