V.5. Rama’s Sojourn at Patalankara-pura

[Full title: Section V: Abduction of Sita; (D) Rama’s Sojourn at Patalankara-pura]

According to the Paumacariya Rama on being cautioned by Laksmana immediately goes back but does not find Sita there (44.51). He while making a useless search for Sita sees the vulture crying and breathing his last. He loses all hopes. (44.66). In the meanwhile Laksmana returns and learns about the sad incident. He introduces Viradhita to Rama. Viradhita commissions his soldiers to search for Sita but all in vain (45.17-27). Viradhita then takes Rama and Laksmana to Patalankarapura for their safety. They defeat there Sunda who then along with his mother Candranakha flees away to Lanka (45.44). According to the Valmiki Ramayana Rama meets his brother Laksmana in the way after having killed the deer (Marica). At this unexpected meeting 1. C.V. Vaidya is of the opinion that the episode of the golden deer is a later development in the Valmiki Ramayana Sita was abducted when Rama and Laksmana had gone out for usual hunting because Sita says to Rivana "Agamisyati me bharta vanyamadaya puskalam. Rurungodhanvarahansca hatvadayamisam bahu (3.47.23)". In the case of a golden deer she would have referred to it. (The Riddle of the Ramayana, C. V. Vaidya, p.144).

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RAMA-STORY 73 he suspects the safety of Sita and both the brothers speed up towards the Asrama and find that Sita is not there (3.60). Further in search He informs of Sita they meet Jatayu who is in a precarious condition. Rama that Ravana has kidnapped Sita and has gone towards the south. Saying so he dies then and there. Rama and Laksmana proceed further to the west and then to the south. They enter the dense Kroncaranya (3.69.5)¹ and reach the asrama of Matanga (3.69.8). There they encounter Ayomukhi Raksasi. Laksmana disfigures her. Then proceeding further they meet a dreadful Raksasa or Danava Kabandha (3.69.27,43). Both the brothers fight with him and cut off his limbs. He tells them that he was cursed to this state by Sthulasirarsi (3.71.4). He further advises them to go to Sugriva who will help them in recovering Sita (3.72), Rama arrives at Padmasarovara. (3.74.3), meets Sabari and proceeds towards the Rsyamuka hill (3.75). Thus we find that Ayomukhi, Matanga, Pampa and Sabari of the Valmiki Ramayana do not find mention in the Paumacariya The Ramopakhyana also does not refer to Ayomukhi, the Matamga-asrama and Sabari (Mahabharata 3.279,280). The other recensions of Valmiki Ramayana except the southern one do not mention Ayomukhi (Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition). p.330). The Ramcharitmanas agrees with the Valmiki Ramayana About Jatayu it tells us that he assumed the form of Hari at the time of his death and was granted Haridhama by Rama (3.32-33). It does not mention Matanga-asrama and Ayomukhi. Further Sabari, not Kabandha, requests Rama to go to Pampa and make friends with Sugriva (3.36). The Paumacariu additionally mentions king of his paternal kingdom of The Trishashti Shalaka Purusha-caritra and the Ramapurana of Bhattaraka Somasena. follow the The Paumacariya agrees with the Paumacariya that Viradhita was installed as the Alankarapura (40.18.6) by Rama. Paumacariu in this respect. The Paumacariu further mentions that when Rama becomes hopeless and dejected about the recovery of Sita, two Carana munis console him by the way of delivering a religious discourse (39.3-10) According to the Vasudevahindi the Jatayu tells Rama that Ravana has kidnapped Sita, Then Rama and Laksmana proceed toward the Kiskindhigiri. 1. In the Paumacariya there is a reference to the river Kroncarava (Kuncarava) flowing into the heart of the dense forest of Dandakaranya (42.5.14.5) (See Sec. 5A). 2. It reminds us of Ratnajatin (Paumacariya 45.32) of Kambudvipa whom Sugriva meets in search of Sita. Sugriva takes him to Rama. He informs Rama of the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana (See Sec.6D).

74 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM According to the Uttara-purana the deer is not killed but Rama loses his way in the forest. His attendants make a search for him but he is not discovered. Next morning Rama returns. When a search is made for Sita, her upper garment (uttariya) is found (68.245). Subsequently a messenger informs Rama of a dream seen by Dasaratha. Dasaratha dreams that Rahu kidnapped Rohini. It meant that Sita was kidnapped by Ravana and was carried away to Lanka. To this effect a letter closed in a casket was sent by Dasaratha to Rama through that messenger. Following that, Rama's brothers and Janaka console Rama and think over a plan for the recovery of Sita (68.268). The Mahapurana follows the Uttara-purana, but it mentions that Laksmana was there when Rama returned after the sunset and not the next morning (73.1-3) as referred to in the Uttara-purana