Secondary Tales of the Two Great Epics

Author(s): Rajendra I Nanavati
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 89

Secondary Tales of the two Great Epics previous births in the 'Cariyapitaka' and the Jataka-collection seek to illustrate this maxim of forbearnce showing Buddha's tolerance of various kinds of assaults. The quality requires no small strength of character, and has exercised great influence on the popular Indian mind through milleniums even upto the present times in which Mahātmā Gandhi's 'Ahimsa' of the strong is only another form of that forbearance. Now, though Tapas is found in a number of Vedic books, the extension of its meaning as 'forbearance' in the Brahminical tradition is seen only in the epic-puranic literature. Shall we say, it betrays a Buddhist influence?
After this rather long digression on the curse-motif, let us now return to the tales of Ravana. There are, again, episodes of Ravana's successful march over Kubera, Yama and Varuna, lords of the directions of North, 194 South, 195 and West. 196 The East, the direction of Indra, is won over by his son who obtains the name 'Indra-jit'.197 Thus, symbolically Ravana's sovereignty in all the four directions is established. Even Rama's Ayodhya was won over, though from Rama's ancestor Anaranya. These Victories establish Ravana [as an invincible warrior. When Räma subjugates this Ravana, his valour is automatically proved to be even superior to that of the invincible villain. If, the tales of BK were intended to show the character of Rama, the great warrior and an ideal monarch, in the making, we can very well look upon these tales of Ravana's voluptuous adventures and political victories as intended to show even the lewd and invincible villain in the making. Tales of the hero are prefixed to the epic, those of the villain are suffixed to it. So it will be more proper to say that these tales try to explain and deepen the different lines of the sketch of his villainous personality.
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There are, however, two episodes which describe Ravana's defeats also one at the hands of Arjuna Kartavirya,198 the other at the hand of Valin.199 In both the episodes, he is put in a very ludicrous position. Arjuna releases Ravana upon the request of the latter's father Pulastya. Välin simply puts Ravana under his armpit and flies a long distance high up in the air. Ravana seeks his friendship, and makes him his ally. The fact that Valin is an ally of Ravana will at once show us how politically wise Rama was in removing Välin first even if rather treacherously. Rama's goal was to fight Rävaṇa for recovering Sita and his family-honour. Whatevr he did must either remove the obstacles in the path of realising his goal or should at least bring him nearer to it. Now, Valin was superior in strength to Ravana and Rāma should not incur the risk of inviting a straight duel with him without knowing his strength. So he kills Valin by hiding himself behind a tree. By killing Valin, he weakens the side of Ravana who loses an ally, and strengthens his own by getting in Sugrīva a friend under obligation. The army which, under Valin, would have fought on Ravana's side against him will now fight under Sugriva on his side against Ravana. The single Rama wins thereby an ally as well as a friendly army to fight against the demon. A small unheroic act, thus, brings in an immense positive reward. When we
194 UK. 14.
195 UK. 20-22.
196 UK, 23.
197 UK. 29.
198 UK. 31-32.
199 UK. 34.