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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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
society there was possibly a custom of marring one's own sister. Some
stray evidences of the practice can be traced out. The 's奴kta' of
Yamayami (峁歡veda, 10-10) reveals that sexual relation between a
brother and a sister was in vogue. The Amba峁弓ha Sutta (Digha Nikaya)
refers to the Sakya princes marrying there own sisters for preserving
the purity of blood. The Dasaratha Jataka mentions that R膩ma
S墨t膩 were brother and sister and they were married to each other.
Instances of the wedlocks of brothers and sisters are known in the
history of the royal families of Egypt and Persia and these occurred
also among the Incas of Peru. In recent times the marriage of brother
and sister is, or has been, the custom in Siam, Burma, Ceylon, Uganda
and the Hawaiian islands' In the Muslim society the custom of
marriage between a stepsister and a stepbrother is still prevalent.
This was the picture of the society, as the PCV reveals, before
the down of the K峁泃ayuga which was ushered in by R峁bhadeva, the
first Tirthankara of the Jaina faith. It throws light on that primitive
stage of society when the civilization had not made strides. At that
time the life was simple. The complication of rules and laws, manners
and customs, politics and religion, and agriculture and commerce had
not grown. People lived chiefly on natural products. There was a common
kingdom of the animals and the humanity. They were endearing to
each other. Both lived as friends. There was no advancement in arts.
Various social institutions had not originated and the society was class-
less and creed-less.
Kitayuga (Era of Sweat and Toil):-The PCV further mentions
that as the time passed, the conditions began to change gradually.
The wish-trees (Kalpav峁沰峁s) disappeared and the sugar-cane juice
became the chief food of the people (3. 111). At that time 峁歴abha
was born of Marudei by Nabhi, the last Kulakara. He was the
first T墨rthankara and the enunciator of K峁泃ayuga虏-an age of strife,
sweat and toil. He was the first person to establish settlements for the
habitation of the people. He introduced sciences and arts which
became the means of livelihood of the people鲁. It was at this stage of
Krtajuga that the professional classes (castes) were established.
1. Ency. Religion & Ethics, Vol. 8. p. 425.
2. Jena ya jugam nivittham puhaie sayalasattasuhajanana峁� tena u jagammi
juttham tam kayajuga峁� n膩ma-PCV, 3. 118.
3. G膩m膩gara峁嘺garapattananivesa kalla峁嘺payara峁嚹乶i ya sayam ca sipp膩na
uvaittham-PCV, 3. 114.
