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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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
sojourned on its other side in the forest. It was here that Kaikey墨 and
Bharata followed R膩ma to call him back to Ayodhya (32. 42-50). The
river is identified with modern Gambhira, a tributary of the
Yamuna above the Cambal, flowing east from Gangapura.鹿
Dak峁napatha:-R膩ma asked the people who followed him, to allow
him to go to the Dak峁峁嚹乸atha (32. 13). R膩ma while consoling his
mother before his departure from Ayodhy膩 tells that he might go
to the Vindhyas, or to the Malaya or in the vicinity of the sea
(31.100). There are other references such as Dakkhi峁嘺desa (32.55),
Dahina Bharaha (103.7) and Dakkhi峁嚹乿aha (26.68) which denote
the same region. The Dak峁峁嚹乸atha comprised the region from
the Vindhyas upto rhe shore of the southern ocean. Southern
India is identified with the whole of the Peninsula from Nasik and
Ganjam to the cape Comorin in the south or very nearly the
whole of the region lying to the south of Narmad膩 and Mah膩nad墨
(CVGI, p. 31f).
Citrakuta From there R膩ma began his journey towards the
south (Dakkhi峁嘺des膩bhimuh膩 caliy膩 32.55). Proceeding further he
reached a T膩pasakula. He stayed there for a night and then
reached, passing through the forest, Citrak奴峁璦 hill (d奴ru峁囜箛ayasiroha峁�
pecchanti Cittakuda峁� te 33.4). He sojourned there for four months
(33.11). This is the modern hill of Chittor, a range of the Aravali
mountains, in the Udaipura division of Rajasthan.
Avanti -From there R膩ma entered the Avant墨de艣a (patt膩
Avantivisaya峁� 33.11), the capital of which was Ujjen墨 (33.25) and
it was ruled by king Simhodara. The Vasudevahindi (p. 36, 49) refers
to Ujjen墨 as the capital of Avant墨janapada. Avanti as a great Jana-
pada is referred to in the Ava. C眉 (I. p. 39). During the time of Lord
Mah膩v墨ra, Pradyota was the king of Avanti (Ava. C眉, II. p. 162). The
Vividha Tirthakalpa refers to Avanti as a city (p. 83). The Skandapura峁嘺
mentions that Avant墨 was the other name of Ujjen墨, Avant墨
came to be known as Ujjen墨 in honour of the visit of Mahadeva to
that city on the victory of destroying the demon, Tripura鲁. Avanti
roughly corresponds to modern Malwa. Nimara and adjoining
parts of Madhya Pradesh鲁. It was one of the 16 great Janapadas
of ancient times. Ujjen墨 is the modern Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.
1. HGAI, p. 36 & RI, p. 39.
2. Skandapur膩峁嘺, Ch. 43. (HGAI,p. 7; VGA, p. 404.)
3. HGAI, p. 52,
