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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SOURCES, CONTRIBUTION AND 脦NFLUENCE OF PCV. 277 of Tirthankaras Mahavira (4) Rsabha (5) Ajita (6) Munisuvrata
(7) and Cakravartin Hari峁na (11). There is influence of the Kalpas奴tra
and the VH on the biography of R峁bha (5).
(ii) Sources in the Painnas.
(a) Kirtidhara and Suko艣ala (13):鈥�
The Bhattapari峁囜箛膩 (16). Mara峁嘺sam膩hi (466-67) and Santharaga
(63-64) refer that Suko艣ala was strangled by his mother, now a
tigress.
(b) Saud膩sa (15):-
The Bhattapari峁囜箛膩 (145) mentions that Saud膩sa suffered being
a slave of taste. In the PCV, there is clear influence of the
Visnupur膩峁嘺 on this story.
(c) Vasu and Parvataka (17):--
The Bhattapari峁囜箛膩 (101) states that Vasu went to hell for
telling a lie. In the PCV, the story seems to be based on the
痴补蝉耻诲别惫补丑颈苍岣嵞�.
(d) Cakravartin Sanatkum膩ra (10) :-
The Mara峁嘺sam膩hi (410-11) refers that Sanatkum膩ra suffered
diseases. In the PCV, the story seems to be based on VH.
(iii) Sources in the Vasudevahi峁囜笉墨:
The following stories appear to have their sources in the VH.
Various minor changes are affected in them by the way of abridgement
ommissions, alterations and additions or changes in proper names. If
the VH is not earlier than the PCV, then both the works have their
sources of the following stories in the common Jaina tradition :
峁氠梗abha (5); Bharata and B膩hubali (8); Sagara (9); Origin of
Br膩hma峁嘺s (16)%; Origin of (yaj帽a) Animal Sacrifice (17); Origin of
Hari Vamsa (20); Muni Sanjayanta (21); 艢r墨vardhana and
Jvalanasimha (22); Madhu and Kai峁璦bha (57); Battle between the
sons of 艢r墨峁峁嘺 (63).
(B) Brahmanical Sources :
(i) V膩lm墨ki R膩m膩ya峁嘺 (VR) as the Source :
R膩va峁嘺-carita (1) :-In details there are various differences.
A帽jan膩sundari and Hanumat (2) :-This story stands on an
independent line. Mythological aspect of the VR is absent and it has
got a realistic touch.
