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INTERVENING STORIES
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(iv) Birth of Rāvaṇa and his brothers:-According to the PCV, in course of time Kekasī, the wife of Ratnaśrava gave birth to Rāvana, Bhanukarņa, Candranakha and Vibhīṣaṇa (7.96-98). The first son of Kekasī, in his babyhood, rolled down the cot and caught hold of a necklace bedecked with nine jewels which had been given to Meghavahana, the first lord of Lankapuri by Bhima, the Rākṣasādhipa and it had passed on to Ratnaśrava as a paternal property. When Kekasi out of curiosity put it round his son's neck, she found that the face of her child got reflected in those nine jewels and so he was named Daśamukha1 (7.96). Bhanukarna's other name was Kumbhakarna2 (8.57). There is a reference to the dreams seen by Kekasī before giving birth to her children. These dreams depicted cruel nature of Rāvaņa (varakūrakammakārī) and righteousness of other two sons (sucariyāņubhavenam) 7.76-84.
According to the VR (7.9), Sumalin while staying at in the Patala observes Dhaneśvara (Vaiśravana of Lanka) soaring in the sky in his Puspakavimāna with all his splendour. He plans to usher in the rise and prosperity of his own family and then desiring to get a son by Paulastya sends his daughter, Kekasī to marry her to Paulastya i.e. Viśravas. As she approached the Muni in hard times hence Viśravas predicted that cruel sons (krürakarmaṇaḥ) would be born to her. On her imploration the curse was modified to the effect that her last son would be (dharmātmā) religious minded. In course of time Kekasi gave birth to Daśagrīva having ten heads and twenty arms, Kumbhakarna having huge body, Surpanakha of abominable countenance (vikṛtānana) and Vibhiṣaņa" having religious inclination. At 3.17.22 Khara and Daṣana are referred to as the brothers of Surpanakha and at 7.24.37 Khara is cailed as (matṛśvaseyas to bhrātā) the cousin brother of Surpaņakhā.
The TR merely refers to Ravana as having ten heads and twenty arms, as belonging to the family of Pulastya (1.176) and mentions Vibhīṣana as the step brother of Ravana. Surpanakha is called the sister of Rāvana, Khara and Duşaņa (3.17 to 3.23).
1. He was called Ravana on account of making a loud cry for safety (ravo kao9.78) on the occasion of lifting up the Kailasa mountain to disturb
muni Vali.
At his father-in-law's town Kumbhanagara som e one made a sign on account of his big ears, hence Bhanukarna was called Kumbhakarna (Tatheva kumbhanayare, kena vi saddo kao sinchenam, daṭṭhūņa pavarakanņe tti).
3. The Gaudiya and the NW versions of VR refer to Ravana and Vibhiṣaṇa as the sons of Nikaṣā (Bulcke,p. 418).
2.
