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Prakrit and Apabhramsa Studies
This means that Caturmukha (i.e. Brahman) was the deity, our poet worshipped. Caturmukha was a pioneer in evolving the Sandhibandha and Svayambhudeva's Rāmāyaṇa epic (Panmacariya) was considerably influenced in its form, organization and treatment by the former's Rāma epic. From the citations found in the Svayambäūcchandas and in the Siddhahema, one can form, some idea of the great literary worth of Caturmukha's Rāmāyaṇa, although we have no idea of its extent, contents and organization. (4) The Jain Tradition
Works based on the Jainistic versions of the narrative of Rāma are numerous and extensive. They are spread over some seventeen centuries and encompass more than eight languages. Adequate study of this vast amount of material would demand extensive and intensive labours of several scholars. Even so, the work actually done so far in the subject is not inconsiderable. There have been several studies-some quite elaborate, others of a limited nature dealing with the comparative-historical problems.1
As to the Jain versions of the Rāmāyaṇa in Prakrit and Apabhramśa we have several works with us. They are listed below
Paumacariya of Vimala (Pk.). 4th or 5th Century. The Vasudevahindi version of Sarghadāsa (Pk.). 5th Century. The Caupannamahāpurisacariya version of Śilānka (Pk.). 868 A.D.
The Kahāvali version of Bhadreśvara (Pk.). 11th Century. Panmacariya of Svayambhūdeva (Ap.). 9th Century.
The version in Puspadanta's Mahāpurāņa (Ap.). 965-972 A.D. The present account is intended to be more informative than critical, and is confined to the general and comparative-historical aspects of the subject. There was therefore little for me to do than to paraphrase the findings and conclusions already arrived at in the previous studies.
(5) Alterations and Variations
As the works of Caturmukha and others of the Brahmanical
