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 463 by many Mayaharayas when she was taken from the forest to the palace
of king Vajrajangha (96.2). A Mayaharaya is said to be introducing
a bride-princess to the candidates contesting the 'svaya峁僾ara鲁 (106.7).
And Mayaharayas inform R膩ma of the public censure of S墨t膩 (93.16).
Thus they appear to be generally associated with the members of the
harem. The Nisithacur峁噄 explains him as an executive officer of the
harem. He took the ladies of the harem to the king, told them stories
after their menstruation bath; pacified their anger and reported
of their
cause
the king. Vatsy膩yana
anger to
Mahattarika
taking message to
as
the
refers
various
to
from
presents
the
the king
Thus
辩耻别别苍蝉虏.
(4.2.56)
with
Mahattara
But in the PCV
or Mayaharaya seems to be the officer of harem.
they are also told to be the heads of the different departments of
Indra, the celestial lord (102.155). At 102.49 the Mayaharaya is
referred to be as the head of the organisation of nuns.
they seem to be the heads of various departments鲁.
Thus here
The PCV
D奴ta: He was an ambassador (14.19) or envoy.
does not inform that the offices of embassy were premanently esta-
blished in the capitals of foreign states. It reveals that the D奴tas
worked as messengers who carrried the orders of their king to other
kings and returned after accomplishing their work (6.15; 8.67; 37.17;
49.1, 29; 65.9; 104.10). Kautilya while explaning the duties of an
ambassador states that he was a diplomatic officer sent to the court
of a foreign power to safeguard his master's interest and to gather all
the requisite information of the strength and weakness of a foe and
transmit it to his Government (Kautilya, 1.16).
The PCV mentions that a D奴ta should be clever, quick-witted,
modest, strong, and well-versed in statecraft and other 艣膩stras (39.39;
65.10).
It was the ethics of the polity that an envoy was never killed
by the foe king (8.82; 9.35) because he was merely a servant (8.83) or
the carrier of the message of his master or the bespeaker of the words
of his master (8.82). But he is even then mentioned to have suffered
insults in the courts of enemy kings (9.36; 53.129; 65.34). Sometimes
he was reproached and dragged out of the court (8.84). D奴ta who
insulted king was tied down with chains (53.142) and humiliated.
1. Vide LAI,
P, 56.
2. See Studies in the Kamasutra, p. 109.
3.
In the VGA (p. 263), they are explained
as District-council member. The
Uttaradhyayana Tik膩, 3. p. 57; 9. p. 142a explains them as village officers
(Vide LAI; p.83).
