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The Rāmāyana Version of Gunabhadra
121
ravishing beauty of Sită Răvana fell in love with her. He at first thought of taking that Sita away by force but on Marica's advice he sent Sūrpanakhă to her to know her mind. She quickly went to Väränasi. Rama and Sitā and Laksmana with his wives had gone to Citrakūta for Vanakrida'. There Sitā took offence at Rāma's observation of the beauty of 'Latās' - creepers. He propitiated her.
Now Sūrpanakhā arrived there, assumed by "Rupa-Paravartana' lore the form of a Sthavira and began to move about in the vicinity of the queens. They made fun of her when she inquired of them what religious deeds would bring her similar fortune of enjoying lovesports in the company of Balabhadra like that. Sitā, however, seriously told her that the life of a woman is misery incarnatel4; and that in a woman her chastity alone is praiseworthy. Sūrpanakha knew how impossible it was to win Sitā for Rāvana, went back to Lanka and informed Rāvana of the impossibility of getting Sitā for him ( - of course, willingly). He, then, accompanied by Marica went in his Puşpaka Vimāna to Citrakūta. Marica assumed the form of a golden deer, of course at Rāvana's command. Sità was fascinated by that wonderful deer 5, Rāma pursued it with a view to catching it alive 16. That deer went a long way off and flew in the sky. Rāma was simply bewildered at this phenomenon. In the meantime Rāvana, disguised as Rāma, asked Sità to get in the Palanquin (which was really his Puşpaka-Vimāna) and by his māyā produced the illusion that he himself was riding a horse. He brought her to Lankā, got her down in a park and then discarding ‘māyā told her the true state of affairs. Knowing her fate Sitā fainted. Rāvaņa being afraid of losing his Akasa-gāmini lore!? did not touch that pure and chaste lady. Sitā after regaining her consciousness spoke in noble words of chastity and took a vow of not to speak or eat until she heard of Rāma's welfare. She looked upon herself as a widow' and cast away all ornaments. 18 Evil portents occurred in Lank, such as the appearance of a Cakra in his armoury. 19 The Cakrotpatti pleased Rāvana. His ministers did their best to persuade Rāvana to restore Sitā to Rāma. But he was adamant. He thought that the Cakrotpatti was not an evil omen, but an indication of his becoming
14. Parvan 68. 163-174 vividly describe the miserable and pitiable lot of a woman. All possible
weaknesses to which a woman is liable are listed here.
15. Here we have a fine description of the movements of that antelope.
16. Here the poet gives two beautiful subháşitas : 'Vāme vidhau vidhih' and 'Kutah krtyaparamar
sah strívasikrtacetasām' w. 199 and 202. 17. i.e., the lore which enables one to move through the air. 18. Widows do not put on rich attire or ornaments; they are expected to live a very simple and pious
life after the death of their husbands. This custom of not wearing any ornaments is yet followed
by orthodox sections of the Indian society. 19. The poet uses here a fine simile : ..... Cakram va kalacakravat
Yajñaśālāprabaddhasya vastakasyaiva sädvalaṁ v. 227.
