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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SOCIAL CONDITIONS 331 which were inferior to those of their own caste. The same was true
vice-versa. Gupta rulers were Vai艣yas. Vai艣yas and S奴dras took to
military career and became even captains and generals (VGA, pp.
316-218).
1 Thus what the PCV reveals can be actually observed in the
life of the people as evidenced in the incriptions. Similarly intercaste
and inter-racial marriages (See Section on Marriage) were prevalent
in those days and therefore there can exist no doubt about inter-caste
dining.
C. Stages of Life.
According to the Jaina concept, the life was divided into two
categories, viz. layman's life and monk's life (g峁沨astha & muni).
Generally the kings鹿 and the queens虏 are referred to be accepting
monkhood in their old age. Accepting monkhood is called as entering
Tapovana also (113.69). But the factor of age was not very important.
It was the inclination or the strong feeling of aversion towards the
worldly life that impelled one to renounce the householder's life and to
get initiated into the ascetic life. It did not matter whether a male or
a female was young in age (80.26), or of marriageable age (106.46;
39.97; 41.63; 103.102), or recently married (21.72), or was not still
blessed with a son (20.21-22), or was of middle age (30.70; 88.13;
105.110).
According to the Brahmanical concept the life was divided into
four stages on the factor of age. There are references to the T膩pasas
(8.159; 41.48) in the PCV. Brahmin Brahmaruci and his wife Varak奴rmi
are said to be following T膩pasadharma, residing in a hermitage
(t膩vasanilaya 11.51). The T膩pasas are mentioned to be wearing the barks
of trees and huge lockets of hair (39.75, 84). At 32.2-3 it is said that the
T膩pasas used to collect fruits (for their food), 'samidha' (the sticks of
wood for sacrificial purposes) and received the guests with due respect.
All these descriptions about T膩pasas indicate that they were the follow-
ers of third stage of life i.e. V膩naprastha as defined by Manu (6.2-22).
There is a single reference to a Parivr膩jaka (41.27). This word is never
used for a Jaina monk in the PCV. It means that he was a mendicant
who was detached from all the wordly things. He is further said to be
jealous of the Jaina monks. Therefore, he should be a non-Jaina
ascetic. He can be taken as a Sanyasin of the Brahmanical order-i.e.
1. 5.238鈥�241; 9.6-7; 29.34; 30.66; 32.27鈥�28; 108.47; 114.15, 18, 20.
2. 75.82-84; 83.12; 102.46.
