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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162
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
adds two more rebirths as crocodiles and he-buffaloes to those of the
PCR. The TSP (II. p. 164) agrees with the PCV. Here the losing of
wealth in the game of dice is not referred to. Bh膩va峁嘺 returned from
his voyage at night. As he entered his house, he was killed by
Harid膩sa who suspected the former to be a thief. It is mentioned that
the father and the son passed through several painful rebirths.
24. The previous births of Vidy膩dhara Meghav膩hana and
Sahasranayana or the story of Sasi and Avaliya:
Having listened to the preceding story, Cakravartin (Sagara), who
had married the sister of Sahasranayana and had helped Sahasranayana,
asked the Jina to narrate the previous births of the sons of Pur峁嘺ghana
and Sulocana (Meghav膩hana and Sahasranayana respectively). Then
the Jina narrated the story (5. 93-111) explaining the consequences of
instigating some one to commit murder.
was
Sasi and Avaliya were the pupils of Rambhaka of Padmapura.
Once Avaliya purchased a cow from a cowherd. But immediately
on being instigated by Sasi, the cowherd killed Avaliya and sold the
same cow to Sa艣i. Avaliya was reborn as a Mleccha. He killed 艢a艣i
when the latter was proceeding to Tamraliptinagara. 艢asi
reborn as a bull. The bull on being killed again by that Mleccha
was reborn as a cat. The Mleccha was reborn as a rat, The rat
was killed by the cat. Thus killing each other they transmigrated
as hellish beings, animals, slaves, and lords of demons. 艢a艣i was
reborn as Kulandhara and Avaliya as priest Pusyabh奴ti. The priest
wanted to kill Kulandhara but being enlightened by a monk he accepted
monkhood and was reborn in Sanatkum膩ra heaven. Kulandhara was
also reborn there. Both of them were further reborn as the servants of
king V峁涐梗abha of Ari帽jayapura in Dh膩takikhanda. They renounced the
world along with the king and became celestial beings in the Sahasr膩ra
heaven. From there 艢asi was reborn as Meghav膩hana and 膧valiya as
Sahasranayana.
According to the PCR (5.113-133) Rambhaka is named as
Sankhikorambha. He was a wealthy man. He caused disruption
between his pupils, Sasi's journey to T膩mraliptinagara is not men-
tioned. In place of V峁涐梗abha, the king is named as Sahasrasira. The PCS
(5.7.10) refers to them but the story is not narrated. The RPS (ch. 3)
calls Sankhika a brahmin. It agrees with the PCR with minor changes
in names and animal lives. The TSP (II. p. 164) calls Rambhaka a
wandering mendicant. It mentions the enmity between 艢asi and Avaliya,
but does not give details about their further births.
