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SOCIAL CONDITIONS
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. (3) The assistance and the intimidation of the celestial beings:- The Paumacariyaṁ reveals that the celestial beings, in various ways, helped those human beings who were the benefactors of the former or their relatives in this or the previous birth. Rāma and Lakşmana had saved two monks from the tortures of a celestial being (39.98), hence the Garudādhipati (Sura) who was the father of those two monks in his previous birth helped Rāma and Lakşmaņa with many divine weapons (59.78; 60.2) to set free Bhamandala and Sugrīva from the enemy, When some Raksasa princes attacked the country of Rāma, two celestial beings (Jațāyu and Kệtantavadana) who were associated with Rama in their previous life, chased off the enemies and thus helped their master (113.22). Camara, a celestial being favoured king Madhu with a very powerful divine weapon, because in their previous birth the latter had helped the former (12.7-34).
On the other hand the celestial beings harassed and punished their enemies. Analaprabha, a Jyotișika god who in his previous birth was killed by Kulabhūşana and Deśabhūşana, created scorpions and snakes to frighten and obsruct the latter from attaining Kevala (39. 1617; 46.119). Similarly Dharanendra snatched away the Vidyās from a king who was his enemy in his previous birth (5. 25-38). Rākşasī Vidyunmukhí oppressed Muni Sakalabhūşaņa falsely charging him with theft and causing various disturbances to him (101. 54-68) because she was expelled by him, his husband in her previous birth. A Bhavanavāsin Deva tortured a king because he as a monkey in his previous birth was killed by that king (6. 102-111). Celestial Camara spread epidemic and caused many deaths to oppress Satrughna, because the latter had killed the former's friend king Madhu (87.17).
(4) The work of evil spirits :--Evil spirits such as the Grahas, Bhūtas the Pisacas, the Vanavyantaras, the Dakinīs, the Brahmarākşasas are said to be frightening and obstructing persons acquiring supernatural powers (7.66) or the monks devoted in meditation (105.33) by conjuring dreadful animals and terrorising scenes (39.24-28). Those who did not get disturbed by them emerged successful.
(D) Superhuman powers The PCV reveals that the people of ancient India had great faith in the efficacy of superhuman powers. These powers are called Rddhis and Vidyās. The former were the potentialities of the souls spiritually advanced. The latter were supernatural powers which could be acquired even by ordinary persons. The possessors of the Rddhis and the Vidyās performed miracles and affected the day to day life of the people.
