Jain Version of Ramayana

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: ZZ_Anusandhan

Page 5

मार्च २००९
Guṇabhadra had attempted to offer new allegorical meanings to these sacrificial acts for enhancing the Jaina tenets like Ahimsā, Samyama and Tapas. The discussion about the meaning of the word '37 occurs in Vimalasüri's and Gunabhadra's Rāmāyaṇa. The protest against the Brahmnic sacrificial institution can be seen in the major Jain versions. (7) Introducing the character of Narada :
It is well known that Narada is a Paurāņika figure and is added to Valmiki Rāmāyaṇa sporadically in Balkāṇḍa and Uttarakāṇḍa. This interesting character is introduced often in all major Jain Rāmāyaṇas to accelerate the speed of the main story in convincing manner. Nārada frequently visits Padma and Rävaṇa, carries messages and gives detailed reports of various incidents. We find the peculiar character of Narada in Ardhamägadhi canons like Nāyādhammakahā❞ and Rṣibhāṣita.1o 'The Episodes of Narada in Jain Literature' is an interesting subject of a separate research paper.
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(8) Rāmasetu:
६७
Valmiki describes the episode of Setubandha in Yuddhakaṇḍa. Pravarasena, a non-Jain poet has dedicated his whole epic to Setubandha or Rāvaṇavaho; written in Mahārāsṭri Prakrit in 5th Century A.D. Recently a lot of discussion is going on this controversial issue. The literary evidence of Kamba Rāmāyaṇa is quoted often in this matter. After a genuine scrutiny of major ten Jain Ramakathās, it is known that none of these Ramakathās have mentioned the building of a bridge to cross the ocean to enter Larkā. Vanaras and Rākṣasas used Vănari and Khecari Vidyas to cross the ocean. 11 Padma and Lakṣmaṇa reached Lanka with the help of Vimānas.12 (9) A Liberal Feminist Approach:
When we examine the Jain versions of Rāmāyaṇa, we come to know that on the whole, a liberal feminist perspective is reflected in the presentation of Rāmakathā. The observation