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’s version.
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110
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA�
Lava recite Rāmāyaṇa. There Rāma learns that they are his sons. He
sends a message to Vālmīki to bring Sītā there. He further orders
that Sītā should prove her purity by taking an oath (7.95). Accordingly
Sītā is brought there. Rāma reposes his faith in Sītā but for convincing
the public he asks Sītā to prove her purity. Sītā comes forward and
asks the earth to give way if she is pure. The earth splits (7.97.17)
and a divine throne appears, the earth-deity seated on it. The deity.
lifts up Sītā and enters back into the earth along with Sītā. The fire
ordeal of Sītā at Lankā is already mentioned.
The TR mentions two sons. The elder is Lava, not Kusa (7.25)
according to the order in which they are mentioned. The interpolated
Lavakusakāṇḍa of TR refers to the ensuing of a battle between Lava-
Kusa and the soldiers of Rāma on account of the sacrificial horse. Both
the brothers defeat Rama's army. Sītā enters Pātāla.
The PCR mentions Siddhartha as a Kṣullaka (100.32) and states
that Hanumat also joined Lavaṇa and Aṅkusa in their battle against
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa (102.170). The PCS does not mention any
Kṣullaka. Vajrajangha introduces himself as the husband of the sister
of Rama (81.14). Saśicula is not mentioned. Pṛthu marries his two
daughters Kanakamālā and Tarangamālā to Lavaṇa and Ankuśa
respectively (82.5). Candramukhi is mentioned as Candrabhāgā (86).
Vibhiṣaṇa sends for Trijatā and Lankäsundarī. They arrive at
Ayodhya and announce Sītā's purity and ask Rāma to arrange an
ordeal if he is not satisfied (83.4). In other respects it agrees with
the PCR. The TSP follows PCV and additionally mentions the
defeating of Vyāghraratha by Vajrajangha on his way to subdue
Prthu (IV. p.322). The RPS agrees with the TSP and further men-
tions Lavana and Ankuśa marrying eight daughters of the king of
Podanapura and three hundred of Kuberakānta on their way to the
world-conquest. Here Hanumat is said to have joined Lava and
Aṅkusa in their battle against Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa (p.181).
According to the UP Rāma begets eight sons on Sītā. The
eldest being Vijayarāma and the youngest (68.690 and 706) Ajitañ-
jaya. The MP agrees with it (79.8.12). Sītā accepts nunhood after
the initiation of her husband (UP, 68.712; MP, 79.13) into the asce-
tic fold.
also
The test of the retrieved queen as found in the Anāmakam Jātaka
is already referred to. Like the PCV some non-Jaina works
refer to the marriage of the two sons of Sītā.
The Raghuvamsa (16.54) refers to the watersports of Kusa with
his wife Kumudvatī who is the sister of a Bhujangarāja (16.86). The
