[Advaita-l] Another's analysis of the Uttara Kanda (Was Re: Ramopakhyana of Mahabharata vs. the Uttara Kanda of Ramayana)

[S Jayanarayanan]

Changed the subject line. I just performed a Google search, and found the following website with many observations, but one very important point: http://sriramayanakandukuri.blogspot.com/2015/01/uttara-kanda-prakshipta.html 3)     While trying to stop Ravana in ordering killing of Sri Hanuma,  Vibhishana says there was no precedence,  of killing messenger (Sundara Kanda). 
वैरूप्याम् अन्गेषु कश अभिघातो |

मौण्ड्यम् तथा लक्ष्मण सम्निपातः |

एतान् हि दूते प्रवदन्ति दण्डान् |

वधः तु दूतस्य न नः श्रुतो अपि ||  

(Sundara Kanda 52 Sarga 15 Sloka) 
"Some of the punishments to an envoy are-deforming the limbs, striking with a whip, shaving the head and impressing marks on the body. Indeed, we have not heard at any time of killing a messenger."
 
 Vibhishana was saying just One month before Great Battle that took place in Lanka.  He was saying that till then there was no precedence of Killing a messenger.
 
 However, it was narrated in the 13 th Sarga of Uttara Kanda about killing of the messenger of Kubera by Ravana.   This incident stated to had been took place at the time of Ravana's commencement of wars on Devatas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, etc, at his younger age.
 
 Had Ravana really killed a messenger of Kubera, Vibhishana might not had said that there was no precedence of Killing a messenger.
  
 
      From: Ryan Armstrong <ryanarm at gmail.com>
 To: S Jayanarayanan <sjayana at yahoo.com>; A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> 
 Sent: Friday, June 10, 2016 2:33 AM
 Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Ramopakhyana of Mahabharata vs. the Uttara Kanda of Ramayana
   
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