Vargapurnika - Does it exist? Or fakery of Lankans?

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

Have any of you ever heard of the "ancient Sanskrit text" called the Vargapurnika? I stumbled upon it in regards to Ravana of the Ramayana. It is supposed to contain a prophecy in regards to Ravan. After Ravana was taken down by Rama, there are claims Ravan fell unconscious but did not actually die. As Ravan was still breathing the last breaths, Ram told Lakshman to kneel before Ravana and to listen to some wise advice on the nature of the world, politics and many things. Then when Ravana stopped breathing, either Vibhishana (who first refused to do so) or even Ram Himself performed last rites, and that Ravan was cremated (burned on a pyre).

However, it is said in this book that Ravan’s body was then taken and placed into a rock chamber on the top of Mahakudugala Mountain in Sri Lanka. There is a prophecy written in the Sanskrit book Vargapurnika which reads that Ravana will lie in this rock chamber until a drop of Ganga Jal touches his body, upon which his eyes will open again.

Of course, all of this is very controversial. But I am more interested in getting my hands on a copy of this Vargapurnika than the specifics of this prophecy. It is said to contain many things. Can anyone tell me if this is possible to even find this book? I would be extremely interested to do some investigation.

It is also sort of a fun subject!

Om Namah Sivaya

[Jodhaa]

I have never heard of it myself, but I'm also intrigued! I did a quick search but the only links I found are written in what I assume is Tamil or Sinhalese.

[Equinox]

Vannakkam

Wow this is interesting! I've been around Mahakudugala Peak but the tour guide never mentioned anything about chambers containing Ravana's body.

I'm very sure it's just a myth though. The Sinhalese are famous for their myths when it comes to history. What's more interesting is that some even consider themselves to be descendants of Ravana. They have some sort of festival or celebration in honour of him I think. The version of the story of Ravana contained in the said "Vargapurnika" has never been heard of by other Hindus.

This website might be of interest, though it says nothing about the Vargapurnika:

http://www.ramayanaresearch.com/rawana.html


Upon researching other websites dedicated to Ravana, I can't help but conclude that the Sinhalese enjoy idolising and glorifying Ravana.

I did a quick search but the only links I found are written in what I assume is Tamil or Sinhalese.

It's Sinhalese.



Aum Namah Shivaya

[ShivaFan]

Namaste All

Some good information you have given. Even if a Sinhalese or Tamil aberration, it seems that they wouldn't make mention of this book unless it exists somewhere.

I wonder if it is possible to obtain a copy (hopefully with English translation! - they claim the original is in Sanskrit which would be a good copy to obtain but if in Sinhalese that might be problematic to ever get some sort of English translation)? I sure would like to get my hands on a copy! Simply for the sheer historical value of it. It must be very rare! Anyone can clue me in (South Indian forum members who have a clue about getting a copy?), that would be appreciated!

Om Namah Sivaya

[Equinox]

Vannakkam

I wonder if it is possible to obtain a copy (hopefully with English translation! - they claim the original is in Sanskrit which would be a good copy to obtain but if in Sinhalese that might be problematic to ever get some sort of English translation)? I sure would like to get my hands on a copy! Simply for the sheer historical value of it. It must be very rare! Anyone can clue me in (South Indian forum members who have a clue about getting a copy?), that would be appreciated!

That doesn't sound like it's going to be easy. I read that the original one was written in olai leaves, but have no idea where the transcripts are. The surviving early works of Lanka were mostly written in Pali. It's rather interesting that they claim this one is in Sanskrit. Perhaps it was written before Pali arrived? Then it would quite make sense of having existed.


Aum Namah Shivaya

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

Yes, it is probably a long and engaged search to find this book, but I will keep trying and perhaps before I am dead I will find it. I have really found some quite interesting, obscure and rare things in the past, I might get lucky on this one. Just recently I have been looking into some research on a cave in Sri Lanka where it is said Ravana hid Sita for a time during Her captivity.

I was checking into the words “varga” and “purnika”. The word varga might be related to the Sanskrit varga which has been translated as “one who excludes or removes or averts”, or even a term itself used in Sanskrit grammar, a section or division in a sacred text (such as tri-varga).

Since “varga” is often used to describe or numerate a section within a larger book or text, I am thinking perhaps this “book” was a section of a larger book or sacred text which uses a different name other than “vargapurnika”. So this makes the search even more obscure if that is the case.

One thing I found is Purnika in Pali is Punnika, typically it is a name of a female and perhaps associated with Purnima the night of the full moon, associated also with Gayatri, and Puniga. Jain literature uses the word Punniga as reference to a type of tree or woods.

I will keep looking!

Om Namah Sivaya

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

I am getting closer to finding something.

Ravana turns up in relation to being a master of 8 disciplines, one of which is a Lankan form of martial arts called Angampora. From the website describing this martial art ( http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_...de_title=31826 ) :

Quote - ---------------------------

ANGAMPORA

Angampora is an indigenous martial arts form, the origins of which are buried in legend.

As far back as 5,000 years ago, ‘Vyshrava’ and ‘Kaikashi’ gave birth to a son in the ‘Yakka’ tribe, who becomes ‘Rana Ravana’ (master of the fields of medicine, music, art, dancing, mantra, technology, astrology and most importantly Angampora), the most feared and revered true martial art warrior of all time. Due to his mastery over ten sciences, he gets referred to as ‘Dasa Sheersha Pathi’ and thus gets depicted with 10 heads.

End Quote


Now, from Wikipedia article on this martial art form ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritigala_Angam ) :

Quote - ---------------------------

According to the Sinhalese folklore, origin of Angampora dates back to over 30,000 years. It says that the fighting style had originated among the Yaksha tribe, one of the four hela - tribes which lived in Sri Lanka back then. Two ancient scripts named Varga Purnikawa and Pancha Rakkhawaliya identify nine hermits as its founders. The folklore describes Rana Ravana, a mythical warrior said to have lived 5,000 years ago, as the most feared Angam warrior of all time.

End Quote

I now believe 1000 percent, this book exists. The proper name is the Vargapurnikawa or Wargapurnikawa and currently Sinhalese versions of the original Sanskrit text are put down on some paper, probably leaves. This book contains a lot of information of Ravana, including writings of Ravana on medicine, astrology, and martial arts and other sciences and religion he had gathered. In addition, Ravana was famed as a Angampora warrior. I believe I am also finding a connection to a conversation between Buddha and Ravan which deals with a unique, non-Buddhist, form of meditation (probably Saiva) which was not a conversation but rather Buddhists who took what was probably Jain text that included history of Ramayana which had taken even older text from some meditation book that was somehow related to Ravan the feared Angam. Ravan had 10 heads, was an advanced Angam and also an advanced pandit demon. This book probably does talk of him, oddly I have found some strange Vaishnava link which is too questionable and missing too much information to hold validity for me to give much detail, but implies Ravan did not get struck down by Ram arrow but BrahmAstra Chakra which froze Ravan into a stone case or cocoon like entrapped shell and coma like state. If this is true, then it would be feasible that the section of this book about taking the body of Ravan and putting it in a chamber in a cavern cave on a mountain in Sri Lanka would then make sense since that would mean Ravan was not fully or even partially burned on a pyre at all. I am not saying the story is true, but associations as such would connect the dots to make it possible.

My adventure into the History of Ramayana has only begun, though it was decades ago, there is a forest of Ramayana to enter into. I may need to give some notes to my daughter before I die. The Ramayana is true.

Om Namah Shivaya