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.
Page 48 of: Paumacariya (critical study)
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SUMMARY 19 Asanivega, a Vidyadhara ruler of Rathanupura from V盲nara Kiskin-
dhi and his R膩k峁sa ally Suke艣a respectively. Later on M盲lin, the son
of Suke艣a, reoccupies his ancestral Lank膩.
7. Malin gets jealous of the growing power of Indra, the grand-
son of Asanivega and the son of Sahasrara. He attacks Indra but the
latter slays him. Indra appoints Soma, Varu峁嘺, Kubera and Yama as
governors of four quarters and installs Vai艣ravana (Vesama峁嘺 or
Dhanada 2.53) as ruler of Lank膩. Sum膩lin the younger brother of
M膩lin staying in terror at P膩t膩la峁僰膩rapura, gets blessed with a son,
named Ratn膩艣rava. The latter marries Kaikas墨. She in due course
gives birth to Da艣amukha (R膩va峁嘺), Bh膩nukar峁嘺 (Kumbhakar峁嘺),
Candranakh膩 and Vibh墨峁峁嘺. R膩vana attains mastery over various
lores (vidy膩s) to reoccupy his ancestral La峁僰膩.
8. Gautama then relates the marriage of Mandodar墨 and many
other girls with R膩va峁嘺 and further describes the valorous feats of
R膩vana. He defeats Dhanada, subdues Bhuvan膩la峁卥膩ra elephant,
conquers Yama and restores Ki峁indhipura to Adityarajas, the son of
碍颈峁颈苍诲丑颈.
9. Next follows the narration of the kidnaping of Candranakh膩 by
Kharad奴峁峁嘺, the hostility of Ravana with the son of Adityarajas
namely, Vali for marrying the latter's sister and the resultant renoun-
cement of the world by Vali, as well as the raising of the A峁ａ弓膩pada
(Kailasa) mountain by Rava峁嘺 to disturb the monk V盲li and the former's
discomfiture at the hands of the latter.
10. R膩va峁嘺 subjugates many Khecara chieftains and reaches
P膩t膩la k膩rapura. There he is greeted by Kharad奴峁峁嘺. Further
R膩vana launches a war-campaign, imprisons Sahasrakira峁嘺, the
M盲he艣vara king, and overpowers various other kings.
11. He stops the animal-sacrifice organised by Marutta
(Maruya), the king of Rajag峁沨a and marries the latter's daughter,
Kanakaprabh膩. She gives birth to K峁泃acitr膩.
12-13. R膩vana marries K峁泃acitr膩 to Madhu, the prince of
Mathur膩. Then he proceeds to Durlanghyapura and defeats
Nalak奴bara. Uparambh膩, the wife of Nalak奴bara, had a design to
secure the love of R膩va峁嘺. At first R膩vana accepted her proposal with
a view to subjugate Nalak奴bara. But later he rejected her proposal,
rubuked her and thus helped preserve her character. Thereafter
R膩vana conquers Indra, a Vidyadhara king.
14. R膩vana pays homage to omniscient Anantav墨rya and
accepts a vow not to enjoy with any lady without her prior consent.
