Jain Journal 1969 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 31

74
JAIN JOURNAL
Once Ravana was returning after marrying Ratnavali when his aerial chariot suddenly got stuck in the air. All efforts were made to move it but they failed. Marica then reported that below on Kailasa a great muni was practising austerities and as the aerial chariot was passing over him, it got stuck up. So Ravana came down on the Kailasa to see who the great muni could be and flared up with rage when he saw Vali. He remembered his own defeat at Vali's hand and thought of taking revenge now. He planned to uproot Kailasa and throw it into the ocean with Vali. With the help of the excavating charm he uprooted the mountain and hold it up. But this created a great upheaval beneath the mountain and Dharanendra, king of nether world, appeared before Vali for protection. As Dharanendra bowed before the sage, the mountain pressed downward and Ravana was almost crushed. The great hero screamed out and Mandodari begged Vali for her husband's life. Thereupon Dharanendra raised the mountain. Maimed and crippled Ravana came out. He expressed his penitence, paid homage to Vali. Then he went to worship at the Jaina shrines erected by Bharata. Dharanendra was pleased with Ravana's devotion and he presented him with a weapon called Amoghavijaya. Now Ravana returned home and Vali attained kevala-knowledge and eventually nirvāņa.
Ravana was now keen to wreaking vengence on Indra, overlord of all the Vidyadharas. So he started again with his army, this time reinforced by the army of his brother-in law from Patala Lanka and that of Sugriva, king of Kiskindha. As they reached the region between the Narmada and the Vindhyas, the sun set.
It was spring in the Narmada region and the nature's beauty was at its peak. Ravana's army was stationed on the lower region of the river. At the upper region, Sahasrakirana, king of Mahesvara, being attracted by the charm of the river was enjoying bath and water sports with his whole harem, by damming the water of the river with mechanical contrivances.
Ravana also bathed and enjoyed water-sports in the lower region, He then placed the idol of Jina on the river bank and began to worship him. Now it so happened that while he was worshiping, water was released from the upper region which rushed forth washing away everything on the bank. With great difficulty Ravana could hold the image in his hands and came out of the water. He then ordered his men to find out the culprit who had done this mischief. They came back to report about the mechanical contrivances as employed by Sahasrakirana to block the river stream to enjoy water-sports and explained that this