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PAUMACARIYAM
A Literary Evaluation
Dr. K.R. Chandra Former Professor of Prakrit, University of Gujrat, India
The Jain tradition recognises sixtythree salakapurusas as its ancient illustrious heroes. They include 24 Tirthankaras, 12 Cakravartins, 9 Baladevas, 9 Vasudevas and 9 Prativasudevas. In Jain Purana and Carita literature, glorification of these hero lives is quite common. The Paumacariyam, the earliest work of the kind, contains a narrative of the eighth trio of Baladeva Padma, Vasudeva Laksmana and Prativasudeva Ravana. In the work, Baladeva Padma is Dasarathi Rama, who also known as Padma.
The Paumacariyam is a versifed work in the Maharastri-Prakrta language. It is composed by Vimalasuri, a Jain author of the c. 5th cent. A.D.' It is the oldest Prakrta as well as as Jaina Rama epic which has been generally a model for the subsequent works on Jaina Rama story. The work in question differs in its style from that of the Agamas, the earliest Jain literature and it is the first available Jain work which deals with a Puranic narrative in poetic way and there lies the importance of its literary evaluation.
The work is named Paumacariyam (Padmacaritam). The main theme of the work is about the life of Padma (Rama), the eighth Baladeva of the Jaina faith, from his birth to emancipation. The pivotal incidents of the story are the voluntary exile of Padma, the kidnapping of his wife, Sita by Ravana and Rama's success in rescuing Sita, therefore, the title of the work suits the theme.
The work, a Carita or a Purana
The poet introduces the work as a 'Carita'3 and the same nomenclature is found in the colophons at the end of all the cantos and at other places. At two places the work is designated as purana. The Jaina tradition does not distinguish between a carita and a purana. Ravisena styles his Padmacaritam as Padmapuranam in the colophons
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