Studies in Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 37

SOME ASPECTS OF PAÜMACARIYA
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characterization in Paümacariya. Consideration of space prevents us from undertaking here a review of the characters of the important men and women that play a conspicuous part in the story. We rest content by pointing only to some of the more noteworthy aspects of the characterization in Paümacariya. Vimala's aim at elevating his character is very obvious. According to Vālmīki's Rāmāyana, Kaikeyi is a selfish, greedy and intriguing woman. Rāma kills Vālin treacherously and is guilty of killing Sambūka. Rāvana is a tyrant, an oppressor of mankind violently obstructing sacrifices, and he abducts women. Vālin is a usurper, and unlawfully takes possession of his brother's wife and kingdom. Vimala takes a very sympathetic view of these characters and attempts to clear them of blame. He represents Kaikeyi as a mother par excellence who is prepared to let her husband accept asceticism but desperately tries to retain her loving son. She does not demand Rāma's exile. Valin, a mighty Vidyadhara hero, though capable of inflicting a crushing defeat on Rāvana, voluntarily appoints Sugrīva to the throne and himself becomes a monk. This account acquits Vālin of the shameful charge of living with his brother's wife, and Rāma of the charge of treacherously slaying Vălin, who had done no harm to him. Laksmana kills Sambūka by accident and this exonerates Rāma completely from the guilt of slaying a man who, though a sūdra, was a tapasvin. Rāvana is a pious and devout Jain. He restores ruined Jain shrines. As far as possible he avoids himsā, whenever he has to fight. In his world-conquest he is shown to have subdued his enemies whom he later on sets free and restores to them their kingdoms. His only weakness is his passion for Sītā. Vimala is probably the first poet to represent Rāvana as a hero eminently suited to a great tragic play of the western type. The poet presents Kumbhakarna and other Rāksasa heroes as very pious souls devoid of all the ugly and ferocious traits attributed to them in Vālmīki's Rāmāyana. Another remarkable aspect of the characterization in the Paümacariya is to be seen in the large number of wives of some principal characters. According to Vimala, Rāma, Laksmana and Hanumat had 8000, 16000 and 1000 wives respectively. Sagara and Harişeņa, two sovereign rulers had each 64000 wives. Rāvana at a time had married 6000 wives. Vimala probably believed that the greater the number of wives a person has, the greater is his glory ! According to Vālmīki's Rāmāyaṇa Rāma was devoted and faithful to his only wife Sītā. Laksmana was married to Urmilā only and Hanumat was celibate. One more noteworthy aspect of the characterisation in the Paümacariya is that all the principal characters in the Paümacariya barring Laksmana (and Rāvana) are pious Jain laymen who retire from the world at the end and become Jain monks and attain to liberation or heaven. Laksmana is shown to have sunk into hell after death for having failed to adopt Jain Dharma. Kaikeyi,