Studies in Jainism

SR No.: 006565
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 182
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 11 MB

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STUDIES IN JAINISM
It will be seen from the summary given above that th version of the story is entirely different from that of Vimalasuri. It takes Sitā to be the daughter of Rāvana. There are several stories in which Sitā is to be seen as Rāvana's daughter. 28 It is difficult to say wherefrom Gunabhadra derived this idea. Is there any influence of the Adbhuta Rāmāyana story? Şītā's abduction occurs in the precincts of Benares. Does this indicate the influence of the Dasaratha Jataka wherein Dasaratha is stated to have been ruling in Benares. This is further strengthened by the intensely ascetic nature ascribed to the character of Rāma, just as in the Buddhist story. Mārica assuming the form of a golden deer to separate Rāma from Sītā points to the direct influence of the Vālmīki Rāmāyana. These facts make it difficult to trace back this Rāma story to any single source. It seems to be a conglomeration of various legends pertaining to Rāma. The only point of similarity between this and Vimala sūr's school is the common protest against sacrifices found in both, though not in the same language, and the story of Harisena. It does not seem to be imbued with any human interest and is insipid as a work of art. Hence its lesser popularity.
A few words may be said on the influence of these Jaina Rāmāyaṇas on some other versions of the Ramāyana in Indian literature. Mr. D.C. Sen in his work entitled The Bengali Rāmāyaṇas claims to have found some such influence in some of the Bengali Rāmāyaṇas. Dr. F. W. Thomas has written at length on some Tibetan versions of the Rāmāyaṇa story.29 Three manuscripts of this story were discovered in Chinese Turkestan. They have been assigned to the period between 700 and 900 A.D. As the Doctor states “they are mutually independent." There are some variations of names and incidents in all the three documents. Jaina influence is clearly to be seen in these stories. According to Vimalasūri the name of Rāvana's father was Rayanāsava (Ratnasrava) and the same occurs in these documents. Sitä is the daughter of Rāvana as in the story of Guṇabhadra.
28 HIL., II. 494, n. 4. 29 Indian Studies (Laumann Memorial Volume) 193-212.