Paumacariya (critical study)
by K. R. Chandra | 1970 | 238,015 words
This is an English 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, contrast...
I.3. Birth of Rama and his brothers
[Full title: Section I: King Dasaratha, his wives and sons; (C) Birth of Rama and his brothers]
In the Paumacariyam, there is no association of any divinity with the birth of the sons of Dasaratha. They are born in the natural way and Dasaratha does not perform any religious rites for their birth. Rama is the eighth Baladeva (20.2;21.1). He is one of the three members of the eighth trinity of the 'sixty-three great persons' of the Jaina faith (20). The other two i. e. Vasudeva and Prativasudeva of the eighth trinity are Laksmana and Ravana (Dahamuha) respectively. According to the Valmiki Ramayana, when Dasaratha does not have any son, he performs 'asvamedha' (horse-sacrifice) and the 'putrestiyajna' (1.14- 15). On that occasion at the request of various gods to Brahman, Visnu promises to take birth in form of the sons of Dasaratha for bringing an end of the atrocities of Ravana, the Raksasa king. Thus Rama and his brothers are born as the incarnations of Visnu (1.18. 11-14). The Ramcharitmanas mentions only the 'putrakama subha yajna' (1.189) and not the 'asvamedha". The Mahabharata (3.276.5) refers to the incarnation of Visnu, but does not mention the performing of any sacrifice by Dasaratha. Similarly the Visnu (4.87), Bhagavata (9.102), Vayu (4.4.87), Kurma (1.21.18) and the Garuda Puranas (143.4) do not have reference to any sacrifice. 1. Satyapratijna yanme tvam kamamekam nisrstavan/ Upakurusva tadrajamstasmanmucyasva samkatat;/ Varam dadani te hanta tad grhana yadicchasi (Mahabharata, 3.277.21-22). Abhisecanikam yatte Ramarthamupakalpitam/ Bharatastadavapnotu vanam gacchatu Raghavah. Mahabharata, 3.277.26. 2. Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., 2, p. 402. 3. Ramayana Samiksa, Venkateswara University, Tirupati, (1967), pp. 32, 34, 42.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RAMA-STORY 39 In the Dasaratha Jataka, Dasaratha Kathanam, Serata Kanda1, Tibetan Ramayana2 and the Khotani Ramayana3 there is no reference to any sacrifice.