VIII.5. Visalya’s medical aid

[Full title: Section VIII: The killing of Ravana; (E) Visalya’s medical aid]

According to the Paumacariya, Rama on being advised by Khecara Candramandala who happens to come there (63.19), sends Angada, Hanumat and Bhamandala to bring the bath-water of Visalya before the sunrise for curing Laksmana. They all go to Bharata. Bharata sends for Visalya but her father Dronamegha refuses to send her. Kaikeyi then herself goes to Dronamegha (her brother) and sends Visalya to Rama (64.23). She cures Laksmana and other wounded soldiers. Laksmana marries Visalya. Visalya 2 seems to be an expert military surgeon. As soon as Visalya touches the body of Laksmana, the Sakti (Amogavijaya) gushes out of his body and appears in her personal form. This Sakti was presented to Ravana by Nagaraja on getting pleased with the unflinching devotion of Ravana to the Jinas, for Ravana had extracted the sinews from his arm to replace the broken strings of Vina while eulogising the Jinas on the occasion of his hostility with monk Vali (9.88.101) on the Kailasa mountain. According to the Valmiki Ramayana Susena commissions Hanumat to bring the mahausadhi 'Visalyakarani' from the Osadhi-parvata (6.101.29). These herbs are named as 'Visalyakarani, Savarnyakarani, Sanjivakarani and Sandhani (6.101.31). As Hanumat is unable to recognise them, he 1. 62.26; 64.16. 2. There are references to Vispala in the Rg-Veda (1.112.10;1.117.11;1.118.18). In an obscure way Visalya of Paumacariya has something to do with Vispala of Rg-Veda. Sayana explains Vispala to be a woman who had lost her thighs in a battle and who was restored to her health by the gods, Asvinis.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RAMA-STORY 950 brings the whole peak of the mountain. Susena with the help of those herbs cures Laksmana. In the Valmiki Ramayana these medicines are referred to for four times. First of all when Rama and Laksmana are wounded by Indrajit, Susena asks for these herbs (Sanjivakaranim divyam Visalyam. -6.50.30). The second occasion is the wounding of Rama and Laksmana by Indrajit after the death of Kumbhakarna. Here Jambavat points out the place where these herbs grow (6.74.29), On the third time Susena cures the injured warriors and Laksmana who had been wounded while destroying the Yajna of Indrajit (6.91.25). And the fourth occasion is the wounding of Laksmana by the hit of the Sakti hurled by Ravana as mentioned above. The places of their availability are mentioned as the Candra and the Drona mountains situated in the Ksirodadhi (6.50.31). On the other occasion the location is said to be the Osadhi-parvata situated in the middle of the Rsabha and the Kailasa mountains (6.74,29-31; 6.101.31-32). According to the Valmiki Ramayana, the military physician (surgeon) Susena is said to be the father-in-law of Sugriva³ (6.50.23). There is no reference that while taking the medicinal herb Hanumat met with Bharata² and no mention of the inevitability of producing the herb before the sun-rise. In the Ramcharitmanas the relation of Susena is not mentioned. He is brought from Lanka by Hanumat. The former sends Hanumat to bring the osadhi, but the name of the osadhi and the name of the place of its availability are not specifically mentioned. Here Ravana tries to foil the plan of Hanumat by employing Raksasa Kalanemi, but he is unsuccessful (9.55-58). Here when Hanumat is returning with the Osadhi mountain, Bharata³ makes the former fall down by shooting an arrow to foil his journey, considering him to be a Raksasa. After knowing the real situation Bharata permits Hanumat to go to Rama (6.60) so as to reach the destination before the sun-rise. In the final fight with Ravana, Laksmana is said to have been once more wounded by the Sakti (which was given by Brahma) hurled by Ravana. As soon as Laksmana is taken to Rama, the Sakti flees away into the sky automatically (6.83-85). 1. At 4.22.13 Susena is referred to as the father of Tara, the wife of Vali. 2. The Gaudiya version contains this episode. 3. The Gaudiya & the N.W. versions of Ramayana contain this episode (Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., p. 379). The Gaudiya version contains this episode but Bharata does not shoot Hanumat (Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., p. 379).

96 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM On this occasion no herb is brought by Hanumat. Laksmana rises up and drives away Ravana from the battlefield. The Adhyatma Ramayana states that the Sakti fled away to Ravana because of Laksmana's Narayanatva (6.6.17). In the Ramopakhyana (Mahabharata, 3.289.4-7) Laksmana and Rama both are injured by Indrajit once only. There is no reference to any Sakti. They are cured with the aid of the Visalya-osadhi, but there is no mention of bringing it by any person (3.289.6). Vibhisana is said to have handed over the specific water brought by Guhyaka. This water was sent by Kubera to be used for washing the eyes, so that invisible persons could be seen by the user of the water. Laksmana used it and thereafter killed Meghanada. There is no mention of performing of any Yajna by Indrajit (3.289 25). Here Avindhya checks Ravana from killing Sita (3.289.32). According to the Raghuvamsa the killing of Kumbhakarna (12.81) is mentioned after the incident of the wounding of Laksmana by the Sakti (12.77). Not the peak but the medicinal herb is referred to have been brought by Hanumat. In the Bhattikavya (14.50) there is a reference to the washing of the eyes of Sugriva with the water brought by Vibhisana, Thereafter Sugriva is able to observe Indrajit. He then chases him off. The conversation of Hanumat with Bharata at the time of his return-journey while carrying the Osadhi mountain is mentioned in the Mahanataka (13) (Damodara Misra's version: Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., p. 391), but not in (Madhusudan's version 9). The latter version refers to the bringing of the Osadhi before the sunrise (9.72-73). The Krttivasa Ramayana, Surasagara, Gitavali and Ramarahasya refer to the conversation between Hanumat and Bharata. According to the Kyttivasa Ramayana, Hanumat puts the sun under his armpit so that the sun may not rise till he reaches his destination (Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., p. 391). The Ramakiyena mentions that Hanumat procures the water of the five rivers from Bharata for curing Laksmana (Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., p. 392). According to the Adhyatma Ramayana, Hanumat brings Dronagiri (6.5.72; 6.7.33) on which grew many herbs. The Ananda Ramayana also mentions the same hill (1.11.23). About the Sakti it is said that it was given to Ravana by Maya (6.6.5) who had obtained it after great penance. The Gitavali mentions the bringing of Dronacala by Hanumat (UK, 9).