Trikuta
Trikuta (Tamil: Tirikutamalai, Trikuta giri, Thai: Nila Kala) is a three peaked mountain in Hindu mythology. We find its references in the Sundarkand chapter of the Ramayana and its location is believed to be in Lanka. Srimad Bhagavatam further tells us that it contains a nice garden called Rumak, constructed by Varuna, and it also contains a beautiful lake with elephants inhabiting the region.[1] Trikuta is historically viewed as a legendary reference to the tallest peak of the island, the mountain Sivanoli Padam of the Malaya mountainous range, surrounded by lakes and gardens and capital of Ravana's kingdom. Jatavarman Veera Pandyan I mentions Trikutagiri alongside the Koneswaram temple of Konamalai as two different places in a country of the island Eelam that he conquered and placed atop the victory bull flag of the Pandyan kingdom in 1262.
Trikuta finds mention in the Vayu Purana, specifically the Shiva shrine of Trikuta-giri (Trikuta hill) in Lanka in the 3rd century.[2][3] The Vividhatirthakalpa, a 14th century Jain text mentions that at Trikutagiri in Kishkindha of Lanka there was a magnificent Jain temple which was dedicated by Ravana for the attainment of supernatural powers.[4] To fulfil a desire of Mandodari, his queen consort, Ravana is said to have "erected a Jain deity statue out of jewels; this was thrown into the sea when he was defeated by Rama Chandra. King Sankara, a royal of Kalyananagara of Kannada, came to know about this statue and he recovered it from the bottom of the sea with the help of Padmavatidevi, a prominent "Goddess of the Jainas.""[5][6]
[edit] References
- ^ Srimad Bhagavatam: Withdrawal of the cosmic creations By A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, page no.41 [1]
- ^ H.N. Apte, Vayupurana, Chapter 48 verses 20-30, Poona, 1929
- ^ S.Pathmanathan, The Kingdom of Jaffna, Colombo, 1978. pages 135-144
- ^ Kiskindhayam Lankayah patalankayam Trikutagrirau Srisantinathah
- ^ Vividhatirthakalpa, pp. 93.
- ^ Jain, Arun Kumar (2009). Faith & philosophy of Jainism. Delhi, India : Kalpaz Publications, 2009. pp. 10. ISBN 9788178357232 8178357232. OCLC 428923103.
