45. The previous births of Indrajit and Ghanavahana

[Full title: Didactic stories; (A) Religious cum Moral Stories; (45) The previous births of Indrajit and Ghanavahana or the story of Prathama and Pascima]

After the death of Ravana, Muni Aprameyabala arrived in Lanka. Indrajit and Ghanavahana enquired about their own previous births from him. Then the Muni narrated the story (75. 60-75) to illustrate the results of penances.

INTERVENING STORIES 179 Two brothers Prathama and Pascima, inhabitants of Kosambi bacame monks after listening to a religious discourse from Muni Bhavadatta. Once Pascima, on seeing the splendour of king Nandi, resolved to become his son in the next life. Accordingly he was reborn as Rativardhana, the son of that king and his queen Induvadana. Prathama who had become a a celestial being once narrated to Rativardhana, the latter's previous birth. On being enlightened Rativardhana became a monk and after his death he was reborn as a Vaimanikadeva. Then both the brothers were reborn as brother kings in Vibuddhanagara in the Vijayadesa. After observing penances, they passing through the life of celestial beings, were reborn as Indrajit and Ghanavahana respectively who were possessed of supernatural powers, strength and handsomeness. Induvadana was reborn as Mandodari. It was The Paumacariya (78.63-80) mentions Nandi as a Sresthin. The Ramapurana of Bhattaraka Somasena. (p. 161) calls Prathama as Purva and Bhavadatta as Sridhara. Purva who resolved. Nandi is mentioned as Sukradyuti, Induvadana as Nandadevi and Vibuddhanagara as Vijayapura. The (IV. p. 298) follows the Paumacariya Trishashti Shalaka Purusha-caritra Mayopakhyana 46-50. Following the re-union of Rama with Sita at Lanka, Gautama refers to the ascetic career of Maya. At that time on some enquiries from Srenika, Gautama narrates the story of Maya. This story is a mess of corelated five stories.¹ The first story of Agnila and Kararuha illustrates the consequences of unfaithfulness of a woman. The second story of Mitrayasa and Srivardhita explains the good results of a woman having virtue. It is in this story that Maya appears. The third, the fourth and the fifth story which are the previous birth stories of the characters of the second story are narrated by Muni Maya. They illustrate the fruits of observing, vows, the consequences of uttering. abusive words and the result of behaving cruelly with the animals respectively (77.67-117).