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The Rāmāyana Version of Puşpadanta
161
and ring went to Lanká after crossing the sea. Assuming the form of a bee he visited Rāvana's palace to find out Sitá. He saw Ravana, seated on his throne, in his glory. He then entered the harem where he rested on the different limbs of young women sleeping there.29
He knew from Rāvana's face, eyes etc., that he was madly in love with Sita. Leaving the harem he went to the Nandanavana park and found there Sita in a very miserable state. He first thought of killing Rāvana and taking Sita to Váránasi. But then on second thoughts he realised that after all he was an envoy, and that he must not transgress the order of his master. And therefore he waited for an opportune moment to meet Síta. The sun set and the moon rose in the sky. It was, as it were, the bulbous root of the creeper in the form of Sita's grief.30
Rāvana suffering the terrible pangs of love approached Sítā and tried to win her heart by sweet words and threats alternately. Mandodari reproached Răvaņa for his lust for Sită. Rávana, who felt ashamed, went home. Mandodari then went near Sita, recognised her to be her own daughter whom she had deserted; terribly shocked at the fact that a father was pining to dally with his own daughter and the impending destruction of her husband Mandodari fell in a swoon. She was brought back to consciousness. She told Sita that she was her mother and Ravana her father, and cursed destiny for its cruel working. The mother in her woke up at the sight of crying Sita and milk began to ooze from her breast.31 She asked Sita not to yield to Ravana's passion; and added that she should take food to sustain her body, for if one be alive one can gain one's object. She then went away. Now Hanumat putting those Vidyadharas under sleep, assumed the form of monkey32, approached Sita and explained to her who he was; and in order to convince her thoroughly he told her some secrets between her and Rama. Hanumat then asked her to take food with a view to keeping body and soul together. Next morning Hanumat returned to where Rāma was and gave the news about Sitā to him.
30.
In Kadavaka 16 we have a very charming description full of beautiful striking fancies; a few of them are: While resting on the necklace of some woman the bee appeared like 'indranila'; while he sat on the forehead he appeared like a tilaka (sectarian mark on the forehead). A very unusual (but quite characteristic of Puşpadanta) poetic fancy indeed. He heaps one upon another many 'Utpreksas' here: the moon is as if a white lotus in the lake of the sky, a mirror for the sky-goddess, a luminous casket sealed with the deer-spot .......! Here we have a grand 'Utpre kşa'. A widow does not wear a necklace (sce Kadavaka 2-6). The poet therefore fancies here that milk flowing from Mandodarl's breasts is, as it were, a necklace leaving her bosom on account of the (impending) widowhood. Hanūmat, really a Vidyadhara, assumed the form of a monkey and stood before Sitā. This is why, according to the poet Handmat was since then called a monkey.
32.
