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AN OLD VERSION OF THE JAINA RAMAYANA* J. C. Jain
Introduction
The narration of the well-known Rama story which is given in the Vasudevahindi (VH), the Kathasaritsägara (KSS), and the Bṛhatkathāmañjarī (BKM) shows that the tale was also included in the original Bṛhat katha of Gunadha which unfortunately no longer exists as an extant work but which was used as source and model for much of ancient Indian literature. Since the Bṛhatkathaslokasangraha (BKSS) is incomplete it contains only a few stray references to the episodes. The Vasudevahindi which it is argued here contains the oldest Jaina version of the Rāmāyaṇa, raveals some interesting transformations of the popular Valmiki Rāmāyaṇa,
The Role of Vidyadharas
Gunadhya chose vidyadharas, masters of magic art, as heroes of his popular narration, "Tales of vidyadharas are, even more interesting than tales of the gods," says Siva to Parvati when she asks him to tell her some extraordinary story. The imaginative tales later form a part of the Bṛhatkatha, influencing ancient Brahmanic and Jaina literature as well. "Divine beings are always happy, whereas humans are continuously sad and grieve," proclaims Somadeva, author of the KSS, "And therefore, I want to narrate the life of the vidyadharas, who are full of mirth and variety." Somadeva's composition only sunimerizes the most essential parts of the Brhatkatha, Vidyadharas are also mentioned in the well-known versions of the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahabharata and later in Buddhist works, but in these narrations they do not appear as real heroes the way they do in the BKSS, the Kashmirian works (KSS and BKM), and Jaina narratives.
G
A particular Jain contribution to the popular Ramayana tale is that their version displays the Rakṣasas not as meat-eating damons but rather
This paper was read in London on March 13, 1974 at the conference held by the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, to celebrate the Quartercentenary of Tulsi Das's Rämacaritamanasa.
1 Rāmāyaṇam in the Mayanavegalambha, 240-45.
2 107-12-26; Prabhavati is telling the story of Rāmāyaṇavyttänta to Naravahanadatta, 3 Ramakhyayika (15. 1-51).
4 IV.52; XVIII.503.
5 A comparative study based on different narrations of the Vasudevahindi, the BKSS, KSS and BKM has been presented by the author in his work on the Vasudevahindi, soon to be published.
6 The earliest reference is found in the Milindapanho (267). see H, Lüders, Kleine
