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INTERVENING STORIES
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penances for accomplishing the desire of her father, Once Rāvana came there and wanted marry her. Vedavati narrated her story and expressed her unwillingness. Rāvana could not control his carnal desire, hence he forcibly seized her braid. She at once cut off her braid and entered the fire cursing him that she would be reborn as ‘ayonija’, particularly to bring about his end.
The TR (Bala, 122-139) contains stoires to explain the cause of incarnation of Rāma and Rāvana. They are based on the Brahmanical Purānas.
(i) It mentions that Vişņu was born as a human being on account of the curse of Jalandhara's wife whom he had deviated from the path of virtue. Jalandhara was reborn as Rāvaņa.
(ii) Nárada had cursed Hari and the Gaņas of Siva on the occasion of the 'svayamvara' of Viśvamohini, hence Hari became a human being and the Gaņas as Raksasa Rāvana and Kumbhakarna.
(iii) It also narrates the story of Pratāpabhānu who had fed the brahmins upon animal-flesh. He was cursed by them, so he was reborn as Rāvana, his brother as Kumbhakarņa and his minister as Vibhīşana (1.153-176).
55. The previous birth of Vali or The story of Maghadatta :
Following the account of the previous births of Rāma etc. Muni Sakalabhūşana narrated this story on enquiry from Vibhīşana (103. 129-131) to illustrate the fruits of penances.
After having transmigrated through various existences a certain living being was reborn as a deer in the Dandakāraṇya. On hearing the religious words from a monk, it was reborn in the Eravatadeśa as Maghadatta, a rich son of Vihita and Śrīmati. On account of his devotion to the Jinas and observing vows, he became a celestial beir g and then was reborn as Suprabha, the son of queen Ratnāvali and king Kantasoka of Mattakokilarava situated near Vijayāvats in the Purvavideha. He renounced the world, performod penances and after his death became a celestial being and then was reborn as Vali, the son of Adityaraja.
The PCR (106.185-197) mentions Vịndāraṇyasthala in place of Dandakāranya, sivamati for Śrīmati, Meghadatta for Maghadatta and Ratnakini for Ratnavati. The PCS (84.22-23) and the RPS (p. 190) follow the PCR.
