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An old version of the Jaina Rāmāyaṇa
under the leadership of Sugriva. Then Hanuman proposes friendship with Rama, and fire is a witness to their pact,
Tatayu is another fine character. He fights with Rāvana while the latter is carrying Sītā off. Rāvaņa overpowers Jațäyu and after crossing the Kikkindhi mountain, 22 he reaches Lanka. But before his death Jatāyu is able to pass the news to Rāma, that Sita was kidnapped by Ravaņa.23
(6) When Rāvana does not listen to the advice given him by Vibbişana accompanied by his four ministers, he approaches Rāma. The vidhyadharas in Vibhışana's family join the army of Rāma and the battle between the vidhyadharas and carth-dwellers began, also a common feature of the Byhatkatha,24
(7) After Rana's army enters the city of Lankā, Lakşmaņa marches forward, Ravana intends to kill Lakşmaņa and releases his disc, but the weapon does not work. Lakşmaņa casts the same disc back at his enerny and succeeds to chop off Rāvana's head.
(8) After the war is over, Vibhışaņa brings Sitā back from Lankā, Then Vibhışāņa is coronated King of Ariñjayapura, and Sugriva of a certain city in the vidhyadhara territory (vijjaharasedhi). Rama and Sita are taken to the city of Ayodhya in a heavenly car brought by Vibhışana and Sugriva,
The Vasudevahindi, the oldest version of the Jain Rāmāyana
The following points are worth considering when estimating the Vasudevahindi's real period of composition :
(1) It is the oldest version of the Byhatkatha of Guņādhya among the presently available Sanskrit or Prakrit works.
(2) Its mention in the Viseşanavatı (610 A. D.) of Jinabhadragaņi Ksamāśramana only indicates that the work was available to him in his time.
(3) Some years ago, after making a study of archaic pecularities and taking into the consideration the use of the old vedha metre unknown out
22 The mountain's locality is not known, but it seems to be somewhere in the Hima.
laya. According to Hemacaudra, Mount Kişkindha was situated on Vánaradvipa. Kiskindhi is said to have founded Kişkindhapura on Mount Madhu where he sattled with his followers like Siva on Kailāśa (Trişastiśālākāpuru şacarita. VII, Jain Rämā.
yana, Vol. IV, p. 109, 113.) 23 In the Khotanese version of the Rāmāyana, Rāvana, while fighting with the bird
Jatayu, gathers lumps of tin red with blood and forces the bird to swallow them.
As a result Jațāyu, became heavy and died. Bailey, Ibid, p. 565. 24 The battle between Rāma and Ravana has been condemned by Harişena as a baltle
for the sake of a women costing many lives (Byhatkathakosa, 84.56-57). This has been supported by the Khotanese Rāmāyana (Ibid., pp. 568 ff.) where two senior ministers are talking about the kings of Jambudvipa, who destroyed the land for a woman's sake.
