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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518
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
and Lank膩, 艢r墨parvata is not very very far from this place. It is
situated in the south also. Thus Mahendranagara can be identified
with Mahendravadi (Mahendrapura).
Lankapuri-From Mahendranagara. Hanumat reaches La峁卥膩-
puri (53.1). He accomplishes his mission and returns to Ki峁indhi-
pura (54.1). There are references which establish that Lank膩 was
situated in the sea. It is said that R膩ma along with the army of the
Vanaras reached Lanka which was situated in the middle of the sea
(s膩garavarassa majjhe 54.44). S墨t膩 also asks Hanumat as to how he could
reach her after crossing the waters (langhe奴峁嘺 jala峁噄hi 53.25) and so
on (raya峁嚹亂ara峁� samuttarium 53.51; s膩yaravara峁� uttari奴nam
63.4; uttari奴峁嘺峁� ima峁� salilan膩ha峁� 63.8). R膩vana is said to have
crossed the sea while returning to Lanka after defeating Lord Yama.
The sea has been described in 6 verses with its surging waves (8.257-
263). At the time of narrating the origin of the R膩k峁sa Vamsa it is
said that Vidyadhara Meghav膩hana was made the first Lord of the
R膩k峁sadvipa which was situated in the sea (sayaravare 5.126).
That 'dvipa' had in its middle the Trik奴峁璦 hill and Lank膩pur卯 was
situated in the valley of that hill (5.127-129). The Uttarapur膩峁嘺
(68.254-256, 294, 501, 509,& 724), the Mahapur膩峁嘺 (69.2; 73.6, 12; 74.2,7;
77.5), the TSP (IV. p. 245,273; I. p. 165) and the RPS (Ch. 3 p. 16) give
ust he same account. The PCV farther mentions that Lanka abounded
in trees of coconut and areca catechu (53.79). Therefore the present
island of Ceylon can be identified with the R膩k峁sadv墨pa, La峁卥膩pur墨
with a town in it and the Trikuta hill with a hill in it. It is believed
by some that Trik奴峁璦 is identical with the present Mantotte in Ceylon虏.
R膩ma, before reaching Lank膩pur墨, is said to have defeated king
Samudra of Velandharapura (also called Suvelapura 54.43) situated
in the valley of Velandharaparvata (54.39). Both these places seem to
be situated on the southern coast of India, opposite Ceylon. Further
R膩ma reaches Ha峁僺adv墨pa and camps there before attacking Lank膩puri
(54.45). Ha峁僺adv墨pa is said to be situated near La峁卥膩pur墨.
Allies of Rama :-Various peoples (55.16-17) are said to have made.
alliance with R膩ma to fight against R膩va峁嘺. They are as follows:
"Kaid墨vav膩si峁噊 bahave m膩hindamalayatira siripavvaya-
丑补峁嘘谤耻丑腻颈测腻//
Keligil膩 ya raya峁嚹� taha ya velandhar膩 ya nahatilay膩 sajjh膩r膩y膩
ya tah膩 dahamuha-d墨v膩 saya ceva"//
1. See also 19. 14,20.
2. GD, p. 113.
