Setubandha

Author(s): Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 58

INTRODUCTION
41 Rāvana with his kinsmen, and bring back Silā (6.40.25). But the Northwestern and Bengal recensions (6.26.29.ff; 6.25.26ff.) have here a number of additional verses known as Sugrīva-garjana, which greatly amplify the original statement, and are similar in tone to Sugrīva's garjana in our poem. Such, for instance, is the declaration that, unaided, he will reduce Lankā to ashes and destroy Rāvana, and that the world will that day witness his might and steadfast devotion to Rāma. It is probable that Pravarasena's conception of Sugriva's character is based on declamations of this type which seem to have formed part of the Rāmāyana text known to him.
The Setubandha (15.55ff.) has an episode involving Rāma and Lakşmaņa, which does not occur in the Rāmāyapa. After the presentation of Indra's chariot to Rāma by Mātali, Laksmaņa, accompanied by Sugriva and Nila, approaches Rāma with the request that the easy task of slaying Rāvana may be entrusted to one of them; but Rāma politely refuses to comply.
It is difficult to say whether this episode is an invention of · Pravarasena, or taken from some other source. The timing of the
incident is, however, incompatible with the sequence of events in the Rāmāyaṇa narrative. According to the Rāmāyana 6.89.29ff. Lakşmana on recovering from the effect of the Sakti missile, urges Rāma to kill Rāvana that very day, before sunset, as promised by him. Rāma immediately goes forth to battle; and soon after Mātali brings for him Indra's chariot and armour, and the dvairatha combat begins (6.90). Having urged Rāma to slay Rāvana only a short while before, it would be rather incongruous for Lakşmana to request permission for himself or any of his companions to carry out the job undertaken by Rāma.
The lament of Vibhīşaņa in the Setubandha (15.85-90) throws further light on the text of the Rāmāyaṇa known to Pravara