Ishwa helper Reged: 03/03/02 Posts: 553

Re: Is Sri Rama-Ravana war = Aryan-Dravidian war? [Re: Vishal_Agarwal] #13090 - 03/07/02 07:26 AM Edit Reply Quote

Good points, Vishal. Here are some additonal remarks: In Indian history there were more R�vana's. For instance the one who was contemporary with Arjuna K�rttaviirya, the Haihaya-Y�dava emperor, many generations before the R�vana of Lank�. Another "R�vana" was the Y�dava from Mathura, who was killed by the brother of R�machandra D�sharathi. His name was given as Lavana M�dhava. The 'r' and 'l' are interchangeable. {In Sanskrit R�vana means the offspring of Ravana. The vowels determine the meaning and sequence} R�vana was not only a descendant of Rshi Pulastya, but also a rekated to the Vaishali royal dynasty: Pulastya Rshi was married to princess Idavid�, daughter of the Vaishali emperor Trnabindu. In that Pulastya dynasty was also Kubera Vaishravana and later Dashagriiva R�vana. I don't believe R�vana to have had ten heads. Maybe it was symbolical for his qualities, but I think it was his personal name, related to his qualities. (It would be very funny to say that king Dasha-ratha was the One with Ten WarChariots) About Dravida According to Puranic chronology, the Turvasu dynasty merged (mostly) into the Puru dynasty when Marutta Taurvasava adopted a Dushyanta Paurava. From this Turvasu dynasty which was by then situated between Paurava (western UP) and Yadava (Vidarbha-Maharashtra) territory emerged these kings and/or communities:Sharutha-Andira-Sandhana-Pandya-Chola-Kola-Kerala. So according to the Puranic tradition, the Dravidas are linked initially to the Turvasu community of the Lunar group, the cousins of the Puru group. (of course many other groups were also present, like the Agastya M�nya V�sishtha branch and other Vr�tya or wandering groups). The R�kshasa community was only later demonised. For there are references of the good nature of R�kshasas. I think, but I have to investigate this more, that the Rakshasas are a branch of the Turvasus (maybe with other elements), and as equal Arya as the Purus. Only long after this period were the terms like R�kshasa or even Asura, D�sa and Dasyu used in a less positive way. But let's be frank, R�vana never touched Sit�, and he is depicted a demon. But what to say about the Kauravas like Duryodhana and Duhsh�sana who were not really behaving like Arya, but have not such a bad public-relation! About Lank� The identity of Lank� with ShriLanka might be possible. But I would suggest another possibility to consider. In Indian tradition two words are used for the regions on the east of India: The main land from India towards Indonesia, and the Indonesian Archipelago. Now Indian tradition knows of two areas: SuvarnaBh�mi and SuvarnaDviipa. SuvarnaBh�mi is linked with the landtract and suvarnaDviipa with the Archipelago. (Su-varna means here something like "good/auspicious colour") We all know from the descriptions in the R�m�yana that not only Lank� is described as a splendor of gold, but also the V�nara capital. How could primitive people have sophisticated towns as describes? If this is true than the notion of north and south would be totally different than we thought before. Isn't it remarkable that whenever a tribe is mentioned as Uttara (like the Kurus or Madras), they are not in the strict northern direction (Himalayas), but in the northWESTERN? Does this mean that 'south' mean "southEASTERN", and that Lank� lies in the Indonesian direction? This is all a hypothesis of mine, so don't think this is an established fact! Another point to be remembered is that the river Ras� must have meant in an older period some river at the end of the then know world: If it is a river in southeastern Asia, it means that Ras�tala Dviipa is the archipelago? Phantasy or plausible? (I must admit that only at this point about Lank� I am assuming) Note: In Thailand-Kampuchea there's a Bronze Culture with antecedents towards the 4th millennium. Another point to remember is how Agastya Rshi can go to the Dakkhin, but completely disappear from Arya history. If he however would be in more southeastern direction that could make sense. The location of Lank� and the 'south' could get another meaning in this manner. It could also provide us with the links with SE-Asian language and culture. It is in my opinion a suggestion to be considered. Maybe it's sheer nonsense, maybe it can make some sense. But the research has to be done carefully and thoroughly. Summarized: R�vana was a Arya who belonged to the R�kshasa Paulastya branch (not in the moral but in dynastical sense), related to the Vaishali royal dynasty, which was an Aikshvakava offshoot. He was Vedavid as said before by others. The Lankan connection with the Archipelagi is my own theory. Nothing more than that. punarlekhan�ya