________________
158
Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
which was, as it were, the dancing youthfulness of the Mahi-mahila'.
There Candranakhā found Rāma and Lakşmaņa engaged in water-sports with their wives. 19 After some time they came out of the lake with their wives and sat under Mangotree. Then that Vidyadhari - Candranakha assuming the form of an old lady saw Sitä who was being decorated by her maid-servants. She was struck with the incomparable beauty of Sita. A certain queen asked her what she was looking for. She replied that she would be obliged if she was told the vows that rewarded them with the enjoyment of pleasures in the company of Räma and Laksmana, the Baladeva and the Vasudeva. Sitā them replied to her condemning the birth as a woman, the abode of all misery, unhappiness and defects20, and suggested to her to devote herself to the worship of the Jinas. She thus found that Sita was a chaste lady and would never surrender her honour to Ravana or anybody else. She returned home and reported to Rāvana the utter failure of her mission.21 Ravana then replied 22 that where there is a will there is a way'. and observed that it is all right to talk of the chastity of a Sator of the enchanting view of a mountain from distance but on approaching near them we find the case to be contrary". He made up his mind to abduct Sitä disregarding the advice of Candranakhā and got in his celebrated Puşpaka-vimāna.
19.
Then follows a charming description of these sports which is rich in wonderful fancies; we give here a few of them :"The ear-lotus of a lady faded, it was as if surpassed in beauty by her eyes1 Adamse! exhibited her fruit-like plump breasts; she was, as it were a lovely creeper of Cupid ! A certain beautiful woman rising up to the surface of water drew up her garment tremulous, superfine, whtle; which was as it were, the very skin of the water (Pantyacchalli) 1 A certain lady mounted the chest of Laksmana; she was as if the lightning on a dark-blue cloud I Finding a few water drops on a lotus-leaf she looked at her breasts and was happy to see that her necklace was in tact I" Sitā's reply to Candranakhā represents the general Indian ascetic view of women, which is upheld by the Jains as well : During the menses a woman becomes untouchable. She never has an opportunity to become the real master of her family. She is born in one family and a total stranger takes her (after marriage) to his house, notwithstanding her sorrow at the separation from her relations. She is not taken into confidence. Throughout her life she can never enjoy independence. She has to carry on with her husband in spite of his being wicked, blind, deaf, or poverty-stricken or diseased and so on. (One great thing about her is, however, that) She should keep her chastity in tact notwithstanding the amorous proposals of even the lord of gods. A widow, then, must shave her head. Her father protects her in childhood, in youth her husband, and in oldage her son. She is thus always a prisoner as it were." Candraŋakha, though in a conventional manner, yet beautifully conveys the idea of how it 1s impossible to make Sitä surrender her chastity. Read K. 21. 3-5.
21.
