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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132
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
(x) Raising the Kail膩艣a mountain:-According tot he PCV, Ravana
demands in marriage 艢r墨prabha, the sister of V盲li and asks V膩li to
accept his suzerainty. V膩li declines. R膩va峁嘺 attacks him. V盲li crowns.
his brother Sugr墨va and renounces the world to avoid the battle and
political degradation (V盲li and Sugr墨va are the sons of Adityaraja of
Ki峁indhipura). Sugr墨va marries his sister to R膩vana (9.24-50).
Thereafter while proceeding to Nity膩loka to marry Ratn膩val墨,
Da艣amukha's aerial car stops suddenly over the Kail膩艣a mountain.
As Muni V膩li had stopped it so Dasamukha lifts up the peak of the
mountain upon his arms to perturb the Muni meditating there.
then presses down the peak with his toe as a result of which Dasamukha
gets overpowered and makes a loud cry for safety (ravo kao 9.78)鹿.
Ultimately V膩li rescues R膩va峁嘺. R膩va峁嘺 begs pardon of V膩li and
eulogises the Jinas with his V墨峁嚹�. At that time the strings of his V墨峁嚹� get
discorded. He extracts sinews from his arm and uses them in place of
the strings of his V墨峁嚹�. At this Dharanendra gets pleased with his
(R膩va峁嘺's) devotion and courage favours him with the Amoghavijay膩-
Sakti (a weapon 9. 101).
According to the VR, R膩va峁嘺 is first captured by king V膩li and
then released with a declaration of friendship (7.34). This episode is
narrated after the discomfiture of R膩vana at the hands of Sahastrarjuna.
After defeating Kubera, Dasamukha comes down the Kail膩艣a and as
he enters the Saravana his aerial car is stopped by Nandi艣vara
(Sankara). Da艣agr墨va laughs at the monkey-like face of Nandi艣vara.
艢a峁卥ara curses him to the effect that he would be killed by the
monkeys. At this Da艣agr墨va gets angry and lifts up the Kail膩艣a upon
his arms. Mahadeva (Sankara) presses down the mountain with his
toe. Da艣agr墨va makes an alarm. He eulogises Siva for 1000 years.
The latter gets pleased with his devotion and names him as R膩va峁嘺
because his loud cry made the three worlds scream. (lokatraya峁�
r膩vitam & lokar膩va峁嘺m 7. 16, 37-38). Siva further favours him with
the Candrah膩sa虏 sword. The Amoghavijay膩 is said to be presented to
R膩va峁嘺 by Maya on the occasion of the former's marriage with the
latter's daughter Mandodari (7. 12. 21).
The TR only refers to the raising of the Kail膩艣a by R膩va峁嘺
(1. 17. 9) and his fight with V膩li (5. 22).
1. So he was called R膩va峁嘺.
2. The PCV refers to R膩vana's sword of this name (8.13), but it does not
mention how it came into his possession. The PCR tells us how it was
obtained by Rava峁嘺 (8, 36).
