Story Of Rama In Tibet

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

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ASIAN VARIATIONS IN RAMAYANA
relationship of the Tun-huang version with the later versions of the story of Rama and Sită.
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The narrative begins with a description of the country of Lankapura situated in the midst of the ocean. It is ruled by the king of the demons, Yagsakori, who cannot be defeated by the gods. The gods request the rşi Viśravas and Sridevi to bear a son who will be able to vanquish him. This son, Vaisravana, kills all demons but spares Malhyapanta, the son of Yagsakori. Malhyapanta piaus revenge and devotes himself to serving a divine rşi, a son of Brahma, called Svapasina or Biśurasena, to whom he offers his daughter, Mekesena. Three sons are born from this union: Daśagrīva, Udpakana (Ampakarna) and Cirisana (Birinaśa). They obtain power over the gods from Mahadeva, and go to Lankapura to kill both gods and men there. In this way they avenge the death of Yagsakori for Malhyapanta. In recension II this episode is told very briefly, but in Recension I it is much more detailed. According to the latter, the three sons of Mekesena first ask Brahma for three miraculous powers. When Brahma refuses, they go to Mahadeva and try to propitiate him.. Daśagriva even cuts off one of his ten heads as an offering. Mahadeva's wife, Upade (Upame), offers them her own miraculous power, which they reject. Upade thereupon prophesies that they will be destroyed by a woman. Then Mahadeva's minister, Prahasti, offers his miraculous power, which they likewise reject, and Prahasti prophesies that they will be destroyed by a monkey. Finally, they obtain from Mahadeva the three following powers: (1) power over the gods; (2) the death of any being who is struck by the first arrow shot; and (3) immortality, as long as Daśagriva's horse-head is not cut off.
After the victory of the three sons of Mekesena, the gods deliberate as to what to do against Daśagriva and the demons. They ask Visnu for help. Vişnu incarnates himself as Ramana, the son of Dasaratha, and his own son appears on earth as Lagsena. A daughter is born to Daśagriva, but it is predicted that she shall cause the ruin of her father and the demons so she is placed in a copper box and committed to the waters. She is found by Indian peasants and named Found in the furrow (Rol-rñed-ma). Dasaratha is wounded in a battle between the gods and the demons,
THE STORY OF RAMA IN TIBET
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and Ramana renounces the throne and Lagsana is appointed as king. Rol-rñed-ma grows up and the peasants offer her to Ramana who accepts her as his wife and gives her the name of Queen Sita. Ramana now becomes king.
When one of Yogsakori's ministers, Marutse, prevents five hundred brahmans from obtaining a siddhi, Ramana throws a ring at Marutse and injures one of his eyes. The brahmans obtain their siddhi and give Ramana a blessing: all those who die by his arrows will be reborn as gods.
Meanwhile, Dasagriva's sister, Purpala, has fallen in love with Ramana who rejects her, and Purpala advises her brother Daŝagriva to abduct Sită. Marutse now transforms himself into a deer, which Ramana pursues. Lagsana, who thinks that Ramana is in distress, leaves Sitä to go to his assistance, and Daśagriva carries off Sita together with a plot of ground.
Ramana and Lagsana search everywhere for Sitä. They meet with the monkey-king Sugriva who fights his elder brother Bälin for possession of their kingdom. Ramana makes a pact with Sugrīva, promising to make him king if he helps him to find Sită. Ramana is unable to distinguish between Sugriva and Balin. The next day a mirror is attached to Sugriva's tail and Balin is killed by Ramana; Ramana and Sugriva return to their homes. Ramana waits three years for Sugriva to return and fulfil his pledge, and eventually sends him a message by means of an arrow. Sugriva comes with an army of monkeys, and the monkeys Pifu, Sindu and Hanumanta are sent off to search for Sita. They meet with Pada', the elder son of Agajaya, king of the eagles. Pada' tells them that Sitä was abducted by Dasagrīva.
Hanumanta jumps into the sea and goes to Lankapura. He finds Sitä in a castle with nine walls without gates and gives her a letter and a ring from Ramana. Hanumanta uproots the trees in the park and kills many demons. Hanumanta is captured and asks as a favour to be killed in the same way as his father was killed, so the demons wrap his tail in cloth, dip it in butter and set it on fire. Hanumanta thereupon burns the castle of the demons, and returns to Sitä who gives him a letter for Ramana. Hanumanta returns and gives the letter to Ramana.
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