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Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
Dasaratha had three wives only and that Bharata and Satrughna were born of Kaikeyi.
In Canto XXVIII Padmapuräna relates that two bows Vajrāvarta and Sāgaravarta were bent and strung by Rāma and Lakşmaņa respectively.13 This is a departure from Paümacariya which speaks of only one Vajrāvarta bow, bent and strung by Rāma and Lakşmana on the occasion of Sita-syayamvara.
In this canto itself14 Ravişena gives the name of Bharata's wife as Lokasundari, the daughter of King Kanaka. According to Vimala her name is Subhadra,
Again in this very canto15 Ravişena tells us that Rāma and Lakşmaņa assume of their own the form of dancing girls on the occasion of subduing King Ativirya who posed a danger to Bharata's rule. According to Vimala it is a Jain goddess who turns them into beautiful women (Canto XXXVII.42-45).
In Canto CII Ravişeņa relates that Hanūmat on learning the account of the birth of Lavana and Ankuśa deserted Rāma and came over to the side of these twin brothers16 when the two hostile armies were about to engage themselves in battle. According to Vimala's account Hanūmat remains neutral (Canto XCIX).
In canto CIV Ravişena informs us that it is god Meşaketana, who is deputed by Indra to help Sita out of the fire-ordeal. Vimala's account gives the name of the god as Hariņaigameşin (Canto CI).
सुषुवे सुप्रभा पुत्र सुन्दरं यस्य विष्टपे ।
erfa: 77-yata 7505 aaa il 13 Canto XXVIII. 223-241; v 247 14 The v. no. 263, at the first reading, produces the impression that Suprabha is the name of
Kanaka's daughter (Kanaki) who chooses Bharata as her husband. But Suprabha is the name of Kanaka's wife (v. 258). It would mean, Ravişeņa nods here ! To get over the inconsistency we have to take 'suprahā' as an adjective of Subhadra.
स्थापयित्वा कृती सीतां कृत्वात्मानं च वर्णिनीम् । स्त्रीवेषधारिभिः सार्घ सुरूपैर्लक्ष्मणादिभिः ।। ... Haar gaeet laa: 11 लवणाकुशसंभूतिं श्रुतवानथ तत्त्वतः । adual: 27 agaistaff147 ll -VV 169-170
अवलोक्य ततः सीतावृत्तान्त मेषकेतनः । शक' जगाद देवेन्द्र पश्येदमपि दुष्करम् ॥ 271 Cestaatsaaa.............1 ...Faoi af 12
I
-VV 123
