Jain Ramayana Part 3

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

Page 32

20
JAIN RAMAYAN
He had tried to fight against Ravan when he noticed that he was carrying away Sita ignobly but he had been crippled and defeated by Ravan and he was at Kambudweep in a helpless condition. He saw Sugriv approaching him. He felt greatly agitated and distressed and thought :
“Can it be that Dashmukh Ravan has sent this king of Vanars to kill me? He has already defeated me and deprived me of all my powers. Now will Sugriv, king of Vanars take my life? Have I to lose my life now? Well. If it is so, let it be so. If I have to die for having endeavoured to save a noble lady from a disaster, such a death will be a bliss, not a blight. It will be a cause for jubilation. not for lamentation. My death will be fruitful and my life also will attain fulfilment."
"Ratnajati! What are you thinking of so deeply ? What is the matter? You can't even get up. Don't you now fly through the sky ? Sugriv said waking up Ratnajati from his deep reflections. Ratnajati stood up and bowed to Sugriv, the king of the Vanars. Ratnajati had been staying in a desert area in Kambudweep; he had been deprived of all his powers by Ravan. Sugriv and Ratnajati went to a lonely place and sat there. Ratnajati began narrating his sorrowful story.
"Oh you hero! A mighty hero like you must know the cause for my miserable condition. That tragic event took place only a short time ago. That day I happened to be flying through the sky. Just then, the agonized screams of a noble woman fell on my ears. Greatly shocked, I looked around; and I noticed the Pushpak of Ravan, the king of Lanka, speeding towards Lanka. The horrified and agonized screams of a woman emerging from the Pushpak filled the sky. Her cries and screams pierced my heart like sharp arrows. I could not keep quiet. At once, I stood on Ravan's way and prevented him from going away. Now, I could hear her cries clearly. She kept crying out." Oh Lord Shri Ram ! Oh brother-in-law, Lakshman! Oh brother. Bhamandal !” The Pushpak continued to speed towards Lanka; but I didn't lose hopes. I went hurriedly forward and challenged Ravan to a fight. With the purpose of saving Sita from that disaster of being abducted, I challenged Ravan to a fight; but