Story Of Rama In Jain Literature

SR No.: 022775
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Saraswati Pustak Bhandar
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 278
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 27 MB

Page 255

The Origin of the Story of Rama in Jain Literature
237
features as listed above and of remarkable features from the Jain tradition, such as Rama and Lakşmana having a large number of wives as every Baladeva and Vasudeva should have, their devotion to Jainism, renunciation of the world by Rāma, Sită, Vibhisana, Hanumat, etc., and their acceptance of the monastic order, Laksmana's sinking into hell, the representation of the Vănaras and the Raksasas as Vidyadharas and followers of Jainism, and so on. Consequently, this Digambara version is generally regarded as an independent Jain form of the Rāma legend.
It is, however, obvious from the preceding discussion that Gunabhadra had always a purpose in view in introducing these changes and that like Vimala Sūri, Gunabhadra too, took Válmīki Rāmāyana as his starting point and introduced important changes and modifications in the received legend to suit his aims, artistic, religious or ethical. The differences between the Valmiki Rāmāyaṇa and Gunabhadra's version cannot, therefore, be taken as a basis for arguing that Guņabhadra's version preserves any original features or traits of the legend as it flourished prior to Vālmīki, more faithfully than Vālmiki does. Such a hypothesis cannot be advanced except on the basis of independent evidence to prove the existence of a Rama legend prior to Vālmīki and substantially different from the version as given by Valmiki. There is no such independent evidence.
The versions of Sanghadāsa and Harisena are very near to the Valmiki-Rāmāyana and are clearly based on it, excepting of course, quite a few Jain features. The versions of Vimala and Guṇabhadra are typical of all the Jain forms of the Rama legend. We, therefore, give here a brief outline of Rāma's story common to all the Jain forms:
10. Outline of the Rama-story common to all the Jain forms
There was a king called Dasaratha of the Ikşvåku family, who ruled over Ayodhyā. He was blest with four princes called Rāma, Lakşmaņa, Bharata and Satrughna. There was, at the time, a king named Janaka who ruled over Videha. He had a daughter by name Sita. Janaka gave her in marriage to Rāma.
Now there was a mighty king called Rāvana who ruled over Lankā. He was fascinated by the wondrous beauty of that princess Sitā. He carried her off by force to Lanka. Rama was stricken with profound sorrow at this missortune.
There was a Vânara prince, Sugrīva, who was deprived of his rightful place in Kişkindhā. He sought Rama's alliance. Rāma and Lakşmaņa helped Sugriva regain the kingdom of Kişkindha. Rāma, Laksmana and the army of Sugriva marched against Lanka; Vibhlşaņa, the righteous brother of Rāvana, did his best to persuade Rāvana honourably to return Sitā to Rama, but in vain. He deserted Rävaņa and formed an alliance with Rama. A terrible war was fought between the two hostile armies of Rāma and Ravana. Finally Ravana was killed, Vibhisana was made king of Lańkā and Rāma was united with his lost queen.