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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAN
(ii) PCV-Kaikeyi is trained in various arts. She drives the war-chariot of her spouse and thus helps him in subduing the hostile candidates (24.23). N-W. VR-(2.11.42) Kaikeyi is said to have a cquired some Vidyā from a certain Bhrahmin hence she became successful in protecting her husband in the battle of the Devas and the Asuras (VRTP, 32).
(iii) PCV—The story of Dandaka is narrated to Rāma by two monks whom he meets in the Dandaka forest (41.19-35).
N-W. VR (3.17)-Muni Agastya narrates the story of Dandakavana to Rāma before he proceeds further to the south. This story has been placed here by the complier. In the Southern version it is narrated in the Uttarakānda 79 81 (VRTP, 65).
It is held by Dr. S. Levi that the Udicya pātha (Northern recension) of VR was bifurcated into the N-W. and the Gaudiya versions by the 6th century A.D. (VRTP, p. 33). Thus it is clear that the points which are exclusively found in either of the versions of Udicyapātha are interpolated since approximately the sixth century A.D. (See Bulcke, p. 32). In that case it is the traditions of the PCV that has influenced the N-W. and the Gaudiya versions of VR as far as the above mentioned points are concerned.
As regards the point (i) under the N-W. version it can be definitely held that the source of the VR is the tradition of the PCV as follows :
Indrajit and Kumbhakarņa are captured, and Rāvana's proposal for a 'Sandhi' is rejected by Rāma, Rāvaņa undertakes to aquire the Bahurupāvidyā for becoming unvanquishable (PCV, 65.5), and for inflicting a defeat to the enemies (PCV, 68.48). At 72. 15-18 it is mentioned that as soon as the 'Bahurupāmahāvidya' was invoked by Rāvana, his head and limbs reappeared as many times as they were severed of by Lakşmaņa. Thus we find that there was two-fold purpose of acquiring the Vidyā, firstly to emerge as unvanquishable and secondly to manifest imaginary limbs and heads.
In the VR Indrajit performs the sacrifice for becoming unvanquishable (VR, 6.84.14). Then there is the episode of the reappearance of the head and the limbs of Rāvana as many times as they are severed of by Rāma.
It indicates that the above two episodes in the PCV have parallels in the VR
In the Southern and the Gaudiya versions Rāvana's sacrifice and its disturbance by Angada is not found as there was no necessity of it.
