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SOURCES, CONTRIBUTION AND INFLUENCE OF PČV. 251 At the time of demanding boons from Brahmā, Rāvaņa asks for immortality from all other beings except the human beings, for he is confident of himself that the human beings can never vanquish him (7.10.20). Whereas in the PCV Rāvana's meditation to acquire Bahurupāvidyā is purposeful, for he is not granted any boon of immortality or unvanquishableness and again it is felt necessary to explain the reappearance of his head and limbs. In these circumstances the episode of Rāvana's meditation and its disturbance by Angada have originality in the PCV while into the N-W. version of the VR it has crept later.
Thus on the whole we find that the PCV bears more similarity with the Northern recension of the VR and specially with the N-W. version rather than the Southern recension of the VR as regards either being influenced by or having exercised its influence on the Vr. Does it not indicate that the author of the PCV belonged to North India ? As already mentioned above when the VR's critical edition is complete, we may be able to find out the particular region of North India to which our author belonged and perhaps it might come as *the Western part of North India. (The region ranging from Jodhpur to Baroch i. e. the area of VR's Western recension).
C. Influence of Rāmopākhyāna of Mahābhārata on PCV.
The description of Rāvana's palace and Angada's exploring into it at 68.9-15 in the PCV bears resemblance with that of the Māhābhārata at 2.47.1-15 ( See Infra, Ch. 11., Sec. 3F 'Sentiment of Humour') It shows that our author was conversant with the Mahābhārata. There is Rama-story in the Mahabharata. It is titled as Rāmopākhyāna. Let us see if it has exercised any influence on the Paumacariyam
In the following points (See Supra, Ch. 3 & 4 for details) we find some resemblances between the Ramopākhyāna and the Rāmastory of PCV.
1. Sītā is called the daughter ( Ātmajā ) of Janaka but her mother is not mentioned. 2. Pitāmaha is held responsible though Gāndharvi Dundubhi for Rāma's exile. Thus Kaikeyi is to some extent exonerated from the charge (PCV-Rāma's exile is voluntary). 3. Kaikeyi does not mention any specific period of Rāma's exile at the time of demanding a boon. It is at Laukā that Dasaratha's spirit reminds Rāma that the period of 14 years has completed. 4. No reference to manifestation of any huge form while entering Laikā. 5. No references to the severing of imaginary head of
