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’s version.
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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA�
On the whole the story has a realistic pattern and Vimalasūri
has made the greatest contribution to the Prakrit Literature in the
form of the first Rāma-epic in Prakrit.
SECTION 3. INFLUENCE OF PAUMACARIYAM
A. Influence of Jaina Works.
The tradition of Paumacariya� is generally followed by subse-
quent Jaina authors such as Raviṣeṇa, Svayambhu, Hemacandra,
Bh. Somasena etc. The tradition of Vasudevahiṇḍī remained only with
it, scarcely any subsequent author has been found to have followed
its story, Gunabhadra's tradition of Rama-story is followed by a
few authors namely, Puspadanta etc. It is the tradition of Vimalasūri's
Paumacariyam which became very popular among the Svetāmbaras and
the Digambaras alike.
1. Raviṣeṇa's Indebtedness to Vimala sūri :
(a) Vimalasūri, Predecessor of Raviṣeṇa :
There has been some controversy over the precedence of Vimala-
sūri and Raviṣeṇa. We shall now examine the question as to who is
earlier of the two.
Even a casual glance at the PCV and the PCR shows that either
of them is a mere translation of the other. When we examine them
in details we find that both the works are planned on
the same
pattern. Every corresponding chapter of the PCV and the PCR bears
the same heading, commences with the same topic, follows the same
sequence and ends with the same topic. In the ending verse of
every chapter both the authors employ their own name as test
words.
cantos.
The PCV contains in all 118 cantos while the PCR has 123
The five additional cantos in the PCR do not contain any
thing new but whatever topics are dealt in canto Nos. 56, 66, 103
and 108 of the PGV are found to be bifurcated in the canto Nos. 56 &
57; 67, 68 & 69; 106 & 107 and 112 & 113 of the PCR respectively.
There are some glaring instance which prove beyond doubt that
one is the copy of the other. Both the works while enumerating the
queens of Vasudevas in the canto No. 20 mention Prabhāvatī as the
queen of Lakṣmaṇa, the eighth Vasudeva (PCV, 20.187; PCR, 20. 228).
But in both the works there is no reference to Lakṣmaṇa's marriage
with Prabhāvatī. The PCV at 91. 14-16 and the PCR at 95.20-23
while referring to the eight queens of Lakṣmaṇa mention Viśalyā as his
chief queen, but there is no reference to Prabhāvati. The PCV (105.16)
