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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EDUCATION AND ARCHITECTURE 405 25.26; sa峁僷奴io 39.90). Manu lays down that a pupil should not pay
any fees to his teacher before he finishes his education (2.245) and
teachers charging fees are condemned (3.156) by him. It is further
said that a pupil should give to his teacher such presents as he can
afford-such as field, gold, cow, horse, umbrella, shoes, grain, vegetables
or cloths (2.246).
Age of studentship:-It is said that when boys became capable of
grasping and retaining the meaning of subjects or became able to learn
arts, they were entrusted to a teacher for their studies (Kalagaha峁嘺dh膩-
rapasahe 25.15; 97.12). Their education got completed when they
attained full youth (sampatto jovva峁嘺m savva kal膩su s膩hiyavijjo puno
j膩yo balav墨riya sampanno (18.56). The ancient literature reveals that
the education commenced at the age ranging from five to eight years鲁.
The full youth indicates the marriageable age and on the attainment
of that age the education got completed (24.9; 97.25; 98.1).
As regards the education of girls it will be sufficient to recapitulate
that they were suitably educated in literature, arts and sciences. There
are glimpses that co-education also prevailed and girls were sent out
to the residence of the teacher for their studies.
Places of study:-The PCV reveals that the boys received their
education at home town or were sent out to some other places. R膩ma
and his brothers (25. 23) and Lava峁嘺 and Anku艣a (97.22) received
their education at their home towns at the feet of the teacher specially
appointed for them. A princess of Cakrapura and a son of a purohita
of the same place studied together at the residence of a common teacher
(25. 4, 6). K艣墨rakadamba tought a prince, his son and a Brahmin
boy in the forest (II. 9) in the vicinity of their home town. Princes
De艣abhusana and Kulabh奴峁峁嘺 'went to a place which was far away
from their birth-place. They were completely entrusted to the teacher
and when they returned after completing their education, they could
not recognise even their kith and kin (39. 87-95). There were also
renowned places where students flocked to from various parts of the
country for their education. At Rajag峁沨a Vaivasvat was training no
less than 1000 pupils in archery. The teacher of R膩ma had been
trained there (25. 18). 艢r墨vardhita went to Vyaghrapura for learning
sciences and arts (77.84). Kusumapura seems to be alluded to as a
1. See AIU, p, 582.
2. See Bhag Su, 11 11. 429.
3. See EAI pp 266, 274.
4. See Supra The position of Woman.
