Story Of Rama In Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Saraswati Pustak Bhandar

Page 76

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Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
tradition and that it was only 'Nāmā valiyanibaddham'18 and thus indicates that for the first time he gave it a literary shape composing it in the Gathā metre."
Ravişena's work has a very distinct Digambara stamp. If the Paumacariya were later there is no reason why its author should retain only some Digambara traits and in some other cases introduce Svetāmbara traits.
Ravişena displays his great dialectical skill and arguments ability and high proficiency in philosophical erudition, as for example, when he launches a vigorous and spirited attack against the Vedic sacrifice, the creation theory etc. If this highly important. portion of the text were before Vimalasūri, he would have certainly incorporated this criticism in his Purāna-kāvya and enhanced its value. His silence in this regard is very significant and probably suggests tbat in his days he had not felt the need of rebutting the opponent's point of view by resorting to dialectics.
The horoscope of Hanūmat as given in the Paunacariya is astronomically not correct, whereas the one found in the Padmapurāna: 2 is astronomically correct. This clearly proves that Ravişena has corrected the obvious error found in the Paumacariya that was before him.
The arguments (for late dating) so far considered have not much force behind them and one cannot seriously challenge the date given by the author on their basis; the last argument based on the identity of the Nāila-kulavamsa and 'Naili Sāhā' is, however, very weighty and highly plausible. Jacobi has absolutely no doubt in his mind regarding the identity. Pandit Lalchand B. Gandhi believes that Nājla-gaccha and Nagendra gaccha (and Nāili Sāhā) are, possibly identical. 33 The writers of “Jaina Paramparāno Itihāsa hold that the two are identical.34 In his celebrated work called "Vira Nirvana Samvat aura Jain Kala-ganana" Muni Kalyana Vijayajı supports the view that Nāila Kula, Naili Sahā, Naila gaccha and Nagendra gaccha or Kula are all identical, although he points out that the equation Nāila = Nāgendra is not 28 नामावलियनिबद्धं, आयरियपरंपरागयं सव्वं ।
वोच्छामि पउमचरियं अहाणपुदिव समासेणं ।। -1-8 29 galgaranta, 15 TETE 91935579
faqat qafi eo fh11 -1-31 एय वीरजिणेण रामचरियं सिद्धं महत्थं पुरा, पच्छाऽऽखडलभूइणा उ कहियं सीसाणं धम्मासय । भूओ साहुपरंपराए सयल लोए ठियं पायड,
CFI fansur yatafai illas II CXVIII-IC2 30 Padmapurāņa, Parvan XI, vv. 164-251. 31 Paumacariya, Parvan XVII, vv. 106-111. 32 Padmapurana, Parvan XVII, vv. 360-377. 33 Jain Yuga, Vol. I, part 2 (pp. 68-69), Asvina 1981. 34 Jain Paramparāno Itihasa, Part I (pp. 305-410), by Tripuți Mahārāja, Ahmedabad, 1952.