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Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
समा
रामो विभाइ एवं जह भणसि तुम न एत्थ संदेहो । तह[ वि] बहुलोयविरुद्ध अयसकलंकं न इच्छामि । एवं वामृढमणो सेणाहिबई कयंतवयणं सो। याणवइ गम्भवीयं सीयं रगणमि छह ।। इय भणिए सोमित्ती रावपाएमु पडिऊणं । न हु जुत्तमिमं सामिय परिव [च ] यणं तुम्ह सीयाण । तं याह त यो रामो न एत्थ तुम्हेहिं कि पि भणियब्वं ॥
Vimala:
Canto XCIV. 13-23: यह भणइ लच्छिनिलो, नरबद मा एव दुक्खियो होहि । पिसुणवयोण संपइ, मा चयन महामई सीयं ॥ लोगो कुडिलसहावो परदोसग्गहणनियत्तिल्लो । अजव जगमच्छरियो दुग्गहहियो पदुट्टो य । भाइ तो वलदेवो, एव इमं ज. तुभं रामुलवसि । किं पुण लोगविरुदं, अयसकलंक न इच्छामि । एवं समाउलगणो, सेरणागीयं कयंतवय सो। श्राणवाइ गभवीयं, सीयं बहेहि पारगणे ॥ एव भणिए पवुत्तो, सोमित्ती राहवं कयपणामो। न य देव तुज्न जुत्तं, परिचइऊणं जणयधूयं ॥
पउमो भणइ काणिटुं, एत्तो पुरयो न वि चि व तव्वं ॥
(Note: IT which very well suits the context, must have been the original reading in the Pc. and not महामई
Bhadresvara's narrative differs, however, from the Paumacariya in some respects. His is a continuous narrative in prose interspersed with verse without any divisions into Ucchvasas or Paricchedas whereas the Pc is entirely in verse and divided into several cantos (Uddesas or Parvans). It may be, however, added that frequently Bhadresvara introduces new topics with such remarks as: 'रामकहा भरागइ।' 'रामणकहा मान[ गगा] इ।' 'वाणरकहा भरागाइ'। ‘हणुमंतकहा गराइ ।' 'सीयाकहा भरागाइ।' 'नार यकहा भगगा।' and the like. Further, he changes slightly the order of events in narrating his Katha. Thus he straightway opens his narrative with the description of the dynasty of Rama whereas Vimala first narrates the story of the dynasty of Räkşasas and of Vanaras and it is only with Canto XXI that the story of Rama really begins. As his Ramayana is only an
