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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RAMA-STORY meeting of Jațāyu at this place and the murder of Sambūka is altogether absent. Rāma reaches Vijanasthāna. There Sītā abuses Sürpapakhā for her misconduct. At this sūrpanakha assumes a dreadful form in wrath and frightens Sitā. Ramal himself disfigures her.2 Mahābhārata of Săralādāsa and Vicitrarāmāyana of Madhavadasa (Oriya) mention the killing of the son of Surpanakha at the hands of Lakşmana (Bulcke p. 619).
The Uttarapurāna and the Mahā pur āna do not contain these episodes.
The episode of the killing of the son of Śūrpanakha by Lakşmaņa finds place in many non-Jaina works with certain alterations.
In the Ananda Rāmāyana the name of the son of Surpanakhā is Śămba. He performs penances in a jungle. Brahmā puts there a divine sword for him. It is not noticed by him. Lakşmaņa takes it away and cuts off the trees and creepers. Samba is also killed (vřksagulme hataḥ Sambaḥ 1. 7. 41-43). His mother sees Rāma and Lakşmana and proceeds to kill them. Then it follows the VR. Bhāvārtharāmāyaṇa (3. 8.) contains a similar story. (Bulcke. p. 619).
In the Kanarese Torāve Rāmāyana, Sambūka, the son Śūrpanakhā performs penance for attaining Indra-pada. During the course of his penance, he gets covered with an anthill. Indra and Nárada disguise themselves as hunters and invite Lakşmaņa for hunting. Indra conjures up a boar running towards the hill. Laksmana shots at the boar but Sambūka gets killed (Aran. 3. Vide-Bulcke p. 411) in the Telugu Dvipada Rāmāyana his name is Jambumāli. He prepares to obtain a divine sword for killing Rāvana who had killed the former's father, Lakşmana happens to see that sword and kills Jambukumāra who was performing penance in a bamboo thicket (Aran. 4-5 ; Bulckep. 411).
In a south Indian story the son of Śūrpanakhā goes to an Aśrama of some Tapasvin to eat fruits. The Tapasvin curses him to become a tree. Further being requested by Sūrpanakha, the Tapasvin moderates his curse saying that her son will attain emancipation when Rāma (Vişņu) cut one of the branches of that tree (Bulcke p.412).
In the Serī Rāma, Dersāsimha, the son of Surapandakı performs penances to obtain a divine sword for taking revenge upon Ravana who had killed the former's father. Lakşmana kills him with that sword. The Seratakānda also refers to the death of the son of Surapa ndaki being
1. According to the Padma purāna (Uttar. 269) Rāma cuts off the nose and the
cars of Sūrpanakhā. 2. She is called Suppanahi.
