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�
language) which was developing (in evolution) to be later recognised as
the Apabhramsa language..
On the basis of these characteristics of the language the Paumacari-
ya峁� cannot be held to be composed in the first century A. D. But its
date should go to some centuries later. (See. Supra Chapter One.).
SECTION 2. PROSODY
Metres in the Paumacariya峁�
There are two classes of Indian metres鈥攙iz.. M膩trt膩-chanda and
Var峁嘺-chanda. The metres of the former class are measured by the
quantity of morae (m膩tr膩s) while those of the latter by the number
of syllables (var峁嘺s). Our epic poem, Paumacariya峁� is composed
mainly in the m膩tr膩-chanda called 骋腻迟丑腻 which has its own advan-
tage of greater freedom in construction and more suitability in
singing. The poet has stated in the beginning and in the end that
he has composed the work in the 骋腻迟丑腻-chanda (raiya峁� g膩h膩hi
骋腻迟丑腻
paya岣峚phu岣峚ttha峁� 1.3; g膩h膩nibaddha峁� kaya峁� 118.102).
is the oldest Prakrit metre even as Anu峁up is of Sanskrit. The
cause of employing the metre in the PCV is quite apparent from
the fact that it had become a sacred metre of the Jainas on account
of its very common use in the Jaina canonical licerature. Further
the introductory chapter of the PCV reveals that the poem is being
recited before the audience (ettha峁� ciya paris盲e........bha峁嚹乵i......
The reciting can
sampai sankheve峁嘺峁� nisameha 1.14,16,31).
produce an appealing effect upon the audience provided it is done
in a sing-song manner and the M膩tr膩-chandas
28.47
are well suited to
it. In addition to the 骋腻迟丑腻 metre, other m膩tr膩-chandas also are
employed. They are generally used in the ending verse of the
chapters and are seldom employed in the main body. For example
the use of other m膩tr膩-chanda at
is purposeful, because
that verse contains the eulogy of the Jina. But the purpose of
departing from the running metre and using some other m膩tr膩
metres at 14.70; 17.107; 53.115 and 106.1 is not clearly under-stand-
able because at these places there is no change of topic. Further
the schemes of 14.70 & 53,115 are defective and they need correc-
tion for identifying their metres with some of the derived varieties
of 骋腻迟丑腻-proper. It is just possible that they were composed in
骋腻迟丑腻-proper but have got corrupted in the hands of the scribes.
Besides the m膩tr膩-chandas, the var峁嘺-chandas are also employed.
Generally the ending verse of every chapter is composed in Var峁嘺-
chanda. These verses are generally devoted to the paise of religion,
