Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 94

THE STORY OF PADMA (RĀMA)
MAURICE WINTERNITZ
4. It was in the days when King Seniya, ie., Śreņika Bimbisāra, reigned in the Magadha city of Rājapura. Now in the city of Kundagrāma the Jina Mahāvīra was born as the son of Prince Siddhārtha and his consort Trisalā; at the age of 30 years he left his home, and attained to perfect knowledge. Once Mahāvīra preached a sermon upon souls and transmigration, on the Vipula hill in the presence of gods, men and animals. Among those present was king Seniya. When the latter had returned home, he dreamed about the Jina, and the next morning he made the following reflection :
"How is it possible that the demon heroes in all their mighty strength were defeated by monkeys? And the demons with Rāvana at their head, who, according to the Jaina faith, were certainly of noble descent, are said to have eaten meat! Then again it is said that, in spite of all the disturbances, Rāvana's brother Kumbhakarņa slept for half a year, and then after his awakening, devoured elephants, etc., whereupon he again slumbered for half a year. Then again Indra, though he rules over gods and men, is said to have been taken captive to Lankā by Rāvana! At that rate we might as well affirm that the lion is overcome by the gazelle, the elephant by the dog. These Rāmāyana stories are most certainly lies."
In order to obtain enlightenment on these matters, the king with his retinue repairs to Goyama, and requests him to instruct him correctly regarding the life of Padma, as it seemed to him that the absurdities which are related regarding Rāma, Rāvana and others, were not worthy of
1. After Leumann's rendering of II, 99-119. In the following
extracts, too, for the portions given in quotation marks Professor Leumann's German translation has been freely used.