Critical Study Of Paumacariyam

SR No.: 022643
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: K R Chandra
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology and Ahimsa
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 672
Language: English, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_English & Book_Devnagari
File Size: 18 MB

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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAN
On the whole the story has a realistic pattern and Vimalasūri has made the greatest contribution to the Prakrit Literature in the form of the first Rāma-epic in Prakrit.
· SECTION 3. INFLUENCE OF PAUMACARIYAŃ
A. Influence of Jaina Works. The tradition of Paumacariyaṁ is generally followed by subsequent Jaina authors such as Ravişeņa, Svayambhu, Hemacandra, Bh. Somasena etc. The tradition of Vasudevahindi remained only with it, scarcely any subsequent author has been found to have followed its story, Guņabhadra's tradition of Rāma-story is followed by a few authors namely, Puşpadanta etc. It is the tradition of Vimalasūri's Paumacariyam which became very popular among the Svetāmbaras and the Digambaras alike. 1. Ravişena's Indebtedness to Vimala suri:
(a) Vimalasuri, Predecessor of Ravişena: There has been some controversy over the precedence of Vimalasūri and Ravişena. We shall now examine the question as to who is earlier of the two.
Even a casual glance at the PCV and the PCR shows that either of them is a mere translation of the other. When we examine them in details we find that both the works are planned on the same pattern. Every corresponding chapter of the PCV and the PCR bears the same heading, commences with the same topic, follows the same sequence and ends with the same topic. In the ending verse of every chapter both the authors employ their own name as test words.
The PCV contains in all 118 cantos while the PCR has 123 cantos. The five additional cantos in the PCR do not contain any thing new but whatever topics are dealt in canto Nos. 56, 66, 103 and 108 of the PCV are found to be bifurcated in the canto Nos. 56 & 57; 67, 68 & 69; 106 & 107 and 112 & 113 of the PCR respectively.
There are some glaring instance which prove beyond doubt that one is the copy of the other. Both the works while enumerating the queens of Vasudevas in the canto No. 20 mention Prabhāvati as the queen of Lakşmaņa, the eighth Vasudeva (PCV, 20.187; PCR, 20. 228). But in both the works there is no reference to Laksmana's marriage with Prabhāvati. The PCV at 91. 14-16 and the PCR at 95.20-23 while referring to the eight queens of Laksmana mention Visalya as his chief queen, but there is no reference to Prabhāvatr. The PCV (105.16)