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Avinash

Why was Lanka built?

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I have read two stories related to the formation of Lanka. One story says that Viswakarma built Lanka for Lord Siva. Another says that Vishwakarma built it for the rakshasa brothers Malyavan, Mali and Sumali.

 

Which story is written in scriptures? If different scriptures contain different stories, then let me know which scripture contains which story?

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It was the residence for the treasury secretary, the demigod in charge of wealth. Ill consult my version of ramayana, which has proven to be quite accurate, even though it is story-telling and not dogmatic.

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It was the residence for the treasury secretary, the demigod in charge of wealth. Ill consult my version of ramayana, which has proven to be quite accurate, even though it is story-telling and not dogmatic.

 

Pranam

 

There is nothing wrong with your memory

From what i can recollect also, it was a gift from Lord shiva to Kubera, Ravan seized from him along with Puspak viman.

 

Jai Shree Krishna

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But who made Lanka and for what reason? If it was a gift to Kuber from Siva, this means before Kuber, Lord Siva had Lanka. Was Siva the first to have Lanka or before somebody else had it even before?

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Pranam

 

i stand corrected here is from Valmiki Ramayan From The Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara kanda, Chapter two

Translated by Sri Hari Prasad Shastri

 

At the birth of this child, his paternal grandfather was filled with joy, and Poulastya, beholding him, bethought himself how he might make himself happy. "He shall become the ‘Guardian of Wealth' he said in his delight, which was shared by all the Sages, and he gave him a name, saying:

"Since the child resembles Vishravas, he shall be known as Vaishravana!"

Thereafter Vaishravana, retiring to pastoral solitudes, grew up to resemble the mighty Anala (Agni) who is invoked at the time of sacrifice and, while he sojourned in that retreat, the thought came to that magnanimous one, ‘I will pursue my supreme duty; the path of duty is the highest path’.

For a thousand years he gave himself up to asceticism in the great forest and practising severe austerities, performed heavy penances, whereupon the mighty Brahma, accompanied by the hosts of the gods and their leaders, came to the hermitage and said to him:

"I am highly gratified with thine accomplishments, O devoted son, now choose a boon! May prosperity attend thee; thou dost merit a favour , O Sage!"

Then Vaishravana answered the Grandsire of the world (Brahma), who stood near and said:

"O Blessed One, I desire to be the saviour and protector of the world!"

In the satisfaction of his soul, Brahma, who was accompanied by the Celestial Host, joyfully answered:

"So be it! It is my desire to create four Guardians of the Worlds. Now there shall be the region of the Yama, the region of Indra, the region of Varuna and the one sought by thee. Go, O Virtuous Ascetic, and reign over the dominion of wealth! With Shakra, Varuna the lord of the waters, and Yama (lord of death), thou shalt be the fourth. Receive as thy vehicle this chariot named Pushpaka, which is as bright as the sun, and be equal to the gods. Be happy. We shall now return from whence we came, having accomplished that which we had to do by conferring this double gift, O Dear Son!"

With these words, Brahma withdrew to the region of the gods and when the Celestial Hosts, with the Grandsire at their head, had gone to the heavenly region, Vaishravana, having become the Lord of Wealth, humbly addressed his sire with joined palms and said:

"O Blessed One, I have received a rare boon from the Grandsire of the World, but the divine Prajapati (Brahma) has not assigned me a dwelling place. Do thou therefore counsel me, O Blessed One, O Lord, as to where an agreeable retreat may be found where no suffering comes to any living being."

At these words of his son, Vaishravana, the foremost of the ascetics answered saying:

"Hear, O most virtuous of men! On the shores of the ocean, in the south there is a mountain named Trikuta. On its lofty summit, which as great as the capital of the mighty Indra, the Ravishing city of Lanka was constructed by Vishvakarma for the Rakshasas and it resembles Amravati (capital city of Indra, the king of heaven). Do thou dwell in Lanka and be happy! Do not hesitate! With its moats, golden walls, engines of war and the weapons with which it is filled, with its gold and emerald archways, that city is a marvel! The Rakshasas left it formerly in fear of Vishnu and it is deserted, all the demons having gone to the nethermost region. Now Lanka is empty and has no protector. Go and inhabit it , my Son, and be happy! No harm will visit thee there."

Hearing these words of his sire, the virtuous Vaishravana went to dwell in Lanka on the summit of the mountain, and soon, under his rule, it was filled with thousands of delighted Nairritas disporting themselves.

That righteous King of the Nairritas, the blessed Sage Vaishravana, dwelt in Lanka, that city surrounded by the sea and, from time to time, the saintly Lord of Wealth, in the Pushpaka Chariot, went to visit his father and mother. Hymned by the hosts of the gods and Gandharvas and entertained by the dances of the Apsaras (beautiful women), that Guardian of Wealth, radiating glory like unto the sun, went to visit his sire.

 

Jai Shree Krishna

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Thanks a million. So, Valmiki Ramayan Uttar Kand says that Lanks was built by Vishwakarma for Rakshasas.

But, in a few places in Internet, I read that it was made for Lord Shiva. But those pages do not cite the source.

Is there any scripture(e.g. some Purana), which says that Vishwakarma made Lanka for Lord Shiva?

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Thanks a million. So, Valmiki Ramayan Uttar Kand says that Lanks was built by Vishwakarma for Rakshasas.

But, in a few places in Internet, I read that it was made for Lord Shiva. But those pages do not cite the source.

Is there any scripture(e.g. some Purana), which says that Vishwakarma made Lanka for Lord Shiva?

 

m any believe uttara kanada was a later interpolation and not a part of the original ramayana. scholars agree with this also because it contradicts parts of the other books. this is also the chapter where rama kills a sudra named shambuka for doing penances and also abandons sita due to her impurity.

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