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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378
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
On departure of the younger ones, the elder kissed on their
forehead (86. 14) and blessed them for the success of the work (16. 34;
86. 15).
The departing person before commencing their journey used to
visit the temple to pay their homage to the Jinas (89. 13) or used to
recite the Namask膩ra-formula (97. 23).
On the occasion of any meeting after a long time, the elders
used to embrace the younger ones (30.88; 32. 49; 98. 72; 30-80; 76.
22; 76. 19; 30. 81) or kissed on their forehead (34. 56; 79. 29; 98.
72; 79. 14). On such occasions the breasts of the mothers let loose some
drops of milk when they met their sons (30.94; 79 30). It was quite a
natural flow.
The Jaina monks were paid obeisance by circumambulating
additionally (3. 5, 10; 3.102; 41. 7). The monks on their part blessed
the devotees (3. 6). The devotee bowed his head each time he enquired
something of him (13. 42). At the time of going back the devotee
recircumambulated the religious person (5.40) and then took his
leave.
The inferior sometimes hailed some superior of extraordinary
merits by expressing 'svasti' (satthi峁� karei 35 62) and by offering a
handful of flowers.
B. Customs.
The PCV mentions the following customs which were prevalent
in the society of that time.
For the safety of the departing person a handful of flowers
were offered in the air by the person who remained behind at home
and
he uttered 'let the planets be favourable (53.148) to the
departed one'.
Whenever a person in trouble approached a superior one and
requested him for help, the latter sympathised with the former by
路 putting his hand over the former's head as a mark of protection (45.4).
On getting orders from the master the servants had to perform the
work even if it was very cruel. But they prayed for excuse for the
麓same after performing their duty. The cart-driver on getting orders
from his master abandoned A帽jan膩 in the forest, but he duly begged
her to forgive him (17.9). Similarly K峁泃膩ntavadana abandoned S墨t膩 in
a solitary and terrible forest, but he abused himself for that mean work
(94.79-84).
