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Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
The Arrival of Sugriva, Hanumat and the Kumāras and
(Hanumat's) audience with Sītā. SANDHI LXXIV:
Räma, immensely pieased at Hanumat's good work, embraced him. Lakşmaņa requested then to Rāma to send him with Hanumat to Lanká so that he would slay Rāvana and vindicate Rāma's honour. Rāma pacified him and then held consultations with his ministers. On Sugriva's advice he decided to send Hanūmat as his envoy to Rāvana to see whether Rāvana would restore Rāma his wife (Sitā) honourably. Rāma appointed Sugriva as the Vidyadhara king of Kilakila-pura and Hanumat Commander-in-chief. He then asked Hanūmat to go to Lankā as his envoy.33 He asked Ravigati, Vijaya, Kumuda, and Pavanavega to go with Hanumat. He instructed Hanūmat first to go to Vibhisana and speak gently to him and tell him that if Rāvana failed peacefully to return Sitā, Rāvana would have to face death. Lakşmana told him that Rāvana could continue to live as a slave if he returned Prosperity, Sita and the kingdom of the earth. Hanūmat then started on his sacred mission.
He reached Lańkā, the women there fell in love with Hanumat the incarnation of Madana. He went straight to Vibhisana's palace. He praised the virtues of Vibhişana and asked him to persuade Rāvaņa to return Sitā; and in case Rāvaņa failed to comply, he and his capital would be destroyed by 508400000 human beings and 35000000 Vidyadharas. Vibhisana paid a handsome tribute to him and took him to Rāvana, who tauntel Hanūmat for being in the service of Rāma - a human being. Hanumat told him that Rama was the eighth Baladeva and Laksmana the eighth Väsudeva (Nārāyana or Damodara). He requested Rāvana to return Sitā honourably. 34 Rāvana replied that he would not heed *Randa-Kathās; Janaka, Dasaratha and Dasaratha's son were his vassals. He would not tolerate Sita's being given in marriage to Rama. He would certainly dally with Sita - his 'Grha-dāsi'. He was certainly not going to return Sītā. He was prepared for war. He would never contemplate concluding peace with Rāma. Hanumat again told him to restore Räma his wife, otherwise Janārdana (i.e., Laksmana) would kill him on the battlefield. Rāvana's generals like Nikumbha, Kumbha and Kharadūṣaṇa were enraged at
33.
The poet humorously compares Hanūmat to an excellent bull that is yoked to a cart a second time : Jottiu düyabhari puņu so ji dhavalu nihayāvai
K 4, Ghatta - 2. Hanumat puts his case ably before Rāvana : If a larnp produces darkness then will a stone shine? You being the king should in fact be a sure protection but you behave in such a manner as leads people to believe that you are a dangerl ....
34.
Hanti
K. 12.
