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INTERVENING STORIES
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sudeva is a rival of a Vasudeva. He is equal to Vásudeva in power and prowess. Rāvana is a Khalanayaka in the Rāma-story but his place in the Jaina mythology is equally important with that of other 62 (salākāpuruṣas) illustrious persons of the Jaina Faith. On account of this importance, the PCV devotes (15 cantos-5-19 or nearly 80 i. e. 18-95 leaves) one fourth of the total volume (335 leaves) to the description of his Carita. The PCV narrates his early life and valorous feats in the beginning of the work i. e. preceding the narration of the main story where his downfall is related.
The Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa deals with Rāvana-carita in the Uttarakānda just before the exile of Sītā. It is narrated to Rāma, on his own request, by Agastyamuni. The TR treats of it in the beginning.
It is the Rāmopākhyāna which narrates Rāvana-carita in the beginning of the Rāma-story and the same is the case with the Tibetan Rāmāyana, the Khotanese Rāmāyaṇa, the Seri Rāma, the Seratakānda of Indonesia, the Rāma Kiyena and Rāma Jataka of Syāmadeśa.
(a) Beginning of hostility between the ancestors of Rākşasa Răvara and those of Vidyadhara Indra:
(i) Losing of Lanka by Sukeśa and its re-occupation by Mālīn:According to the PCV there existed friendship between the Vánara and the Raksasa kings since the time of the Vānara king Mahodadhiraval of Kiskindhipura, the great grandfather of Sugrīva and Rākşasa king Taditkeśa? of Laikāpuri, the great grandfather of Rāvana (6.9397). As the time passed on, there came an occasion when Srimāla, a Vidyādhara princess of Adityapura, in her 'svayamvara' ceremony chose Kişkindhi, the grandson of Mahodadhirava as her husband. At this selection Vidyadhara prince Vijayasimha of Rathanūpuracakravālapura felt humiliated and so he wanted to subdue Kiskindhi. On that unhappy occasion Sukeśa (Sukesin) a descendant of Raksasa Taditkeśa of Laňkā arrived there to help his friend, Kişkindhi. When Vijayasirha was killed in the battle, Kişkindhi and Sukeśa had to face Aśanivega, who was the father of Vijayasimha and grandfather of Indra, in a further battle. This time Kişkindhi and Sukesin could not survive the fierce attack so, they fled away and took shelter in
1. Mahodadhirava was a very far descendant of Srikantha who was the first
lord of the Vānaradvipa with his capital at Kişkindhipura (See ch. 5 Origin of various Vanisas). Taditkesa was a very far descendant of Meghavāhana who became the first ruler of Larkāpuri (See Ibid).
