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 30 of: Paumacariya (critical study)
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
SECTION I
CRITICAL REMARKS ON THE PRINTED TEXT OF
PAUMACARIYA峁� EDITED BY Dr. H. JACOBI
I have based my studies on the Text of Paumacariya峁� edited
by Dr. H. Jacobi and published by the Jaina Dharmapras膩ra姆a Sabh膩,
Bh膩vanagara, in 1941 A. D. During my studies I came across some
errors, mistakes and inconsistencies in the text. It would have been
valuable to go through all the available manuscripts of Paumacariya峁�
for preparing a critical edition of it. But that was a big task beyond
the scope of my thesis.
thesis.
In the absence of an examination of the
readings of various manuscripts, it would be hazardous to suggest
corrections for what appeared to me to be defective readings in the
printed text. Therefore, I have limited my suggestions for corrections
to only those portions where they appeared to be quite obvious for
consistency of topics, clarity in meaning, grammatical accuracy and
regularity in metres. As regards these corrections, the Padmacaritam of
Ravi峁峁嘺 has also
been very helpful. Other defects have been
merely pointed out.
The defective portions,
thereon are as follows :-
A. Consistency :
-
verses and words and my suggestions
*The contents of 1.65 should have occurred after 'vijj膩峁嘺峁� ciya
lambha峁�' in 1.58a in order to agree with the sequence of the topics
described in the text.
14.15 to 14.98 should be 15.15 to 15.98. It is a printing mistake.
The portions have been interchanged by oversight.
*98.38 should come after 99.4 and *98.39 to 98.55 should follow
99.5 (see PCR, 101.64-68 and 102.12-53). *98.38 and 99.2 are unsuited.
Their correction necessitates help of some fresh manuscripts.
114. 27-29 needs correction in order to agree with the traditional
age of Lak峁a峁嘺 (see PCV, 114. 29 and PCR, 119. 48-50).
*
This mark indicates that the relevant portions in the Paumacariyam
published from Prakrit Text Society, Varanasi, in 1962 A. D. and
1968 A. D. also need revision. Some of them can be corrected with
the help of 'variant readings' noted under Appendix 7 of that edition.
