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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CHAPTER VII.
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
SEC. 1. SOCIAL EVOLUTION, CASTES AND STAGES OF LIFE
A. Social Evolution
嗉�
Utsarpini and Avasarpini (Cycles of Time) -Every religion has
tried to solve the riddle of the Universe in its own way and the Jaina
seers did not lag behind in this sphere. The Jaina tradition
(PGV, 3.18, too a峁嚹乮nihano; Mula, 8.22) holds that the
Universe (loka) is natural, uncreated and beginningless (s膩sao
sah膩vattho logo-PCV, 102-63) while the factor of time is divided into
certain parts for practical purposes. The biggest division of time (k膩la)
is called 'kalpa' (AP, 3.15) which consists of two eras of ascending and
descending orders. The Paumacariya峁� mentions that the facter of
time is differentiated into two eras, viz. Utsarpi峁噄 and Avasarpi峁嚹�
(Ussappi峁噄 and Avasappi峁嚹� 3.49). Both these eras form a complete
cyclic order (Kalpa) which goes on repeating itself for ever. During
the Utsarpi峁嚹� era there is all round gradual prosperity and progress
in age, strength and height (20.92-93). This cyclic process is explained
by comparing it with the periodical waxing and waning of the moon
It is
(3.49) and so it can be designated as Evolution and Devolution.
further stated that this change is experienced in the regions Airavata
and Bh膩ratavar峁 whereas the rest of the countries in the Jambudvipa
enjoy static conditions for ever (3.33).
The PCV (20.67-72) states that Avasarpi峁嚹� is further subdivided
into six periods of Aisusam膩 (Atisu峁m膩), Susam膩 (Su峁m膩),
Susam膩d奴sam膩 (Su峁m膩du峁ａ梗am膩), D奴sam膩 ( Du峁ａ梗am膩鹿) and
Accantad奴sam膩 (Atyantadu峁ａ梗am膩) which are of the duration of four,
three, two and one (minus forty-two thousand years) ko峁乲o峁璱
s膩gara years respectively, and the last two periods twenty-one thou-
sand years each. The Utsarpi峁嚹� is calculated vice-versa. Thus the
total period of time of a complete cycle (Kalpa) comes to twenty
kot膩ko峁璱s膩gara years.
The number of years in a 's膩gara' is so large
1. It is the name of the current period (PCV, 89.42).
2. A Sagara measures ten kot膩ko峁璱 palyopama years, A 'Palyopma' corresponds
to innumerable years i.e. the time spent in vacating a dench one
yojana wide and one yojana deep, full of the foremost part of the hair of
a new born child, at the rate of removing one hair-part every one hun-
dred years (PCV, 20.66). See the Tiloya pannatti (1.116.136) which men-
tions a ram of the age of one to seven days in place of a new born
child.
