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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116
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA�
makes his sons the kings of Takṣaśīlā and Puṣkalāvatī, newly establi-
shed after their names, respectively.
Satrughna¹ also enthrones his sons Subāhu and Satrughātī as the
kings of Mathurā and Vaidiśā respectively (7.108.10). He leaves
Mathura and goes to Ayodhyā. Sugrīva transfers his kingdom to
Angada (son of Vāli 7.108.23) and goes to Rāma. Rāma advises
Vibhīṣaṇa to continue as the king of Lanka and advises Hanumat to
live long in the world. Then Rāma along with Bharata, Śatrughna,
the ladies of the harem and many others proceeds towards the river.
Sarayū on a Mahāprasthāna (7.109). Brahmā appears and eulogises
Rāma as an incarnation of Visṇu (7.110.8). Rāma along with his
brothers enters the divine spirit of Viṣṇu (Ibid, 12). The Vānaras and
the Ṛkṣas enter their divine abodes. Sugrīva enters the solar orbit
(Ibid, 21). The rest of the people attain heaven (tridiva� 7.110.25).
Rāma's age is mentioned to be 11000 years (7.104 12). Except
Sita no other wife of Rāma is referred to.
The interpolated Lavakuśakāṇḍa of the TR agrees in its essentials
with the VR.
According to Brahmapurāṇa (ch 154) Rāma remembers of Sītā
and proceeds to the river Godāvarī for observing penances.
The Ananda Rāmāyaṇa though does not mention many wives of
Rāma but there are references to many married women who want to
establish sexual relations with Rāma. Rāma declines their proposal
and promises to marry them in his next birth, when he would be born
as Kṛṣṇa. Here Rāma tells that he will have 16000 wives in his future
life (7.4.21-47). Four Brahmin girls who were kidnapped by Dundubhi
and other 16000 women request for marriage (7.11.52-73 and 7.12),
but Rāma declines to marry them now, with the same promise for
future.
According to the Naradapuraṇa (Pū. ch. 79) and the Padmapuraṇa
(Pātā, ch. 100) Vibhīṣaṇa is imprisoned by the Dravadians. Rāma
gets him released (Bulcke, p. 415). The Ananda Rāmāyaṇa mentions.
that when Vibhīṣaṇa is defeated by the grandson of Kumbhakarna.
Rāma goes to Lankā and restores Lankā to Vibhīṣaṇa after defeating
the grandsons of Kumbhakarṇa (7.4.80-85). According to Rāma Kiyena,
Ravana's son imprisons Vibhiṣaṇa. Bharata and Satrughna get him
1. The PCV does not refer to any son of Satrughna.
2.
In the southern version Manthara refers to many would-be wives of
Rāma, VRTP,
