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THE JAINA GAZETTE
Meanwhile, Rama in great sorrow at not finding his queen went back to the city. His father Dasaratha had an ominous dream which was interpreted to be indicative of the abduction of Sita by Ravana. So from Ayodhya he sent an urgent messenger to Rama to verify his dream. The messenger met Rama in great grief. Then Rama entered into an alliance with Sugriva who came to seek Rama's help to regain his own kingdom of Kishkinda from his brother Vali. In the meanwhile the great Vidyadhara general Hanuman was sent to Lanka to bring news about Sita and to intimate to her that very soon Rama would come to rescue her. Then the story is more or less identical with Valmiki's. Vibishana disgusted with the ignominious conduct of his brother tried his best to induce Ravana to return Sita gracefully to Rama. But Ravana would listen to none of such counsel. On the other hand Vibishana was banished from the kingdom. He went and joined Rama, the righteous. Rama had to declare war. Ravana was informed of Sita's parentage too late. Though Ravana would gladly send back Sita, he feared it would be misunderstood as due to cowardice. Hence he made preparations for the battle in which he was finally killed. Rama the victorious leaving the kingdom of Lanka to his friend and ally, Vibishana, went back with Sita to his own place.
This in short is the story of Ramayana according to Jinasena tradition. The most important point here is, that Sita is the daughter of Mandodari the wife of Ravana. Something similar to this is found in the Kashmir version of Ramayana, known as Adbhuta Ramayana from which the following story is quoted by Sir G. Grierson :
"Narada having been insulted by Lakshmi's servants curses her to be born on the earth as a Rakshasi. She accepts the curse and agrees that if a Rakshasi drink a pitcher full of blood contributed little by little by forest munis, she would become incarnate in that Rakshasi's womb. In this way though born of Rakshasi she would not be of Rakshasi blood.
The Rakshasa Ravana by his austerities sets the whole universe on fire. Brahma by offering a boon induces him to cease from Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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