An Old Tibetan Version Of Ramayana

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

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AN OLD TIBETAN VERSION OF THE RAMAYANA
C and F, are closely related to manuscript A. The four manuscripts A, D, C and F thus represent one recension: recension I. The other two manuscripts B and E are almost identical, the main difference between the two consisting in the fact that the text of B has been expanded by a few additions between the lines. This recension, which I call recension II, is more concise than version I, as appears already from the fact that the 276 lines of E correspond to about 340 lines of the manuscripts D and A. However, recension II contains one episode which is missing from recension I.
Before discussing a few points of the Tun-huang Rāmāyaṇa story it is necessary to give a summary. In this summary, which is divided into 46 sections, the main differences between the two versions have been indicated. Variant forms of the names which occur in the manuscripts have been added in parentheses.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI. VII.
VIII.
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SUMMARY OF AN OLD TIBETAN VERSION OF THE RAMAYANA.
Description of the country of Lankapura, situated on an island in the ocean. D 1-9, E 2-7, B 1-5.
The king of the demons, Yagsakori (Yagsakore), reigns over the three worlds and cannot be overcome by gods or men. The gods decide to ask Viśravas and Sridevi to bear a son who will be capable of defeating him. D 9-16, E 8-16, B 6-14.
The gods address their request to Viśravas and Sridevi. By means of a smile a son is born. He kills all demons but spares the infant Malhyapanta (Malyapanta, Manlyapanta, Malyapa'da), the son of Yasakori. D 17-24, E 17-23, B 15-21.
A brahmin, Ratana, tells Malhyapanta about the killing of the demons. In order to seek revenge he devotes himself to the service of a divine rși: Svapasina (Biśurasena), the son of Brahma. D 24-33, 23-32, B 21-30.
Malhyapanta offers his daughter Mekesena (Mekasina, Megasina) to him. D 24-33, E 32-43, B 21-30.
Svapasina accepts Mekesena. D 43-51, A 1-2, E 43-51, B 42-48. Three sons are born to Mekesena: Daśagrīva, Udpakana (Ampakarna) and Ciriśana (Birinaśa). Brahma gives ten heads to Daśagriva. Malhyapanta asks them to go to Lankapura. They promise to do so. A 2-9, E 51-59, B 48-56.
The three sons (devaputras) obtain power over the gods from Mahadeva. They defeat the gods and kill both gods and men in Lankapura. E 59-67, B 56-63.
a) Malhyapanta offers a banquet. The devaputras promise to avenge him. A 9-16, C 1-5.
b) Malhyapanta tells them about his father Yagsakore and asks them again to avenge him. They promise to do so. A 16-22, C 5-8. T'oung Pao LVIII
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