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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ECONOMIC, POLITICAL & RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS 461 sub-ruler or a feudal lord or a headman of some village or a chief
officer with some land under him. Thus the S膩mantas can be called as
vassals and feudatories, but the PCV calls 艢re峁噄ka, historically known
as a sovereign ruler, a Samanta.
some
other states
were
Tributary kings:-Sometimes king of
conquered by a powerful king but their territories were not usurped.
They were reinstalled as kings of their respective states. They are
called Bhiccas Bh峁泃yas (11.19;33.25; 33.124;37.19;37.64;45.2;46.95;54.
41). Such type of kings were autonomous. The idea was to impose
the authority (膩峁嚹乿iya 12.144 =膩n膩mita or 膩j帽膩pita) of the powerful
king and the conqueror over the weaker ones. They were required to
pay trubutes to their overlord (37.19) in recognition of his suzerainty
over them. If any body violated the authority, he was punished
(33.62,80). In their own states they were free to govern their lands as
they liked. At the time of the coronation of the imperial lord
overlord, the titles of the tributary kings were renewed and they were
recognised as king of their respective territories (82.25).
B. Administration.
or
King ruled over his state from the capital town called R膩jadh膩n墨
(88.2) which was well fortified with rampart and ditches (2.8-9). He
was the administrative head of the state. He administered his state
through ministers and various other officers.
Council of Ministers :
The council of ministers 'sah膩majjhemant墨峁嘺峁�' (26.16) consisted
of many ministers who were called Mantrins (31.52;46.86) or Amatyas
(5.176;31.57,102), both the terms, used in the same sense (21.85.86).
The plurality of ministers (15.14; 65.1) is corroborated by the works
on polity (Kautilya 1.8; Sukran墨ti 2.69-72).
There is a reference to R膩japari峁d (31.93) which was summoned
by Dasaratha on the occasion of enthroning R膩ma. It consisted of
Mantries and S膩mantas (31.50). It seems to be analogous to the
modern council of state as Dasaratha had put before them the proposal
of crowning R膩ma and Kaikey墨 is said to have gone there and demanded
coronation of Bharata (31.71). Thereafter Dasaratha called his sons,
R膩ma and Lak峁a峁嘺 and with their consent he granted the promised
boon to Kaikey墨. Thus it seems to be a Parisad of royal members,
ministers and Samantas who discussed the matters relating to
the state.
There is a further reference to Bhadaparis膩 of king Simhodara
who had attacked the lord of Dasapura (33.111). It seems to be a
special council of warriors for the purpose of war and military.
