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 PAUMACARIYAṂ
Obstructing of the sacrifice of Ravana and his failure to achieve
the desired goal is found in the Adhyatma Rāmāyaṇa (6.10.4-35),
Padmapurāṇa (Uttara, 269 does not mention the performance of any
sacrifice by Indrajit) and the Ananda Rāmāyaṇa (1.11.230-240). The
Khotānī Rāmāyaṇa, Telugu Dvipāda Rāmāyaṇa, Kannarese Torāve
Rāmāyaṇa (6.42), Gujarātī Rāmāyaṇa-sāra, Kāśmīrī Rāmāyaṇa, Serī
Rāma, Reama Kera, Rāma Kiyena and the West-Acct. No. 3 also
mention (Bulcke, p. 396) Rāvaṇa's unsuccessful sacrifice.
It is important to note that the Rāmopākhyāna and the Raghuvaṃśa
do not mention either of the sacrifices.
In the RämaKiyena, Kumbhakarna is associated with a sacrifice
undertaken for vitalising the power of his lance (mokṣaśakti). but it
is destroyed by Hanumat and Angada (Bulcke, p. 392),
H. Rāvaṇa's plan to set free Sītā :
According to the PCV, Rāvana after having achieved the
Bahurupā-vidyā frightens Sītā saying to her that she would willingly
submit to him when her husband is killed by him. Distressed Sītā im-
plores Rāvaṇa to desist from ending the life of Rāma and Bhāmaṇḍala
and soon falls down on the ground in swoon (69.29). At the sight of
this plight of Sītā, Rāvaṇa becomes remorseful of his cruel deeds and
decides to set her free, but after having defeated Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
so that he would escape from being charged as coward. Moreover he
thinks that then he would become the sovereign of the whole
Bhāratavarṣa (69.58).
The VR does not refer to any such idea of Rāvaṇa. On the
contrary after the death of Indrajit, Rāvana plans to kill Sītā, but
Supārsva prevents the former from committing such a sinful
act (6 92.58f).
The TR also does nor refer to any such idea of Rāvaṇa.
I. Rejection of Mandodari's request by Rāvaṇa :
According to the PCV Mandodarī reminds Rāvana of the emer-
gence of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa as the Haladhara and the Vasudeva
respectively and his (Prati-vasudeva's) destined death at the hands of
Lakṣmaṇa. She further requests her husband to release Sītā to escape
his ruin. Rāvaṇa does not pay any heed to her words and orders his
army to march forth to the battle field (70).
In the VR there is no direct reference to any request of Mando-
darī. But at the time of bewailing the death of her husband,
