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�
In the third chapter there is a comparison of various episodes of
the R膩ma-kath膩 of Paumacariya峁� with those of the Valmiki R膩m膩ya峁嘺
and the R膩macaritam膩nasa of Tulasid膩sa. The R膩ma-stories of
Vasudevahi峁囜笉墨 and Uttarapur膩峁嘺 comprising two currents of a different
Jaina tradition have been also compared in it. Along with that various
other Jaina and non-Jaina works on R膩ma-story have been quoted
showing some traditional backing of Paumacariya峁� or its influence
on them.
In the fourth chapter 63 intervening stories of Paumacariya峁� have
been summarised and similar stories from other Jaina and Brahmanical
works have been adduced showing the source or influence of
Paumacariyam.
In the fifth chapter we have come to the conclusion that the
genealogical list of the Ik峁膩ku Va峁兣沘 given in the Paumacariya峁� is
influenced by the Valmiki R膩m膩ya峁嘺 and the Brahmanical Pur膩峁嘺s.
Other five dynasties, namely, Soma, Hari, Vidyadhara, R膩k峁sa
and V膩nara have independent genealogical lists. Subsequent Jaina
works have generally drawn upon Paumacariya峁� as regards these
dynasties.
In the sixth chapter there is a critical estimate of the preceding
three chapters showing the sources, contribution
contribution
and influence of
Paumacariyam. It can be summarised as follows :鈥�
Vimalas奴ri's R膩makath膩 has its basic foundation on the Jaina
and Popular tradition because we find that in its certain features it
takes us back to the 膧di R膩m膩ya峁嘺 and in one case even before it. S墨t膩
is the legal daughter of Janaka born of his wife; there is no golden deer
incident; Lank膩 has
Lank膩 has
not been set on fire and Hanumat here
neither jumps across the sea, nor changes his form, nor brings
any mountain peak. These features take us back to the original Adi
R膩m膩ya峁嘺. Bhamandala as the brother of S墨t膩 has no mention in
the Valmiki R膩m膩ya峁嘺 but it is a historical element and thus it takes us
even prior to the Adi-Ramayana.
In the PCV there is absence of the depiction of the R膩k峁sas as
demons, the Vanaras as monkeys. Kumbhakarna as a diabolical
character and R膩va峁嘺 as a cruel and ten-faced monster. They are all
exaggerations in the VR, which did not form the part of the original
story.
Now this querry may safely be posed: How could Vim膩las奴ri
come to know that the above elements were not the ingredients of the
orginal R膩makath膩 ? During his time i. e. 5th century A. D. when the
