Paumacariu (Ayodhya Kanda)

Summary

The excerpt from Paumacariu presented in this issue recounts the Ayodhyā Kanda of Svayambhudeva’s 12th‑century Prakrit epic that retells the Rāmāyaṇa from a Jain perspective. The narrative opens with a prophecy about the Raghu dynasty and describes the births of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna. Unlike Vālmīki’s version, Svayambhudeva emphasises the Jain principle of non‑violence; Rāma and his brothers are portrayed as compassionate princes who avoid unnecessary harm. The text recounts the auspicious circumstances of Sītā’s birth and details the Svayaṃvara, where Rāma wins her hand without breaking Śiva’s bow, thus avoiding violence. When the demon Bhamandala attempts to abduct Sītā, Rāma uses his strength to subdue him but spares his life after he repents, exemplifying Jain forgiveness. The exile episode is adapted to stress renunciation: Rāma leaves Ayodhyā not merely to honour his father’s promise but to pursue spiritual discipline; Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā accompany him as fellow ascetics. The excerpt narrates Bharata’s journey to the forest to persuade Rāma to return, culminating in the well‑known episode of the pair exchanging sandals as symbols of sovereignty and humility. Svayambhudeva also introduces additional episodes absent from mainstream tellings, such as the story of Jivantapura and Lakṣmaṇa’s marriage to Vibhīṣaṇa’s daughter. These embellishments highlight the integration of Jain characters and cosmological motifs. The poetic language employs ornate metres and puns, but the underlying moral remains clear: ideal rulers practice self‑control, compassion and truth. The excerpt ends with Rāma meeting sages in the forest who instruct him on the nature of karma and the importance of non‑attachment. Throughout, the narrative celebrates Jain ethics while retaining the dramatic appeal of the Rāmāyaṇa, illustrating how Jain poets appropriated popular Hindu epics to teach their doctrine.