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’s version.
Page 256 of: Paumacariya (critical study)
256 (of 671)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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ORIGIN AND GENEALOGY OF VARIOUS vaṂśaS 227 clairvoyance he perceived the existence of the couple in the Harivarṣa
country. He kidnapped that couple and brought it to CampÄnagara
(The couple was made the king and the queen of that city). The new
king came to be known as Hariraja, because he was born in the
Harivarsa (HarivÄsasamuppanno) and was kindnapped from there
(hariūṇa Äṇio). Thus the Hari Vamsa originated at Campanagara
after the name of Hari (21-2-7). In this line was born Janaka, the
father of SÄ«tÄ (21. 33).
In the RCR (21. 2), Viraka is a merchant. The cause of their
death is not mentioned while the pair was reborn in Haripura of
Haritaká¹£etra (21. 7). Then they repaired to the 'Bhogabhumi' of the
southern part of the Rukmagiri. From there they were kidnapped to
The name of the town is
the BhÄrata country.
not mentioned
(21. 2-7).
Vasudevahiná¸Ä� agrees with the PCV and further mentions that
CandrakÄ«rti, the Iká¹£vÄku king of Campa died heirless. In his place
the kidnapped person was enthroned and named as Hari (I. p. 356). His
wife is named HÄriṇÄ�. According to the HarivaṃśapurÄṇa of JinasenasÅ«ri
(Chs. 14 & 15), Viraka is a merchant. A maid-servant (dūti) Ātreyi
is said to have been sent by king Sumukha to seduce VanamÄlÄ.
Sumukha is reborn as a son of a Khecara in Haripura situated on the
VijayÄrdha mountain and VanamÄlÄ as
Meghapura. Both of them got married.
CampÄpura. The heirless king who died
Amṛtadidhitikīrti (i.e. Candrakīrti 15. 53).
who succeeded the throne there gave birth to Hari.
came to be known as Hari Vaṃśa.
a Khecara-daughter in
They are kidnapped to
in that city is called
The kidnapped couple
After him the line
The TSP (Vol.IV.p 73) has introduced a minister, Sumati by name,
who through a nun named Ä€treyikÄ seduced VanamÄla for Sumukha.
The twins born at Harivará¹£a are named Hari and HÄriṇÄ�. The name
of the king of Campa is CandrakÄ«rti who belonged to the Iká¹£vÄku
line. The celestial being (VÄ«raka) is said to have inspired the minister
to make Hari as the king of CampÄ. AmaracandrasÅ«ri also gives the
same account¹. According to the RPS (p. 70) the minister of Sumukha
sent VÄ«raka to some distant country and then procured his wife
through a dūtī. It follows the PCV when it mentions that Vīraka
became a monk under Proá¹£á¹hila Muni. Further it tells us that Sumukha
1. Caturviṃsati Jinendra Saṃká¹£ipta CaritÄni, Ch. 20. 4-28,
