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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334
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
for the parents when their separated sons met them again鹿. The natural
affection of the parents gushed forth and they celebrated such occasions
with great enthusiasm,
Duties of sons and daughters :-The daughters and sons showed due
modesty and obedience to their parents. It was the duty of the sons
to keep their parents happy and give them due assistance in their old
age. As far as the daughters are concerned, they remained with their
parents only up to the time of their marriage and there is no instance
that any girl would have disobeyed her parents in marrying the person
selected by them. The greatest responsibility lay on the sons and they
were always obedient to their parents and elders. R膩vana on being
advised by his mother, started acquiring great powers for rejuvenating
his ancestral glory. He determined to recapture Lank膩 as soon as he
was advised to do so by his grandfather (7.158-172). R膩ma forwent
the crown of Ayodhya because he did not like to cause slightest agony
to his father and he did not want to blacken the repute of his father虏.
Lak峁a峁嘺 did not interfere because he thought that whatever the
elders had done, must he proper (31.109). Pavana帽jaya obeyed his
father and decided not to refuse his marriage with A帽jan膩 (15.91).
Non-obeyance of a father who was considered to be socially and
politically a ripe person, brought about adverse results. On that account
Indra got humiliated in a battle with R膩vana (12.75-82, 139-140).
One who followed his mother's advice won glory and kingdom (77.82-
88). A loyal son suffered himself than angering even her step-mother
(8.143-210). A faithful son never tolerated any undue insult and
humiliation of his mother at the hand of even his elders (50.2-14;
99.20-23). It should be noted that in both the cases the sons ultima-
tely pay their due respects to their elders after taking revenge upon
them. This is a sign of their due modesty towards their elders. A son
duly revenged himself by killing the murderer of his father (39.46).
Whenever the sons departed from their home they paid their due
respects to their parents and took their due permission. In exchange
they received blessings from their parents". It was the sacred duty of
the sons to assist their fathers in their old age. When the princes
attained full youth, they prevented their fathers from entering the
battle and prepared themselves to fight against the enemies (27.16-21;
1. 8.206; 18.42; 30.94-95; 97.29-32.
2.
na ya bhogak膩ra峁嘺峁� me tujjha akittie logammi, j膩e峁嘺 sue峁嘺 pahu cinte-
yavva峁� hiya峁� niyayak膩la峁�, je峁嘺 piy膩 na ya soga峁� gacchai ega峁� pi ya
muhutta峁� 31.76-77.
3. 31.93-100; 16.35; 19.13; 27 21; 86.14-23; 98.24.
