________________ 212 Homage to Vaisali A number of interesting facts come to light from epic traditions regarding Vaisali under this line. These may be summarised as follows: Rajarsi Trnavindu, according to the Ramayana, had a daughter named llavila (ldavila), who became the mother of Visravas by a Paulastya ssi. Visravas married Vara-varnini the daughter of the rsi, Bharadvaja-Angirasa ; their son, Vaisravana-Kuvera, became known as the Lord of Riches, 'by virtue of his own efforts' (that is, in the direction of trade and commerce apparently). Under intructions of his father Vibravas, (apparently the same as 'Visala')? he then took possession of the city of Lanka, built in ancient times by the architect "Visvakarma' for the Raksasas,-'who were the Keepers and Wardens of the High Seas in the most ancient ages'. In Vigravas's time, this Lanka had been abandoned by the Raksasas, who had fled further south and east (into the islands) after their defeat by 'Visnu,' (probably by 'Parasu'-Rama, whose southern exploits and settlements,-that is of Yadavas and Bhsgus,--are well known to Puranic tradition, and who came to be regarded as an 'avatara' of Visnu). "These Raksasas were an earlier section of the Raksasas, and not .Paulastya' Raksasas of the time and group of Visravas." A brief history of these 'earlier Raksasas' is then given : Heti and Praheti were their first noted kings. The succession was as follows: Heti Vidyuthesa+Salanka-tankata? -Sukesa (a Saiva devotee)+'gandharvi Devavati--Malyavan, Sumali, and Mall : these three owned the city of Lanka on Trikuta bill on the southern shore of the Ocean. They attacked 'Visnu'-apparently in the mainland of the Indian Peninsula,-but were pushed back to Lanka, while 'Malr' was slain (that is, South India was conquered by "Visnu'). Later they had to abandon Lanka as well, and Malyavan and Sumali retired further dowa to 'Patala',--though these fearlier Raksasas' were more powerful than their successors led by 'Ravana', (It is clear that the three Dames Mali, Sumali, and Malyavan stand for closely related ethnic groups, inhabiting South India,-Malabar, Malayali-land, Malai-hills, 1. Marutta was thus a nephew of <<Vaisravana'-Kuvera, and this partly accounts for Marutta's great wealth and fight with the Rakgasas under a 'Ravana.' 2. Literally, "the image of a courtesan, or a statue." 3. Said to have been pear Trincomalee in Ceylon, but to have been engulfed into the Sea subsequently by natural action. Cf. Dvaraka.
