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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RĀMA-STORY
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Mandodari utters that she had requested Ravana after the ruining of Larki by Hanumat, to desist from harbouring enmity with Ráma, but Rāvana did not accept her proposal. Here she is said to have considered Rāma as an incarnation of Vişņu (6.111.13) and the abduction of Sită (mentioned as Śrī) as the cause of the death of her husband (ibid 23). In the Gaudiya and the N.W. versions of the VR, Mandodari is said to have appealed to Rāvana after the slaying of Prahasta, to stop the battle and to give up Sītā saying that Rama was superior to all the ordinary human beings (Bulcke, p. 378).
In the TR Mandodarī is found to be requesting Rāvaņa not less than four times for giving up Sītā (5.35; 6.6; 6.14&6.37) saying that Ráma was the God incarnate and at 6.6. she reminds Rāvana of the mission of Rama to relieve the earth from the burden (of the sinners). At 5.35 i.e. after the ruining of Lanka by Hanumat she had requested Ravana for the first time.
In the Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇā just after the destruction of the Yajña of Rāvana (6.10.36f) Mandodarī tells Rāvana that Rama is an in carnation of God and further requests him to give up Sita. Thereupon Rāvana decides to be killed by Rāma to attain emancipation (ibid 58). Tne Ananda Rāmāyana also agrees with it (1.11. 241-145).
J. Slaying of Rāvana :
According to the PCV, in the final battle, Rāvaņa fights driving in the Indra-chariot which was constructed by the Bahurupa-vidya, while Rāma and Lakşmaņa fight riding on the Keśarin and the Garuda chariots (supplied by Garudādhipati). In the gruesome fight many types of missiles are hurled from both the sides. Lakşmaņa severs the head and the arms of Rāvana by shooting arrows, but to his surprise he finds that on account of the effect of the Bahurupavidyā they reappear every time increased in geometrical progression (71.16). Rāvana then hurls his disc (cakra) at Lakşmaņa (72.36), but instead of obeying his command it obeys Lakşmana and Rāvana is killed, his head being severed off, on the 11th day of dark Jyeștha (73.34).
1. Vide-Sec. 8C. 2. "Soi avatareu harana mahibhāra'.
