Story Of Rama In Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Saraswati Pustak Bhandar

Page 49

Pauma-Cariya of Vimala Suri
31
their previous life and the cause of the upasarga. [Narrative of Desabhüsana and Kulabhusana (who obtain perfect knowledge). ]
CANTO XL:
Then Suraprabha, the king of Vamsasthala invited Rama to visit his capital. But Rama refused. At the behest of Rama the king built many Jain temples on the Varsa-mountain, and therefore the mountain came to be known as Rama-giri. Then Rama and party left for Dandakaranya. (Episode of the Râmagiri mountain.)
CANTO XLI :
Rama and party reach Dandaka forest and the river Karṇa-rava. While staying. there, once two monks called Trigupti and Sugupti arrive there. Sitä offers them. alms. At that time a bird falls at the feet of the monks. Trigupti then narrates the previous birth of that bird in which he was born as a king called Dandaka. Sugupti tells his own story to enlighten the bird; and a ks Stta to look after that bird. They ramed the vulture Jajayus. That Jatayus lived with them practising Dharma. (Episode of the bird Jatayus.)
CANTO XLII :
Rama and party move about in a chariot offered them by gods. They enter deep inside the forest and come across the river Krauñca-rava. That particular region of the forest is so very attractive to them that Rama thinks of inviting his relations to live there. Then the rainy season sets in and the party lives there happily. (Stay at the Dandaka-forest.)
CANTO XLIII :
Once Laksmana sees a sword (called Suryahasa) hanging near a bamboo-grove. He takes it and tries it on the grove from which falls the head of Sambuka, the son of Candrapakha, who was practising austerities to win some lore. Candranakha comes there and makes a search of the murderer of her son. When she finds Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa there, she falls in love with them instead of getting angry with them. She requests Rama to accept her as his wife. Neither Rama nor Lakṣmaṇa pays heed to her entreaties. She thereupon goes back to her city Patala-Lanka. [Slaying of Sambúka (the son of Kharadûṣaṇa). ]
43 The Uttarakanda of Valmiki's Ramayana, tells the story of the ascetic Sambuka, belonging to the Sudra caste, whose head Rama strikes off; for this act Rama is commended by the gods, because a Sudra should not take it upon himself to practise asceticism. It is a truly Brahmanical legend with an exaggerated tendency. "Vimala takes up this incident and c'everly manages to achieve his own ends. Sambūka is represented as the son of Candraṇakha wife of Khara and sister of Ravana-killed unwittingly though by Laksmana. But its consequences are disastrous ending in the abduction of Sitä by Ravana. Vimala has made this incident the central point in the plot of his story and fro n artistic point of view this change is creditab'e".