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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20
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
15-19. He wages a battle with Varu峁嘺 but his forces are over-
powered by the enemy. Ultimately with the help of Pavana帽jaya, a
Vanara king, he succeeds in making truce with Varu峁嘺. But during
the truce Ravana keeps preparing for war. After some time, with the
help of Hanu, the son of Pavana帽jaya, he defeats Varuna. Thereupon
he becomes the sovereign of the three divisions of Bharatavar峁
(tikha峁囜笉膩hivo i.e. ardhacakravartin).
20. Here king 艢re峁噄ka requests Gautama to tell him about the
great persons of the Jaina faith (Jinacakkahar膩峁嘺-uppatti), particu-
larly about the origin and life of eighth Baladeva (i.e. Padma or
R膩ma). Gautama then enumerates the birth-place, parentage, inter-
vening period, age, height, etc. of the sixty-three illustrious persons
(迟谤颈峁峁ａ弓颈艣补濒补办腻辫耻谤耻峁)
21-22. Gautama before relating the life of R膩ma, narrates the
origin of Hariva峁僺a and gives in brief the life-sketch of Tirthankara
Munisuvrata who belonged to Harivamsa. He further tells us that
V膩savaketu, a descendant of the same dynasty, ruling over Mithila
begot a son, named Janaka on his wife Ila. He narrates the epi-
sodes of some Ik峁膩ku rulers of S膩keta, namely, Vajrab膩hu, K墨rti-
dhara, Suko艣ala, Naghu峁 and Saud膩sa. He further enumerates their
descendants up to Anaranya who begets two sons, Anantaratha
and Dasaratha on his wife, P峁泃hv墨. When his elder son becomes a
monk, Anara峁噛a enthrones Dasaratha and he himself renounces the
world. Dasaratha marries Apar膩jit膩 and Sumitr膩.
Main Story
23. Gautama continues to narrate that once N膩rada informs
Dasaratha about the plot of Vibh墨峁峁嘺 to assassinate Dasaratha and
Janaka for saving R膩va峁嘺 from being killed by the would-be son of
Dasaratha. Janaka was to beget a daughter, S墨t膩, who was destined
to be the cause of R膩vana's death. So Dasaratha and Janaka leave
their territories and wander incognito. Now at S膩keta an effigy of
Dasaratha is instituted in the palace. Vibh墨峁峁嘺 goes to S膩keta, cuts
off the head of Dasaratha and returns to La峁卥膩 with satisfaction.
24. Dasaratha, along with Janaka happens to reach Kautukama帽-
galapura. There princess Kaikeyi (Kega墨), the daughter of Subhamati,
selects Dasaratha as her husband in her svaya峁僾ara ceremony. Some
disgruntled candidates give a fight in which Dasaratha emerges
victorious on account of the dexterity of Kaikey墨 in driving his
war-chariot. Dasaratha marries her, returns to Saketa and grants her
a boon in recognition of her war-services,
