[Advaita-l] Ramopakhyana of Mahabharata vs. the Uttara Kanda of Ramayana

[Ryan Armstrong]

Namaste

Sorry to "resurrect" an old discussion...
Last night, while reading Mahabharata, I came across an episode in Shanti
Parva:
It is in section 153 where Yudhishthira asks Bhishma if he has ever heard
of a mortal being restored to life after having succumbed to death.
In the Answer, there is a reference to Sri Rama and the Sudra Samvuka.
A child had died before the father, and the father petitioned Sri Rama's
help since this had not occurred in the kingdom during His reign.
The reason was that Samvuka was engaged in ascetic penances and so Sri Rama
cut off his head and the child was restored to life.

This story is from the Uttara Kanda.
I am not really in a position to answer the initial question about whether
it was part of the original Ramayana of Valmiki.
Bhishma may have received the story from another source.
The point is that at the time of the composition of Mahabharata, this story
was known...even though not mentioned in the "Ramopakhanya" portion.

Yours in Truth
Ryan

On 3 May 2016 at 02:03, S Jayanarayanan via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

>  It has debated whether or not the Uttara Kanda constitutes a part of the
> original Valmiki Ramayana, or is a later addition to the text.
>
> Here is the reason why I believe the Uttara Kanda may not have been a part
> of the original Valmiki Ramayana:
> The Mahabharata actually contains the "Story of Rama, the Son of
> Dasaratha", known as "Ramopakhyana". After talking about Rama and Lakshmana
> going to the forest, Sita's captivity, Hanuman setting fire to Lanka, war
> with Kumbhakarna, death of Ravana, freeing Sita etc., it ends with:
> "And then assisted by the celestial Rishi (Vasishtha), Rama performed on
> the banks of the Gomati ten horse sacrifices without obstruction of any
> kind and with treble presents unto Brahmanas."
>
> Surprising that the "Ramopakhyana" as narrated in the Mahabharata ends
> exactly at the same place as the Yuddha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana (i.e.
> the beginning of Rama Rajyam), with no mention of the later events of the
> Uttara Kanda!
>
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-- 
Regards

Ryan Armstrong
+27 82 852 7787
ryanarm at gmail.com