Jain Ramayana Part 1

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 75

The Journey to the Bhimaranya
63
defeat. Actually, he was thunder-struck by his failure. He was not prepared to admit defeat saying, "The grapes are sour”, like the jackal in the fable. One does not hesitate to do anything to safeguard one's prestige and self-respect.
Soon, by means of his magical powers, he created the forms of Kaikasi, Ratnashrava and Chandranakha. He tied up their hands behind their backs and tossed them up into the air. The heavenly beings who had assumed the forms of Kaikasi, Ratnashrava and Chandranakha began to groan and cry as if in anguish and agony. The tears streamed from their eyes like rain; and their voices became choked with anguish. They screamed in agony and horror and said in a pitiable voice :
"Dear son, Dashmukh ! Please stand up. Just as a hunter cruelly catches animals in his net; this villain has made us helpless and you are silently watching this! Though you love us greatly, you are sitting like a wooden image when we are experiencing tremendous torture at the hands of this villain. It does not matter if your unexampled love and devotion for us have disappeared from your heart; but has even the spring of kindness gone dry ? What happened to your incomparable valour ? What happened to your tremendous strength ? Where is your heroism ? While you were in Pathal Lanka you used to brag of your valour and might. But where has all your heroism gone ?”
"Oh dear Kumbhakarna ! Can't you hear our groans and cries ? Have you become so deaf that you are sitting quiet, with your eyes closed ? Though on account of your huge and massive body you are like a large male-buffalo, you are sitting silent and helpless like a lean and rickety bullock. Are you not at all pained by the sight of our agony and helplessness ? Dear Vibhishan! At least, you come to our rescue and save us from this torture; or have you too become a coward like your elder brothers ?” They continued to groan aloud.
Thus for a while, they kept crying and groaning in a heartrending manner. But the princes did not budge even an inch. They sat in deep meditation. Dashmukh did not move; Kumbha