Guest guest Posted July 15, 2003 Report Share Posted July 15, 2003 Below is case of possible interpolation, which seems quite possible considering the Ramayana in the text itself states that it is 20,000 slokas but now is more -- although it is difficult to understand the motivation for interpolating to have at least 5 rakshasas re-killed. ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Letter PAMHO:7021216 (128 lines) Ekkehard Lorenz (SE) 13-Jul-03 05:45 -0400 (11:45 +0200) Bhakti Vikasa Swami [57355] Reference: Text PAMHO:7018860 by Bhakti Vikasa Swami Twice Killed Rakshasas --------------------------- > Rakshasas go on causing trouble even after they are long dead. Now they > are troubling editors and commentators. What do you suggest be done with > them? Do you know of any commentaries that might address this problem? I do not have any Ramayana with commentaries. For this kind of work one would need to consult commentaries. Venkateshwar Steam Press used to print a Ramayana with four commentaries (Bombay 1935). This edition has been frequently reprinted. On the other hand, scholars agree that some portions of the Ramayana are later interpolations: "Though the Rama-legend reaches back to the Vedas, yet the orginal Ramayana epic appears to have been composed in the third century BC. It is probable that it had its present extent and contents towards the close of the second century AD. Books I and VII of the Ramayana and parts of Book VI are believed to be later interpolations. This epic has come down in three recensions, viz. the West Indian (North-Western or Kashmirian) recension, the Bengal recension and the South Indian recension." (Sures Chandra Banerji, "A Companion to Sanskrit Literature," Delhi 1989.) Banerji's comments seem to confirm your findings. The problematic passages are all in the Yuddha-Kanda. Even the question regarding the twice-killed demon Mahodara (which you forwarded in May this year), is a problem of the Yuddha-Kanda. It could be that some recent commentators have explained this by claiming that these are diffenet demons of the same name, or by proposing that the killed ones were later revived by some magic. I just don't know. Some acaryas definitely consider these passages to be later interpolations (like the editor of the Ramayana edition that I named in my reply in May.) I recommend you try and get a copy of a Ramayana with commentaries. Or else try to find a scholarly book about the Ramayana that addresses the problem of recensions and interpolations. As far as I know, the original text claims to be made of 20,000 slokas. The modern editions, like Gita Press etc., all contain many more slokas than that. Clearly, the text has grown. The contradictions are definitely there in the Gita Press edition, as well as in the electronic text of the Ramayana that is available on the Net. Even if you can't resolve it, you should still mention in your introduction that such problems exist. If you can't find any opinion of a reputable commentator, you could just quote Banerji's entry. Scholarly readers will respect you for that. It is always good practice to point out that one is aware of problems, even if one has to admit that one can't resolve them. ys end > ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- > > Letter PAMHO:6941037 (68 lines) > Internet: "Bharat (dasa) BVKS" <Bharat.Das.BVKS > 19-Jun-03 21:35 -0400 (07:05 +0530) > Bhakti Vikasa Swami [56555] > Cc: gunadhama.bvks > Twice Killed Rakshas > --------------------------- > Pl. forgive the last message was blank, > > Hare Krsna > Please accept my humble obeisances > Jaya Srila Prabhupada > > Herewith are the sloka refernces for the aforesaid. > > Virupaksa > > 1.Sundarakanda-Canto-XLVI-pg1280 > sloka 32 > Sa saalvrikshamaasaadhya samutpaatya ca vanarah, taavubho raakshaso viro > jaghan pavanatmaja. > Hanuman kills > > 2. > Yuddhakanda-Canto XCVI-Pgs 1773-1774 > Sloka36 > Vinaashitam prekshya virupanetram mahavalam tam haripaarthiven, balam > sametam kapiraakshaanamudvruttagangaapratimam babhuva. > Sugriva kills > > Yupaksa > > 1.Sundarakanda-Canto-XLVI- pg1280 > sloka 32 > Sa saalvrikshamaasaadhya samutpaatya ca vanarah, taavubho raakshaso viro > jaghan pavanatmaja. > Hanuman Kills > > 2.Yuddhakanda-Canto-LXXVI-pg1692 > sloka 35 > Yupaakshambhisankruddho maindo vaanarapungacah, pidyaamaas baahubhyam > papaat sa hatah kshito. > Mainda kills > > Narantaka > > 1. Yuddhakanda-canto-LVIII-pg1569 > Sloka20 > Teshaam nipatataam shigrham nighnataam caapi vaanaran, dvivido > girishringena jabaanekam naraantakam. > Dvivida kills > > 2. Yuddhakanda-canto-LXIX-pg-1649 > Sloka95 > Tadaantarikshe tridashottamaanaam vanokasaam caiva mahaapranaadah, babhuva > tasmin niddatesagrayavirye naraantake vaalisutena sankhye. > Angada kills > > Mahaparsva > > 1. Yuddhakanda-canto-LXX-pg1655 > Sloka67 > Tasmin hate bhraatari raavanasya tannerirtanam balamarnavaabham, > tyaktaayuddham kevalajivitaarthe dudraav bhinnarnavasamnikasham. Rshaba > kills > > 2. Yuddhakanda-canto-XCVIII-pg1779 > Sloka23 > Pafaal hridayam caasya sa papaat hato bhuvi, tasmin vinihate bhumo > tatsainyam samprachukshubhe. > Angada Kills > > > your servant > Bharat dasa > (Text PAMHO:6941037) ------ > > ------- End of Forwarded Message ------ (Text PAMHO:7021216) ------ ------- End of Forwarded Message ------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2003 Report Share Posted July 15, 2003 achintya, "Bhakti Vikasa Swami" <Bhakti.Vikasa.Swami@p...> wrote: > Below is case of possible interpolation, which seems quite possible > considering the Ramayana in the text itself states that it is 20,000 slokas > but now is more -- although it is difficult to understand the motivation for > interpolating to have at least 5 rakshasas re-killed. > I'm currently reading the Gita Press edition. The translator is pretty good; he actually points out places where aachaaryas have given important commentary. I recall even reading one chapter which the translator said was thought to be interpolation, but was being included in the text anyway. When I unpack my books after moving to Houston, I will try to look up some of these shlokas and see what they the critics are talking about. FYI, I believe Shrii Vaishnavas consider the entire Uttara-khaaNDa to be interpolated. This seems strange to me, because they also reject the maayaa-siitaa story on the grounds that Lord can make anyone suffer, even His devotee, and the story is somehow less if it was not the real Siitaa who was kidnapped. So why, then, is it so hard to believe in the historical accuracy of the Uttara-khaaNDa? I just don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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