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�
(Pa峁卥aja 5.55), Uppala (Utpala 78.55), Aravinda (46.3) and Nalin墨
(94.50). It is said that the lotuses closed at the time of sun-set (2.99).
There are several references to Pauma (Padma 24.7) which belongs to
this type of lotuses. Then there is the Kumuda which belongs to the
other variety (43.2) called the water-lily. The species of the former
type of lotuses are : Pundaria (Pundarika), the white one (78.54);
Pauma uppala (24.7), the blue one (Indivara ghana sama 38.30). The
species of the other type of lotuses is Kuvalaya (16.38), the blue one
which opens at night. The surface of a pond completely covered with
lotuses is called either Kamali峁嚹玽a峁嘺 (53.80) or Paumasara (15 50).
Besides the lotus plants, the PCV refers to the Sev膩la (Saiv膩la)
which disappeared on the advent of Sarad-k盲la (30.2). It is the moss
which grows abundantly over the surface of the water during the rainy
season.
Fauna :鈥擳he author has taken notice of the animal life while
describing the forest regions, hilly-tracts, gardens and groves,
lakes and other water-pools.
sea-shores, the banks of the rivers,
While referring to the social aspect of the life of the people, the author
has mentioned some domestic animals and pleasing birds. Besides that
many animal creatures have found an important place in the narratives
dealing with the previous births of the characters of the main story.
The Karma-theory which is an indispensable feature of Jainism
has connected the previous lives of the characters with the animal
creatures鹿 and with the working of their passions reared on enmity and
There are occasions
affection just on the lines of the human nature.
when the animals have been referred to in poetic similes2. Further in
accordance with the belief of the people, the animals have been mentio-
ned as foreboding" good or evil.
The general term used for the whole kingdom of animals is the
Tiriya (5.101; 14.28) or Tirikhha (Tirya 2.59), The animal life can
be divided into the categories of beasts (Pasuya 11.70; 14.29; or
Cauppaya 46.63), birds (Pakkhi 42.15; 117.16 or Sau峁嘺 16.50), reptiles
(Sarissava 20.92), acquatic animals ( Jalayara 26.40) and small creatures
(Kida 1.26 or Jantu 6.137). Other mode of classification can also be
discerned from the words used in the work. Thus they can be put as
the animals feeding upon other creatures (Jiv膩h膩r膩 14.17) called
beasts of prey (S膩vay膩 3.82; 17.49; 42.12) or the carnivorous animals
1. 50.9; 82.38, 51, 88.6; 103.18-20.
2. 2.16-18; 3.3; 6.175; 8.176; 178; 42.18; 100.58.
3. 7.17; 34.36鈥�37.
