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262
JAIN RAMAYAN
Vaithadhya mountains, and subjugated the kingdoms situated in that area. They achieved magnificent victories. Sometime later, the two brothers returned to Ayodhya accompanied by Shridhama and Manorama.
LAKSHMAN WAS A VASUDEV A Vasudev has to enjoy the fruits of the merits he has attained in his earlier janmas, and he has also to fall into the snares of sinful Karmas.
This is a law of this creation. This is an inexorable and unalterable law of this universe. No power in this universe can alter it.
The delights that accrue from punyoday (the efficacy of merit) are of two kinds : (1) the delights by enjoying which one can attain punya or merit. (2) the pleasures and enjoyments which bring sinful Karmas.
A Vasudev attains happiness on account of the efficacy of his merit (Punya). He enjoys the pleasures accruing from his Punya and gathers sinful Karmas. Outwardly, he seems to be enjoying all kinds of happiness, but the sinful Karmas he gathers by enjoying those pleasures are not outwardly visible. They can be seen only by a Kevaljnani, a supremely enlightened one.
Lakshman had sixteen thousand wives of whom eight were his queens-consort. Vishalya was the first among them. Apart from them, Rupavati, Vanamala, Kalyanamalika, Ratnamalika, Jitpadma, Abhayavati and Manorama were also his prominent queens. Each of the eight queens-consort gave birth to a son. Vishalya gave birth to Shridar; Rupavati gave birth to Pritivi Tilak; Vanamala gave birth to Arjun; Kalyanmalika gave birth to Mangal; Ratnamalika gave birth to Vimal; Jitapadma begot Shrikeshi; Abhayavati begot Satyakirti; and Manorama begot Suparshwakirti. Lakshman's other queens also begot sons. He had two hundred and fifty sons.
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