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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158
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
intrigue of Sagara, the king of Saketa. After his death he became
Mah膩k膩la deva. He wanted to take revenge upon Sagara. He met
Parvataka and introduced himself as Sandilya, a friend of the father of
Parvataka. He promised to propagate Parvataka's view on 鈥榓ja'. He
spread epidemic in 艢uktimati. Parvataka propogated animal-sacrifice.
Thereby the disease was stopped. He spread epidemic in the country
of Sagara. The latter sent for Parvataka. He preached animal-sacrifice.
there too and Mah膩k膩ladeva by the power of his m膩y膩 exhibited that
the sacrificed animals attained heaven. Sagara then performed many
animal-sacrifices. N膩rada prevented Sagara from killing animals, but
the latter was so much influenced by Parvataka and Mah膩k膩ladeva that
he could not realise as to where lay his own good. Therefore he attained
hell. 艢膩峁囜笉ilya thus popularised his teachings which were incorportated
into a book called Anarya Veda.
The Uttarapur膩峁嘺 (67.212) states that the animal-sacrifice was
started by Mah膩k膩l膩sura. The story agrees with Vasudevahindi with
minor changes. Vasu is said to be the son of Visv盲vasu of Suvastik膩vati
and 艢r墨mat墨. Parvataka is turned away by the monks when he explains
鈥榓ja' as a goat. Here Vasu does not decide the controversy. Parvataka
meets Mah膩k膩la and propagates animal-sacrifices. Sagara is entangled.
A monk tries to prevent Sagara but in vain. Vi艣vabh奴, the minister of
Sagara is also involved. Here N膩rada appears and tries to interpret
the right meaning of 'aja' but Parvataka intervenes and opposes him.
Then they go to Vasu who tells a lie. Vi艣vabh奴 again starts animal-
sacrifices. Parvataka and Vi艣vabh奴 go to hell. Mah膩k膩la reappears
and confesses his guilt.
The MP (69.23) mentions that Vasu was the prince of 艢r膩vas-
tipura. therwise it follows the UP. The TSP (IV. 143) mentions.
Abhicandra as the father of Vasu and ruler of Suktimati. Parvataka
is said to have explained the reference to 'aja' in the 峁歡veda as
'me峁' a goat. Then the account follows the VR. Thereafter the Asura
prompts Parvataka to propagate drinking, establishing of illicit rela-
tions in the Gosava sacrifice, flesh-eating and animal-killing. The
RPS (6) mentions that Vasu belongs to Suvastik膩vatipura. Further
it follows the UP up to the acceptance of monkhood by K峁Ｄ玶akadamba.
Then it follows the version of the PCV upto the death of Vasu.
Thereafter with the assistance of Mah膩sura, Parvataka prepares many
counterfeit hymns and inserts them into the Vedas. He instigates
Sagara to perform animal-sacrifices. The advice of a monk to abstain
from animal-sacrifices is believed by Mah膩sura. Sagara takes to
animal-sacrifice and goes to the seventh hell,
