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The Rāmāyana of Acārya Hemacandra
189
3. SUMMARY (CANTO-WISE) OF THE 7TH PARVAN TREATING
OF RAMA'S STORY CANTO I:
Now I narrate the lives of Padma-Baladeva, Nārāyana-Visnu, and Rāvana-Prativisnu, who lived in the Age of Suvrata the Tirthankara.
In the age of Ajita, the Tirthankara, there was in Lankā situated in the Raksodvipa, Ghanavāhana, the founder of the Raksasa dynasty. After many kings such as Mahāraksasa and Devaraksasa in his line was born Kirtidhavala in the age of Sreyāṁsa, the Tirthankara. At that time there was, in Meghapura, on the mountain Vaitādhya, a Vidyadhara king, called Atindra. He had a son called Srikantha and a daughter named Devi. In Ratnapura there was a Vidyadhara king Puspottara. He had a son Padmottara and a daughter Padmā. He asked for the hand of Devi in marriage for his son. Atindra, however, offered her in marriage to Kirtidhavala. Naturally enough Puşpottara nursed enmity towards Atindra and Srikantha. Padmã, however, fell in love with Srikantha and eloped with him. Puspottara pursued him. He sought the shelter of Kirtidhavala, who sent an envoy to Puspottara and impressed on him how it was not proper on his part to fight against his 'son-in-law' for his was a love-marriage. Padmă too through a Dūts told her father that she had eloped of her own accord with Srikantha. Thereupon Puspottara was pacified. He got the two - lover and his beloved - married and returned to his city. Kirtidhavala persuaded Srikantha to live on the Vanaradvipa lying to the North-west of Lankā. In that dvipa there was a mountain called Kiskindha war on it a city named Kiskindha. Kirtidhavala made Srikantha king of that Dvipa. Si Xatitit found there on that Dvipa a vast number of Vanaras (monkeys) of huge form, who lived on fruits. He issued 'a-Māri' proclaimation and well-fed them.' Others too extended hospitality to the monkeys! Since then the Vidyadharas there drew the figures of Vámaras on their flags and umbrellas and in mouldings - just out of curiosity. And that is the Vidyadharas living there came to be called Vanaras.5
The story of Megha - (or Ghana-) vahana, the founder of the Raksasa dynesty is related by Hemacandra in Parvan II. Bhima, i he lord of the Räksasa, out of aílection for Meghavahana, who was his son in a previous life, bestowed or him the kingdoms of Lankā and Patăla-Lankā in the Raksasa-dvspa and gave him a large necklace made of nine jewels, and also the magic science of the Rākşasas. From that time Meghavahana's family became a Raksasa family. A Subhasita here: Prāyo vicaracancūnām kopah supraśarrah khalu
v. 23. 'a-Māri' -ghosa: "Nobody shall kill these Vanaras.' For it is well said : Yatha råja tathā prajáh v. 33. Read w. 33-35. This explanation is identical with the one given by Vimala Sūri.
