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.
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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA�
The hero of the VH is depicted as a romantic character who
wanders from place to place and marries various girls. In the PCV also
Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, during their journey, are depicted as romantic,
exhibiting their exploits and marrying various girls (In the VR there are
no such marriages).
The VH (p. 1) is divided into five main divisions called AdhikÄras
(tattha ime ahigÄrÄ). Our PCV is also planned into seven divisions
called AdhikÄras (satta purÄṇettha ahigÄrÄ 1. 32). (In the VR they are
called Kandas). The VH is further divided into many Lambhakas each
dealing with a separate episode or story and having a separate title.
Our PCV also contains many cantos with their separate titles. (The VR
has no separate title for each canto).
In the story of PradyumnakumÄra we find that he is kidnapped on
the very day of his birth and he unites with his parents after a long time
(VH, p. 82 f). The motif of this story has its counterpart in the PCV's
story of BhÄmaṇá¸ala.
The story of Citravega of (VH, p. 215) in which she is transformed
into a male by some medical treatment and is again brought to her
original condition at the time of her marriage, seems to have its
counterpart in the PCV in the story of KalyÄṇamÄlÄ who lives as a
disguised prince and discloses her identity when she meets Lakṣmaṇa
with a desire to marry him.
Then we have striking similarities in a few descriptions and
phrases.
The descriptions of Magadha, Rajagṛha and king Śreṇika are
based on the same pattern in both the works (PCV, 2. 1-10; 3. 1; VH,
p. 2). Compare the opening verse of the 'stuti' in the PCV (1. 1) with
that of the first line following the first verse of the VH.
On the basis of the above evidences it can be regarded that certain
intervening stories of the PCV have their sources in the VH or both the
works might have common sources.
(2) Sources of Respective Intervening Stories of PCV :-
The sources of the intervening stories can be briefly stated as
follows:-
(A) Jaina Sources :
(i) The 'nÄmÄvali' sÅ«tras in the SamavÄyÄnga and the Tiloyapaá¹�-
ṇatti as well as the oral Jaina tradition are the sources of the biographies
1. Siddhasurakinnaroragadaṇuvaibhuvanindavanda parimahiyam.—PCV.
Namo vinayapanayasurindavindavandiyakamÄravindÄm ArahantÄṇam-VH.
