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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138
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
The last three interpolated chapters after 7.59, which narrate the
complaints made by a dog, a vulture and an owl in the court of R膩ma,
have no references in the PCV.
2. A帽jan膩sundari and Hanumat :
Once R膩va峁嘺 pays homage to omniscient Muni Anantav墨rya and
listens to a religious discourse from him. On that occasion Hanumat
is also there. Listening to the name of Hanumat, 艢re峁噄ka enquires about
his life. Gautama then narrates the story (15-19).
King Mahendra of Mahendranagara had a young daughter,
A帽jan膩sundari begot on his wife, H峁沝ayasundari. He declined to
betroth A帽jan膩sundar墨 to Dasamukha or his sons, or Vidyutprabha of
Kanakapura, who were proposed as alternative grooms by his ministers.
He decided to marry her to Pavana帽jaya, the son of Khecara Prahlada
of Adityapura and Kirtimati. Once he went to the Vijay膩rdha
mountain to worship the Jina idols and there he settled with Prahlada
to perform the marriage on the bank of the M膩nasa lake. Both the
parties went there. Pavana帽jaya, out of curiosity and being oppressed
by the cupid, went along with his friend Prahasita to the palace of
A帽jan膩. He developed a dislike for A帽jan膩 as he saw that A帽jan膩 did
not at all resent but smiled at the words of Mi艣rake艣墨, a maid-servant
of A帽jan膩sundar墨, who had been praising Vidyutprabha and
throwing slush on him. He instantly got angry and tried to murder
A帽jana and Mi艣rakes墨, but Prahasita's timely intervention saved the
situation. Pavana帽jaya dissented to the proposed marriage and fled
away. When his father and father-in-law persuaded him, he married
Anjan膩sundar墨 but soon abandoned her in a secluded palace.
Once Pavananjaya while on his way to Lank膩 to assist R膩va峁嘺,
encamped on the M膩nasa lake. There he observed a desperate bird
suffering from the pain of the separation from her male mate. His
heart melted and he immediately along with Prahasita returned to the
palace of Anjan膩sundar墨. He met her after 22 years of separation and
copulated with her. Next morning he handed over to her his finger-ring
in memory of their union and departed for La峁僰膩.
In course of time the signs of A帽jan膩's pregnancy became visible.
Kirtimati suspecting her character banished her without believing in the
evidence of the ring of Pavana帽jaya shown to her by A帽jan膩. Vasantam膩l膩
a maid-servant and very intimate with A帽jan膩 accompanied the latter
to Mahendranagara, but her parents afraid of their own disrepute
did not give shelter to her. Then A帽jan膩 along with Vasantam膩l膩
entered a forest. There she was consoled by muni Amitagati.
