Jain Journal 1992 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 56

98
Purāṇam no reference is made of the mothers of Bharata and Śatrugna, though it upholds the paternity of Dasaratha.12 Sita' sdescription reveals the pitiful conditions of women, from birth onwards which is a sad commentary of women's position in the society. Sita was born to Lankesvara Ravaṇa and his chief queen Mandodari, who abandons the child after birth. Janaka who finds the child brings her up giving the name Sita. Rāma marries Sita. Narada narrates the beauty of Sita to Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa transforms Marica into a golden deer. Sita is kidnapped in his aerial car, i.e., Puşpaka-vimāna-Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa search for Sita, the meeting of Vali, Sugriva, Anjaneya follows. In the war which follows, Ravana dies by the discus of Lakṣmaṇasuch in brief, is the story as narrated by Camuṇḍaraya. Being a prime promoter of Jainism, Camuṇḍaraya has handed-over to his people, Gunabhadrācārya's Jaina Rāmāyaṇa tradition in their own language for better understanding and appreciation.
The tradition of Gunabhadracārya's Rāmāyaṇa was followed by a set of scholars of the later period like, Nagaraja, the author of Punyasrava. This work was composed in 1331 AD.18 The Rāmāyaṇa narrative story appears, in the seventh canto entitled 'Sitädevi-Kathe'. The author was highly impressed by the chastity of Sita, who is also referred to as Janaki. He begins the narrative, with an invocation stotra in praise of Janaki. A reference to the names of the other three queens of Rama, namely Prabhavati, Ratinibha and Śridhama are made. The speciality of the Jaina version of Rāmāyaṇa lies in the fact that, Rama is a polygamist. The story deals with the later part of the Rāmāyaṇa, after Sita's banishment by Rama. The events such as reunion, agnipraveśa, i.e., fire ordeal, are narrated. In the concluding part of this story, Nagaraja, upholds the chastity of Sita. Sita who undergoes the fire ordeal appears seated on the lotus flower and is untouched by Agni. Later she renounces the world and enters the ascetic order.14
JAIN JOURNAL
In about 1540 A.D. Devappa composed the Rāmavijaya-Kävya, based on the tradition of Guṇabhadrācārya. He has kept up the nāmāvali of the chief characters of the Rāmāyaṇa narrative story as referred to by Guṇabharācārya. Accordingly he has mentioned the name of Kaikeyi as the mother of Lakṣmaṇa, but has abruptly
12 Ibid., p. 264.
13 Nāgarāja, Puṇyāsrava, p. 11, ed. Javaregowda, D. 14 Ibid., pp. 231-242.