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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528
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
Saramaya: They are unidertified.
Further they subjugate "膧峁嘺nd膩 tisir膩 vi ya khas膩 taha ceva
honti mehalaya/ S奴rase峁嚹� palhiy膩 khandh膩r膩 kolaulug膩 ya// (98.66).
Anand膩 - the Anandas:-They have been referred to as the allies
of Ravana also when he is attacked by Rama (55.55). On the occasion
of the war compaign of Lavana and Anku艣a the Anandas are
mentioned along with the Trisiras, the Khasas, Mekhalakas etc.
Anandas as a people have been mentioned in the Markandeyapur膩峁嘺
and they are assumed to be occupying the region of the lower
Kri峁ａ箛a river (EDAD, p. 328). Historically the Ananda dynasty is
known to have ruled in the southern Andhrade艣a. The Ananda
dynasty succeeded the B峁沨atphalayanas (EDAD, p. 215). They
rose in southern Andhra country and dislodged the Pallavas in c.300.
A.D. Damodarvarman (295-315 A.D.) was the first king of Ananda
dynasty but probably he was preceded by several kings (EDAD,
p. 233; 336). The three kings Kandara, Ativarman and Damodar
varman are assigned to the Ananda dynasty of the Guntur region
and on their prakrit names it is suggested that they belonged to
a period not later than the middle of the fourth century, A.D.
(VGA, p.64-65).
Khasa the Khasas:-Mr. Stein identifies them with the Khakha
tribe to which belonged most of the petty chiefs of the Vitasta valley
below Kashmira and in the neighbouring hills鹿. B.C. Law locates
them in the Tibet on the evidences of Mah膩bh膩rata虏 and some locate
them on the bank of the Shailoda river near Pamira (Bh膩. S膩, p.154).
-
Mehalaya the Mekhalas = Mekalas:-In ancient times the Amara-
kantaka range was called Mekala, whence the name of the tribe is
derived. The Mekalas were a small tribe inhabiting the tract of
country comprising the modern Amarakantaka, which is a part of
the Vindhyas (TAI, p.374).
S奴rasen膩 Saura艣enas :-S奴rasena was a Janapada with its capital
at Mathura-north VH, I. p. 232). According to the VR, S奴rasena
was a son of Satrughna, after whom the territory was known as
Saurasena (CAGI, p.706). The country is identified with the region
west of the Jamuna river (BI, p.27) or the district of Mathura and the
region still further south (CHI. I.p. 316).
1. R膩jatarangini (Tr.) II, p.430.
2. TAI, p.400.
