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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496
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
He further says that the killing of animals in accordance with the
prescription of the Vedas is not to be cognised as Hims膩.鹿 About the
efficacy of the Yaj帽a it is said that the Dvija and the sacrificed ani-
mals attain to superior existence.
As regards the taking of meat and wine (Sur膩) the Brahmanical
references are not wanting. The limbs of the sacrificed animal formed
the 'dak峁峁嘺' of the Rtvik". Sur膩 was used in oblations offered to
the Manes. The remaining part of the wine was offered to the
Ac膩rya and Antev盲sin5. Manu (5.31) prescribes that the animal flesh
associated with the Yaj帽a should be taken but not on any other occa-
sion. He (5.48) further lays down that the killing of living creatures
leads to hell.
The PCV states, as already mentioned, that the father (pit膩),
mother (m膩t膩) and the king (r膩j膩) were killed in the Pit峁�, M膩t峁� and
R膩js奴ya Yaj帽as respectively. This statement seems to be based
There
on hearsay and is made for the sake of criticism only.
was a Pitr-Yaj帽a rite which was
which was
to be performed daily by the
householders. In this ceremony food and water was offered to the
manes and on the occasion of performing monthly 艢raddha the offering
of meat is also prescribed (Manu, 3.82;3.123). In the Madhyama-a峁ａ弓aka
ceremony 'sura' was offered to the mothers (P膩r膩. Gr. Su, 3.3.11).
Pitr-medha is dealt in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (VI) and its hymns are
found in the Sukla Yajurveda (35)7. But it has nothing to do with the
killing of father. Thus we find that the PCV is making wrong allega-
tions. The Sankhayana Srautas奴tra (4.3.5) mentions Pindapit峁泍aj帽a
but in it no killing is envisaged. It was a sacrifice of rice balls.
The Sankhayana 艢rautas奴tra further describes a Puru峁medha also (XVI
10 & 12). A Brahmin is purchased and then let loose (16.10.9). He is
then sacrificed with other animals (16.12.12 & 21). The rites
of Rajas奴ya Yaj帽a were performed on the occasion of a royal conse:
cration. It is said in the Sankhayana 艢rautas奴tra (15.12.1) that by perfor-
ming this Yaj帽a the performer attains sovereignty and supremacy over
8 1. Ya Vedavihita himsa niyat膩smin艣car膩care /
ahimsamevatam vidyad Ved膩t dharmo hi nirbabhu // 5.44.
2. Ibid, 5.12.
3. Para, 3.11.9.
4. Ibid, 3.3.11.
5. Ibid.
6. Vide VSS, 243.
7. Ibid, p. 125.
8. See CHI, p. 126.
