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Purana is quite interesting as it shows how the Jaina authors reacted against the Rāmāyaṇa of Valmiki despite the fact that they have drawn heavily from the great Indian epic.1
This celebrated poem of Vimalasūri is also known as Raghavacaritam. A study of a few verses of the second chapter of this work marks out clearly his attitude towards the Brahmaņical Rama-story, represented by Valmiki. The work undoubtedly shows Vimala's deep familiarity the original Rāmāyaṇa of Valmiki to which he has referred by name, and has also mentioned events, "described in the original version, using almost the same language" His description of Kumbhakarana and his undisturbed sleep for six months is on the same pattern as we have in the Valmiki Rāmāyaṇa. But, as a devout Jaina and a firm believer in the doctrine of non-violence he is not prepared to believe that the demons (Rākṣasas) of Lankā consumed animal flesh. He calls these Rākṣasas as Vidyadharas, "though sometimes he forgetfully calls them also Rākṣasas" who are throughout his work protrayed as staunch Jainas. Although he writes the story of Padma (Rama), he actually eulogises, in the first half of his story, Ravana who "like Naravahanadatta, appears in this poem as perfect knight-errant. As a matter of fact, the ghost of Naravahanadatta looms large in all the literary works beginning from Vimalasuri down to Hemacandra."5
Vimala not only shows his full acquaintance with the events narrated in the Sanskrit Rāmāyaṇa, he was also thoroughly conversant with its language. Although he criticises the earlier poets by contemptuously calling them Kukavi (bad poets), mudhaḥ (fools), he actually follows in their footsteps and freely borrows phrases and expressions of the original Rāmāyaṇa. Moreover, while telling the story of Rama and Rāvaṇa he also brings in something about different Jaina tirthankaras and other interesting details, obviously a product of his own imagination."
A comparative study of the Sanskrit Rāmāyaṇa and the Präkṛta poem of Vimala leaves us in no doubt that the latter, (1st century A.D.), has deliberately followed the original Rama-story although he has shown his Jaina bias here and there. However, the work of Vimalasuri forms the foundation on which later Jaina writers such as Ravisena, Svayambhu and others "built lofty edifices".
The Vasudevahindi is another non-canonical Svetambara text written by Sanghadasagani Vācaka and Dharmasenagani in the Gupta period. It is probably the earliest imitation of the famous Bṛhatkatha written by Gunadhya in the Paiśaci language in the time of the Satavahanas. The story of Rama, as given in this text, is almost entirely taken from the original Rāmāyaṇa though, like the Padmacarita we come across deviations in respect of certain characters such as Lakṣmaṇa, not Räma, killing Rāvana. Similarly, a perusal of Haribhadra's Samaraic-chakaha leads us to conclude that his only purpose was to ridicule the stories of the Hindu epics and Purāņas.
The second great work belonging to this category, in chronological order, is the Padmacarita or
1. Palmacariya, 2. 107-117; 3. 8-16.
2. A.K. Chatterjee, A Comprehensive History of Jainism, p. 274.
3.
VR. VI. 60. 27-63 & VI. 61.28.
4. Raghavacaritam, 2.105; 7.92; A.K. Chatterji, op cit., p. 275; For details see Hiralal Jain, Bharatiya Sanskriti men Jainadharma Ka Yogadana, pp. 130-134, 153.
5. A.K. Chatterjee, op cit., p. 275.
6.
7.
8.
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For other details see Ibid., pp. 274-77.
For details see Ibid., p. 278; Nathuram Premi, Jaina Sahitya aura Itihasu (Hindi), Bombay, 1956, pp. 87-101; Jagadish Chandra Jain, Prak ṛta Sahitya Ka Itihasa, p. 527ff.
For other details see Jagadish Chandra Jain, Präkṛta Sahitya Ka Itihasa (Hindi), Varanasi, 1961, Pp. 390 fl
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