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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAN
(Khagāmini) are said to have been mastered by Kumbhakarna and Vibhișana respectively (7.144-145). Sahasagati mastered Ruvaparivattaņakari (Rupaparivartanakari) (10. 13) or Veyāli (Vaitali) Vidya. (47. 43) Ratnaśrava acquired Mānasasundarividyā (7. 73). Three daughters of king Gandharva mastered Managāmiņi (Manasagāmini) Vidya (51. 19).
Besides these, the Vidyas which were bestowed by some persons are as follows:
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were bestowed with Simhavāhins and Garuda Vidyās by celestial Garudādhipati (59.84). Rāvana was bestowed with Asăliya (Āsālikā) Vidyā by Uparambhā, the wife of Nalakūbara (12. 64). Nārada was bestowed with the Āgăsagāmiņi Vijjā (11 65) by some celestial beings. Nami and Vinami were bestowed with several Vidyās by celestial Nagarāja (3. 149). Nami and Vinami possessed various Vidyās hence their dynasty was known as Vidyadhara Vamsa.
Some of the above mentioned Vidyās can be compared with the Vidyas which were attained by Jitaśatru and then assigned over by him to prince Nāgakumāra.
The Rddhis and Vidyās are said to be playing an important part in the social and political life of the people.
With the help of these powers monks fared in the sky (17. 74; 41. 5; 89.1; 97.13). They could cure snake bites (77. 91), press down the peak of a mountain (9. 76) and could burn towns to ashes (41. 34).
By the power of these Vidyās even layinen brought about miracles. Vidyadhara Indra created the paraphernalia of the celestial lord (7.6); Rāvana raised a peak, the Kailasa mountain (9. 67-69), conjured up ferocious animals, demons, hobgoblins and snakes (46.52-53), and became invisible (9. 12-13); Sahasagati changed his form (43. 38); Vali circumambulated the whole world daily (9. 3); Hanu warded off the calamity of fire (51. 6); Rāvana conjured up many counterfeits of himself, produced sun-heat, moonlight, fire, and rain (8. 26-29) and Ratnaśrava created a city of his liking (7. 74). girls also could move to the place of their liking within no time (51. 8).
The following are the political events which were influenced by the Vidyās. Sāhasagati by the power of his Rupaparivartanakari (10.
I
ce Nāyaku. Ca, VI. 6.
