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90
Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
are of interest to an antiquary are given below. The Paümacariya speaks of :
(i) A gem bored by a diamond (Vajra)160 - 1.13b. (ii) The ears of a Jester (Vidūşaka) made out of wood (I.19). (iii) Elephants with their temples decorated with red mineral fluid (sindūra) and
who were adorned with 'Nakşatramāla', and bells (11.39). (iv) A hunter looking upon the sight of a Jain monk as an evil omen (VI.
139-140). (v) Floor-decoration with five coloured powders (Rangāvali : XXIX.2; XL.5;
LXVI 21). (vi) Ornamental drawings (Bhakti) with various mineral metals or fluids
(Dhaturasa 161, XXXIX.3). (vii) A large number of wives of kings. (viii) A large number of supernatural lores (VII. 135-42).
(ix) Kanduka-kiidā (a game with a ball, XV.13). (x) The exact replica of Daśaratha made of clay (Lepya, XXIII). (xi) The celebrations on the birth of a son (XXV.14). (xii) The drawing of life-like pictures on cloth (XXVIII.9). (xiii) Various plants and creepers giving their names (LIII.79). (xiv) Dināra (a gold coin, LXVIII.32), Ratna and Kākini (CXVIII-107), and of
false weights and measures and their use (XIV.26). (xv) Sending a ‘Lekha' (letter, XXXVII.2; LXXVII.45). (xvi) The cremation of Rāvana with fragrant substances like gośirşa, candana,
Aguru, Karpūra, etc. (LXXV.4). (xvii) The remarkable mode of 'Sapatha-grahaņa' by Lakşmaņa (XXXVIII.18);
and by Satrughna as well (LXXXV-9). (xviii) The five Ordeals (Divyas), only four are mentioned by name 1 Tulārohana,
2 Agnipravesa, 3 Pbala-grahaņa, 4 Visa-pāna, (C1.38–39). (xix) The honour done to a Dūta by presenting him Tāmbūla etc. (LXXVIII.44)
and of his being 'Avadhya'. (xx) The Mahābhārata and Rāmāyana. It deserves notice that Vimala sūri knows
Mahābhārata as Bhārata (CV.16). Finally, the author reproduces many Abhānakas and Janaśrutis which appear to have been taken up from the popular speech directly, and have no parallels in Sanskrit literature.
These gleanings (and their interpretation) will enable the reader to get some idea of the social and cultural conditions as reflected in Paümacariya.
160 Mallinātha (on Raghu 1.4) explains : 'Vajrena manivedhakasūciviseşena' (a steel instrument
pointed with a diamond pin). In passing, it may be noted that this verse strongly reminds
one of Raghu 1.4. 161 Mallinātha (on Kumāra 1.7) explains the term as 'Sindūrādidraveņa'.
