Essay name: Paumacariya (critical study)
Author:
K. R. Chandra
Affiliation: Research institute of Prakrit, Jainology and Ahimsa Vaishali
This is a critical study of the Paumacariya: the earliest Jain version of Rama's life story, written in Prakrit by Vimalasuri dating to the 4th century AD. In this text, Rama (referred to as Padma) is depicted with lotus-like eyes and a blooming face. The Paumacariya places emphasis on the human aspects of characters rooted in Jain values, contrasting with the divine portrayal in Valmiki鈥檚 version.
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86
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
finds her quite safe (5. 55-56). Then he jumps over the sea and alights
on the Mahendra hill (5. 57. 30). There he narrates all the events to
Angada, Jambavat etc. They proceed further, ruin Madhuvana and
then having been sent for by Sugr墨va, they all go to him (5. 58-64).
In the TR Hanumat takes permission of S墨t膩 and starts plucking
the fruits of the garden to quench his hunger (5. 17). As a monkey he
is, he uproots the trees of the garden, being impelled by his inborn
nature. Then he encounters the guards of the garden, other warriors,
Ak峁yakum膩ra and Indrajit (5. 19). Hanumat requests R膩vana to
become a devotee of R膩ma (5. 23). Thereafter it follows the VR. After
burning the city of Lank膩, Hanumat again meets S墨t膩 and then goes
away (5. 29).
The PCR agrees with the PCV. But it does not point out the
location of Ko峁璱艣il膩. It states that eleven days had passed since the
abduction of S墨t膩 when Hanumat met Vibh墨峁峁嘺 at La峁卥膩 (53.12).
Vibhi峁na is said to have promised Hanumat to assist him by re-
approaching R膩va峁嘺 for rescuing S墨t膩 (53.12). Here Hanumat changes
his form when he drops the finger-ring before Sita (53.25). Hanu-
mat appears before S墨t膩 when the latter makes a request for it and
that also after the arrival of Mandodari (53.37-49). S墨t膩 refuses to
go with Hanumat because R膩ma had not ordered him to that effect
(53.146). According to the PCS Hanumat drops the finger-ring.
hiding himself in the sky (49.9.9). Trija峁�'s dream is referred to in
it (50.9). Hanumat destroys the park to tease R膩vana (51.1.1).
The killing of Ak峁yakum膩ra by Hanumat is mentioned in it (52).
When R膩vana is being advised by Vibh墨峁峁嘺 to give up S墨t膩, Indra-
jit intervenes, scorns. Vibhi峁na and then seizes Hanumat (53).
According to the RPS, R膩ma is so furious that he attempts to kill
Sugr墨va for the latter's negligence in searching out S墨t膩, but Lak峁�-
ma峁嘺 intervenes and saves Sugr墨va (p.131). The place of Kotisila
is mentioned to be N膩bhagiri (p.134). Here Hanumat ties Mahen-
drar膩ja by the help of his langula vidya' (p.136). He manifests
himself in the form of 'K膩madeva' to win the love of Lankasundar墨
(p.138). He changes his form, climbs a tree and then drops the
ring in the lap of S墨t膩 (p.138). He assumes the form of a monkey
when he is attacked by the servants of R膩vana (p.140). He burns
Lanka but the ignition of his tail is not referred to (p.141). The
TSP follows the PCR and PCV. Ak峁 is said to have been killed by
Hanu after destroying the garden at Lank膩 (IV. p.270).
The Vasudevahindi merely refers to Hanumat's going to and
coming back from Lank膩 without any details. Here a messenger is
sent to Bharata. The latter sends his army to help R膩ma.
