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 CR脥TICAL 艢TUDY OF PAUMA膶AR陌YA峁�
gems, flowers, elephants and horses (raya峁嘺visesa峁� kusumavisesa峁�,
gayaturayalakkha峁嘺峁�). There is a reference to the Garu岣峚艣膩stra
(15.45-48). It dealt with charms against snake bites.
Arts Dressing and ornamentation (膧hara峁嘺vihi), Music,
Dance and Drama (Gandhavvam, Na峁弓a峁� and N膩岣峚ya); Drawing,
Painting. Plastering (Alekkham, leppamaya峁�) and Sculpture; Archit-
ecture; Perfumery and Modelling of leaves (Gandhajjutti and Patta-
cchejjam).
Further general statements are made about other Kal膩s (ann膩su
kal膩su 24.8).
The Kalpas奴tra refers to 72 and 64 subjects of learn-
ing or arts for men and women respectively.1
SECTION 2. SCIENCES
A. Writing.
The PCV clearly mentions that writing (livi sattha 24.6) was
taught to the students. A princess is referred to be learning alphabets.
with a pen in her hand (s膩 pa岣峢ai akhhar膩i峁� lehapihatth膩 paya-
tte峁嘺峁� 26.5). Kings are said to be sending written messages (leha
26.94; 98.13-14). King Ativ墨rya sent a long letter to king Mahi-
dhara calling him for his assistance with his forces. The letter is spread
over 12 (g膩th膩s) lines of the PCV (37. 3-14). Private and confidential
letters (lehe s盲hinn膩峁噀 77.45) are said to have been sent by Rama and
Lak峁a峁嘺 to call for the girls offered to them (77.53) in marriage.
B. Astronomy.
A fair glimpse, in the PCV, of the division of time and the compo-
nents of the solar system speaks of the developed stage of the science
of astronomy. The time in general is denoted by the words 'k膩la'
(3.33, 8.10; 15.99; 20.66) and 'samaya' (16.50) and in particular as
'vel膩' (14.128) and its division is called 'k膩lavibh膩ga' (3.17). The
time is divided into fratri (ratti峁僤iva峁� 75.85. rayani 8.154, nis膩 12.19
rai 14.116) 'dina' (aha 22.74, diyaha 14.30, dina 7.138, divasa 14.55);
fortnight (pakkha 42.4), the dark (bahula 10.107) and the bright.
(suddhapakkha 6.27 or sukka 20.68); month (m膩sa 15.96) which was
based on lunar cycle as it is stated that the moon wanes and waxes in
the dark and the bright fortnight respectively (bahulasukkapakkhe
osarai pava岣嶀笉hai cando 20 68); and year (varisa 14.24, v膩sa 20.71,
samvacchara 107.8; 114.27).
1. For their details see Sukhabodhik膩 T墨k膩, p. 146-147 and LAI, p. 172鈥�173. See
Samavayanga for 72 Kalas.
