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The Rāmāyana Version of Dhanesvara Sürl
177
abusive language Hanumat broke off the Nāga-pāśas, pulverized Rāvana's Crown19, destroyed portions of the capital and flew in the air, approached Rāma, offered him the crest-jewel. Now Rāma and all the heroes marched towards Lanka in Vimānas; on the shore of the ocean Rāma took captive Samudra and Setu, the partisans of Rāvana. He defeated Suvela king of Suvela Mt. and Haṁsa-ratha of hamsatata, and with his army reached Lankā. Now Vibhişana tendered Rāvana advice to return Sita honourably. Ravana being infuriated at this, banished his brother who then joined Rāma's side. Räkşasa warriors numbering 30 Akşohiņis, followed Vibhișana, and allied themselves with the Rāma-army. Then follows a description of the terrible battle between the two hostile armies and of single combats between eminent heroes on both the sides which essentially agrees with the account given by Pc. 20 (vv.379-515)
After the death of Rāvana at Laksmana's hands, Råma set free Kumbhakarna and others who were taken captive. They performed funeral rites in honour of Rāvana; the principal personages including Mandodart of the Rākşasa side entered the ascetic order. Rama accepting his innocent Sitā lived in Lańkā at Vibhīsana's request for six years and then in order to meet his mothers he and party in Vimånas left Lankā for Ayodhyā. In Ayodhyā they received a very warm welcome. The mothers and their sonis met after a long period of painful separation. Bharata handing over the kingdom to Rāma became a monk and in due course attained liberation. Sità proving her chastity by undergoing a fire-ordeal became a nun, practised penance and after death became a god in Acyuta heaven. Once hearing from one of the two gods, who had come there to test their affection, that Rāma was dead, Lakşmaņa instantaneously fell dead on the ground. At th:Lavana and Ankusa accepted Díkşă (and in due course obtained liberation). Rāma was overpowered with grief, but enlightened by God-jatāyus, he performed the obsequies in honour of Laksmana and put Anangadeva, Laksmana's son, on the throne, and himself, along with Satrughna, Vibhișana and Sugriva and 10000 kings, entered the ascetic order, in due course obtained perfect knowledge on Koti-Sila and living 15000 years he ultimately reached Nirvana21 (vv.516-542).
19.
Pc. does not say that Hanūmat broke into pieces Rāvana's crown. There he is said to have destroyed portions of Rāvana's palace. There are a few minor deviations : S.M. relates that Kumbhakarņa in the course of the fight caught Hanūmat under his armpit after having struck him with his club (Gada). When Angada challenged him to fight, he raised his hands when Hanümat escaped. Dronaghana, here, at Bharata's request offers Višalyā whereas in Pe. we are told he turns out Bharata's envoy. Kaikeyi herself has to go and persuade the king. Here we are told that the Vänaras did not interrupt Rāvana's Vidya-sadhana during those eight-days when all the citizens were devoted to Jain-dharma, whereas in Pc. we read of attempts on the part of Vanaras to interrupt Rāvana in his Vidya-sādhana. The poet here seems to be in a great hurry to bring the story to a close somehow. The later history of Rāma he dismisses in eight stanzas. That shows the poet had no definite plan in his mind as to the proper abridgment of the epic.
21.
