Secondary Tales of the Two Great Epics

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

Page 90

The Tales in Kamåyana
consider it politically, we realize, Rāma also must have thought : 'Discretion is the better part of valour'. 200
Two episodes show Rāvana to be the devotee of lord Sankara. After an austere penance performed for thousands of years, he obtains the name "Rāvaņa201 (and the divine sword202) from Sankara. Again, he worships the Linga on the bank of river Narmadā.203 It is noteworthy that even in the earlier Sargas 204 where the ancestral genealogy of Rāvana is described in the Paurāņiki style with some sprinkling of narratives, Sankara is shown to be favourably disposed towards these demons. The genealogy is given as under :
Prajāpati
Yaksas
Raksasas Leaders Heti & Praheti
(m. Bhayā)
Vidyutkeśa (m. daughter of Saṁdhyā)
Sukeśa (m. Devavati, daughter of Grāmaņi)
Mālyavat* (m. Sundari)
Sumālin* (m. Ketumatī)
Mālin* (m. Vasudhā)
Vajra muști Virūpākşa Durmukha Sapta-ghna Yajña-kopa Matta Unmatta & Anala.
Prahasta Akampana etc. ten sons and three daughters : Rākā
Puspotkatā & KAIKASI
Anila
Prajāpati Anala Hara Sampāti
Pulastya (m.daughter of Trnabindu)
-VISRAVAS (m. daughter of Bharadvāja)
Vaiśravana
DASAGRĪVA KUMBHA - SÜRPA- VIBHĪSANA
KARNA NAKHA (*In their war with gods, Mālin was slain and the other two were defeated by Lord Vişnu. They fled from Lankā, which was then occupied by Vaiśravan. He was driven away by Rāvana.) 200 The Abhişeka-nētaka ascribed to Bhāsa seeks to portray Rāma, the great politician,
almost along these lines. 201 UK. 16. 21-28. 202 Relegated to Critical Apparatus; see under UK, 16 29. p. 106. 203 UK. 31. 204 UK, 1-9,