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.
Page 192 of: Paumacariya (critical study)
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External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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INTERVENING STORIES 163 25. The previous birth of Sagara or the story of Rambhaka:
Sagara had helped Sahasranayana in attacking P奴r峁嘺ghana so he
further asked as to what was the cause of his sympathy for Sahasranayana.
Then Ajitan膩tha narrated the story (5.112-119) illustrating the good
results of having sympathy and love for others.
Rambhaka became a celestial being on account of the offerings
made to a monk. He was reborn successively as prince Vakrak墨rti at
Candrapura, a celestial being and then as the son of Candramati and
Mahaghosa of Ratnasa帽cayapura in Aparavideha. He renounced the
world and was reborn as a celestial being in the Pr膩峁嘺ta Kalpa, and
thereafter as Ya艣askirti, the son of Yasodhara and Jay膩 in P峁泃hv墨pura.
He renounced the world and was reborn in the Vijaya heaven. From
there he was reborn as Sagara. As Avaliya was very dear to Rambhaka
so Sahasranayana was to Sagara.
The PCR (5.134-140) names the parents of Vakrak墨rti as Hari and
Dhar膩dev墨. According to the RPS (p. 15) Sankhika (Rambhaka) was
first reborn in Devakuru and then as a celestial being. Vakrak墨rti is
named Vratakirti and Ya艣ask墨rti as Jayak墨rti. The TSP (II. p. 165)
mentions that Rambhaka passed through various good existences and
was reborn as Sagara.
26.
The Previous Birth of Bhagiratha or the story of a potter :
Following the episode of the burning of the sons of Sagara,
Bhagirath requests muni 艢rutas膩gara to tell him the cause of his and
Bhima's escape from death. The monk narrates the story (5. 204-216)
illustrating the consequences of torturing the Sangha.
Once a Sangha of the 艢rama峁嘺s on a pilgrimage to the Sammeta
mountain was tortured by all the inhabitants of a village despite the
opposition from a potter. In course of time when some villager
committed theft, the king burnt the whole village. The potter who
was out of the village on that occasion escaped death.
That potter
was reborn as a rich merchant and all the villagers as the inhabitants
of Var膩taka. The merchant then was reborn as a king while the
villagers as (m膩iv膩h膩=m膩t峁泇膩hak膩岣�) worms. Those worms were
trampled down to death by an elephant. The king renounced the
world and attained heaven. From heaven he was reborn as Bhagiratha
while the worms passing through various births became the sons of
Sagara.
The PCR (5. 285-315) and the RPS (ch. 3) agree with the PCV.
The TSP (II, p. 214) mentions the Vir膩峁璦 country for Var膩taka. Jahnu
