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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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE R膧MA-STORY 39 In the Dasaratha J膩taka, Dasaratha Kath膩nam, Serata K膩峁嘾a鹿,
Tibetan R膩m膩ya峁嘺虏 and the Khotani R膩m膩ya峁嘺鲁 there is no reference
to any sacrifice.
D. Christening of Names:
According to the PCV, Aparajita's son is named Padma (Pauma)
for his face glittered like a lotus and his eyes resembled the petals of a
lotus flower (viyasiyavarapaumasarisamuha峁� 25.7). Sumitra's son is
named Lak峁a峁嘺 for he was endowed with several qualities (lakk-
a峁噀su uvaveo te峁嘺峁� gu峁嚹佱箛uruva峁� ch奴岣峢a峁� ciya Lakkha峁噊 n膩ma峁�
25.11). Kaikey墨 bore twin' sons namely, Bharata (Bharaha) and
Satrughna (Sattuggha 25.14). Padma who is also called R膩ma had
white complexion while Lak峁a峁嘺's was dark-blue just like a blue
water-lily (n墨luppaladalasamo 25.11).
According to the VR, R膩ma, the son of Kausaly膩 is born on the
Bharata is the son of Kaikey墨.
ninth day of the bright half of Caitra.
Lak峁a峁嘺 and Satrughna are the youngest twin sons of Sumitr膩
(I. 18.8-13, 21-22). This account differs from that of the PCV as regards
the seniority of Lak峁a峁嘺 and Bharata and the mother of Satru-
ghna. Valmiki does not assign any particular reason for naming
them as such. However Lak峁a峁嘺 is addressed with some epithets
such as 'lak峁墨vardhana岣�' and 'lak峁墨sa峁僷anna岣�' (1.18.28.30) and
R膩ma as lotus--eyed (r膩j墨valocana峁� 1.19.17), (padmapatravi艣膩lak峁u
resembling a
1.48.3; 1.76.12; 1.50.20). R膩ma's face is described as
As regards
blue-lotus (R膩masya vadana峁� pu峁arek峁峁嘺m 2.61.8).6
the colour of their bodies V膩lm墨ki differs from Vimalas奴r墨. In the
VR R膩ma is said to be of dark-blue complexion (sy膩ma 6.28.18; megha-
艣y膩ma, ind墨vara艣y膩ma) while Lak峁a峁嘺 of white complexion (suddh-
ajamb奴nadaprabha岣� 6.28 22).
In the TR (1.197) each brother is named after his individual
qualities. R膩ma is named as such because he is a treasure of happiness
and solace to the whole world ('so sukha-dh膩ma R膩ma' and 'akhila-
1. Bulcke, p. 267.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Though it is not stated explicitly, yet their birth-ceremony is mentioned to be
twin brothers (jammusavo
celebrated together. It indicates that they were
mahanto t膩na峁� pi kao naravai峁嘺峁� 25.14).
5. See 1.18.15 and the Tilaka Commentary.
6. R膩ma is called Padmanabha i.e. Hari or Vi峁ａ箛u (7.87 interpolated chapter
No. 5.45.).
