Jain Ramayana Part 3

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

Page 26

JAIN RAMAYAN
sports and sensual ecstasies. Oh you tendrest one! Be so gracious as to accept my humble advances of love and enjoy supreme bliss with me in this Bower of Bliss which even angels cannot enter."
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But Ravan's infatuated and passionate entreaties had no effect on Sita. He only began to boil with maddening indignation and bitter contempt. He, maddened with infatuation began displaying his magical and supernatural powers and potentialities in order to win Sita's favour but Sita kept meditating on the holy feet of Shri Ram and remained patient. firm and unshaken.
After having shown the various fascinating sights of Lanka, Ravan brought his Pushpak to the Devaraman garden and landed in it. Noticing that Sita had not changed her attitude. he felt bitterly disappointed and returned to his palace. Ravan was in great agony and anguish. His heart was filled with the darkness of frustration. Yet, now and then a flickering ray of hope appeared in it; "How long can Sita's persistence continue? If not today, tomorrow or a few days later or sometime later. she will certainly yield to me. Somehow or the other, I will win her favour. I am prepared to surrender all my prosperity. all my unexampled splendour and all my superhuman might for her sake. Ah! I will give up the entire empire of Lanka for her sake."
At that time, no other problem worried Ravan except his over-mastering desire to secure Sita's favour. If there was any problem, it was secondary and negligible in his view. He was unable to think of any means by which he could win her favour. He had lost all his sense and wisdom in his infatuation. How could he remain sensible and wise? It is a law of nature that a person who is caught in the meshes of infatuation should lose all his sense and wisdom and Ravan was not an exception to this rule.
Vibhishan was greatly irritated and agitated by Ravan's enormities. Even while he was standing there, Ravan had taken Sita in his Pushpak to show her the splendid sights of Lanka. Ravan had disgraced him and had even used strong language.