Studies in Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 65

ORIGIN OF THE STORY OF RAMA IN JAIN LITERATURE
Adhyatma-Rāmāyaṇa (14th or 15th century). So it cannot be taken as a possible source of Gunab dra's Rama-story. Again, the way Sītā is born. according to the story of Adbhuta-Ramayana is indeed Adbhuta !
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"Ravana in the course of his conquest comes to the Dandaka forest, summons the Rsis there to submit without resistance, and, with this demand, draws from each with the tip of an arrow a little blood, which he collects in a jar.
One he Rsis is Grtsamada, the father of a hundred sons. His wife has begged from him that she may have a daughter, and that this daughter may be Laksmi herself. In order to fulfil her desire, the Ṛsi has been day by day sprinkling with appropriate mantras, milk from a wisp of Kausa-grass into a jar, so that thereby it may become inhabited by Laksmi. He does this, as usual, on the morning of the day on which Rāvana appears, and, before the latter's arrival, goes out into the forest. It is in this same jar that Rāvana collects the Rṣis's blood. He takes it home with him, and gives it to his wife Mandodari to take care of, telling her that the blood in it is more poisonous than poison itself. She may on no account taste it, or give it to anyone to taste.
Rāvana again goes forth on his career of conquest and in Mount Mandara debauches the daughters of the gods etc. Mandodari, seeing them preferred to her, determines to kill herself. With this object, she drinks the contents of the jar Rsis's blood, which Rāvana has told her is a deadly poison. Instead of dying, she immediately becomes pregnant with Lakṣmi, who has been installed in the sprinkled milk by the power of Gṛtsamada's mantras.
When she finds herself pregnant in the absence of her husband, in fear of his reproaches she sets out for Kurukṣetra under pretence of making a pilgrimage. There, freeing herself from the foetus, she buries it in the ground and returns home, keeping the whole affair a secret.
Shortly afterwards Janaka comes to sacrifice at Kuruksetra. In order to prepare the ground for the sacrifice, he ploughs it with a golden plough, and while doing so turns up the foetus,-a girl child. Being warned by a voice from heaven, he adopts her and names her Sītā. After completing the sacrifice, he takes her home, and brings her up."
Lakṣmi (Sītā) is born as the daughter of Mandodari on account of a curse: "Nārada, while attending a concert in heaven, is hustled aside by Lakṣmi's attendants, who are conducting her to her seat. He promptly curses her to become incarnate as the daughter of a Raksasa."
This fantastic birth-story is greatly different from that given by