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

Page 40

INTRODUCTION
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Paumacariyam was composed earlier than 778 A. D. Uddyotanasūri refers to the Padmacaritam of Ravişeņa also. Shri K. H. Dhruva? maintains that the Paumacariyaṁ was composed later than the Padma. caritam. He states that some metres employed in the PCV are modern and the test word Vimala used in the work is also not an old practice. But, these elements cannot be a sure guide in determining the date of the work. The Setubandha also uses a test word though, not the name of the author and we have proved that the Padmacaritam is an enlarged Sanskrit version of the original Paumacariyama. The date of Padmacaritam” is 677 A. D. Therefore, the Paumacariyam must date earlier than the Padmacaritam.
Internal Evidences :
The PCV refers to Dināra at 68.32 on the occasion of mock auctioning of Ravana by Angada. Dr. V. S. Agrawala 4 says that it were the Imperial Kuşāņas who first introduced the name Dināra to their coins. Kuşāņa King Kadphises (45-78 A. D.) is said to have struck the Dināra coins. Particularly in the south the Nāgārjunikonda Inscp. No. 2 of Virapurnşadatta of the time of second half of the third century A. D. refers to such coin and that also as Dinārīmāśaka. The Angavijjā also refers to the Dināri?. It is the Gupta gold coins which are known as Dīnāras. All these evidences prove that the Dināras became prevalent not before the last quarter of the 1st century A. D. Further the PCV (14.115) mentions Sallekhana under the fourth Siksā pada of the house holder's conduct. The Caritra. pāhuda of Kundakundācārya (v. 25) whose date ranges between first to fifth century A. D. is perhaps the first work which includes Sallekhanā into the Sikşāpadas. The PCV refer to a Švetāmbara monk once only (22.78). At 83.12 it is said that Kaikeyi attained liberation and at 95.26 it is mentioned that Kaikeyi attained some celestial abode. It seems that the first reference is an interpolation and in this light the word Svetāmbara also may be an interpolation. Even, if it is not so then we find that both the traditions, Svetāmbara as well as Digambara hold that the schism took place at 136 or 139
J. Jain Yuga, Pustaka 1, Anka 5, Poga--1982. 2. See Infra. ch. 6. sec. 3. PCR, 123.181. 4. See Angavijja Int. pp. 92-93. 5. See Coins of India, p. 45. 6. SI. Vol. I. p. 222.: 7. Op. cit. 8. Collected works of R. G. Bhandarkar. Vol. Irp. 46.