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 493 should not be regarded as Br膩hma峁嘺s in the true sense, because they
are vow-less. Thus the PCV is referring to the deities of the Brahmani-
cal tradition, who were worshipped with reverence by the followers of
Brahmanism.
Skanda: In the Ava艣yaka Cur峁噄鹿 people are said to be celebrating
festival on the full moon day of Asoja in honour of him. According to
the Brahmanical虏 tradition he is the god of war, riding on peacock.
He is the son of 艢iva and P膩rvati.
He was born for the purpose of
destroying T膩raka Daitya.
-
Indra: In the Ni艣ithacur峁嚹�, it is mentioned that people celebrated
a festival in his honour on the full-moon day of 膧峁Ｄ佱笉ha鲁. He is a
Vedic god of first rank4. His weapon is the thunder-bolt. He governs
the weather and dispenses the rain. In later mythology he is inferior
to the triad, is the seducer of Ahalya, is defeated by Ravana and is the
In the Jaina
sender of nymphs to beguile the holy men from penances.
mythology Indras are the lords of the heavens, and they worship
Jinas.
.
Rudra: In the Vedas he is a god of storms, diseases as well as a
healer. In later mythology he is the son of Brahma and as he wept at
he was named Rudra. He is
the time of his birth so
also called
Mah膩deva. In the later ages, Rudra developed into powerful god
艢iva. Under the name of Mah膩k膩la, he is the destroyer but destruction
means reproduction, hence he became 艢iva or 艢ankara (the auspicious).
Thus he became supreme lord or Mah膩deva. There are 11 Rudras
also mentions 11
in the Hindu Mythology. The Jaina mythology
Rudras who are said to have descended to hells on account of the
penances performed for material ends.
was
Soma (11.73):-The reference is to the propitiation of Soma etc.
by performing animal sacrifices. In the Rgveda, it is a juice of
Soma plant, which is offered to the deities. Later on it
appro-
priated to Moon or Osadhipati. who was considered the guardian of
sacrifices and penances. In the Visnupur膩峁嘺 he is the monarch of the
Br膩hma峁嘺s. Elsewhere he is said to have emanated from the ocean when
1. Ibid, p. 315 (LAI, p, 217).
2. Dowson, p. 152.
3, Ni艣墨 C奴, 19. p. 1174. (LAI, p. 216).
Dowson, pp.269, 296.
4.
5.
See Supra.
6.
Dowson.
7.
TP, 4.14.39鈥�42.
