Rama in Jainism
| Rama | |
|---|---|
 Rama and Lakshmana are the eighth set of Baladeva and Vasudeva according to the Jain universal history | |
| Other names | Padma |
| Predecessor | Dasharatha |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents |
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| Part ofa serieson |
| Jainism |
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Rama(Rāma), the hero ofRamayana,is described in theJain scripturesas one of sixty-three illustrious persons, known asSalakapurusa.Among these, there are nine sets ofBalabhadra,Vasudeva and Prati-Vasudeva.[1]Rama was the 8th Balabhadra withLakshmanaandRavanabeing his Vasudeva and Prati-Vasudeva counterparts. He is described as a young prince who is deprived of his throne and turned into a pauper. While living in exile his wifeSitais kidnapped by Ravana, King of Lanka. Rama then rescues Sita with the help of his brother Lakshmana and KingSugriva.Ravana is killed by Lakshmana (a deviation from the Hindu epic where Rama slays Ravana) and they both go into hell. Rama becomes aJain muniand his soul attainsmoksha(liberation from the cycle of birth and death).[1]Sita becomes a Jain sadhvi and is born into heaven as Indra.
According toNirvana KandaRama attained nirvana atTungi Giriin Maharashtra, where the Jains worship his footprints.
Sources
[edit]The story of Rama in Jainism can be broadly classified into three groups;Samghadasa's version,Vimalsuri's version andGunabhadra's version.[2] Some of the early works which deal with Rama are:[3][4]
Vimalsuri's version
| Author | Language | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Vimalsuri | Prakrit | Paumchariya (3rd century CE) |
| Shilankacharya | Prakrit | Chaupannamahapurusa Chariyam |
| Haribhadra | Prakrit | Dhurtakhyana |
| Bhadreshvara | Prakrit | Khavali |
| Shilankacharya | Prakrit | Chaupannamahapurusa Chariyam |
| Ravisena | Sanskrit | Padmapurana[5] |
| Yogashastra Vrtti | Sanskrit | Hemachandra |
| Hemchandra | Sanskrit | Trishashtisalakapurusha Charitra |
| Dhaneshvara | Sanskrit | Shatrunjaya Mahatman |
| Svayambhu | Apbhramsha | Paumachariya |
Gunabhadra's Version
| Author | Language | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Gunabhadra | Sanskrit | Uttarapurana(9th century CE) |
| Krishna | Sanskrit | Punyachandrodaya |
| Pushpadanta | Apbhramsha | Mahapurana |
Samghadasa's version
| Author | Language | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Samghadasa Gani | Prakrit | Vasudevahindi(3rd century CE) |
| Harisena | Prakrit | Kathakosha |
Some of the later works which mention the story of Rama are:[6]
- Ramayana of Jinadasa (c. 15th century CE)
- Ramacharitra of Padmadevavijaya Gani (c. 16th century CE)
- Ramacharitra of Somadeva Suri (c. 16th century CE)
- Laghu-Trishashtisalakapurusha Charitra of Somaprabha (c. 15th century CE)
- Padmapurana of Raidhu in Apbhramsha (c. 15th century CE)
- Padma-Ramayana of Nagchandra in Kannada (c. 11th century CE)
- Ramacharita of Devavijayaganir (c. 1596 CE)
- Laghu-Trishashtisakalapurusha Charitra of Meghvijaya (c. 17th century CE)
Story
[edit]
Following is the outline of Rama story from the Jain narratives:[7][8]
Dasharathawas the king ofIkshvaku dynastywho ruledAyodhya.He had four princes: Padma (Rama), Narayana (Lakshmana),BharataandShatrughna.Janakaruled Videha. His daughterSitawas married to Rama. Sita was kidnapped byRavana,who took her to his kingdomLanka.During the search for Sita, Rama and Lakshmana meetSugrivaandHanuman.Sugriva,the king of theVanaraclan was removed from his throne ofKiskindhaby his brotherVali (Vali later becomes a Jain Monk and attains Moksha).Rama and Lakshmana help Sugriva get back his kingdom, after which they, along with the army of Sugriva marched towards Lanka.
Ravana's younger brother,Vibhishana,tried to persuade him to return Sita. However, Ravana refused to do so. Therefore, Vibhishana allied with Rama. There was a war fought between the armies of Rama and Ravana. Lakshmana kills Ravana in the end(deviating from theRamayanawhere the heroRamaslaysRavana) and Vibhishana is crowned King of Lanka. Rama and Lakshmana return toAyodhya.Rama had around eight thousand wives among whom Sita was the principal consort (whereas in theValmiki Ramayana,Sita was Rama's only wife), and Lakshmana had around sixteen thousand wives in whichPrithvisundariwas his principal consort (in the Hindu epic, he had only one wife,Urmila). After Lakshmana's death, Rama becomes a monk. He attainsKevala Jnanaand subsequentlymoksha.Lakshmana and Ravana, on the other hand, go to hell. Sita was born in heaven.
Vimalsuri's Version
[edit]Vimalsuri'sversion is one of the most important and influential Jain stories of Rama. In his version,Kaikeyiis shown to be a generous and affectionate mother who wanted to stopBharatafrom becoming amonk.To do so, she wanted to give him the responsibility of a king.[9]Ravanawas also called Dasamukha (ten-headed one) because when he was young, his mother gave him a necklace made of nine pearls. She could see his face reflected ninefold. Hence, he was named thus.[10]In Vimalsuri'sPaumachariya,Rama married thrice when he was in exile. His brother Lakshmana married eleven times. Ravana was well known for his abilities in meditation and ascetic practices.[11]He was the king ofRakshasa,a kingdom of civilized and vegetarian people.[12]Sugrivawas appointed by his brotherValito become the king before Vali renounces the world and becomes a Jain monk.[12]Shambukawas accidentally killed byLakshmana.[12]Ravana had passionate feelings forSita.Due to the effects ofkarma(caused because of this vice), he was said to have suffered at the end.
Ravisena's Padmapurana
[edit]The story of Rama in Jainism is found inRavisena's Padmapurana[13](Lorebook of the Lotus) is termed as one of the most artistic Jain Ramayana by Dundas.[14]He belonged to theDigambarasect of Jainism and hence removes almost every Svetambara elements that was present in the tale.[15]
Svayambhu's Paumachariyu
[edit]In Svayambhu's version, Rama is son of Aparajita and Lakshmana is son of Sumitra. Sita is shown to be daughter of Janaka.[15]There is also a narration about Sita's brotherBhamandala.He did not know about Sita being his sister and wanted to marry her. He even wanted to abduct her.[15]This narration ends when Bhamandala, after knowing that Sita is his sister, turns into a Jain ascetic.[15]
Sanghadasa's Version
[edit]Sanghadasa's version presents only a brief account of Rama's story.[16]In this version,Dasharathahad three queens;Kaushalya,KaikeyiandSumitra.Rama was from Kaushalya, Lakshmana from Sumitra,BharataandSatrughnafrom Kaikeyi.[17]
Sita is said to be daughter of Ravana's queenMandodari.[3]It was predicted that the first child of Mandodari would bring annihilation to the family. Hence, Ravana deserted the child when she was born.[17]The minister who was responsible for this took her in a pearl-box, placed her near a plough and toldJanakaofMithilathat the girl is born from the trench. Janaka's queen Dharini became Sita's foster mother.[18]
While in exile, Rama visited a place called Vijanasthana. Surpanakha was dumbstruck at the beauty of Rama and wanted to marry him.[18]However, Rama refused to marry another person's wife. He in turn cut her ears and nose after she was scolded by Sita.[18]Surpanakha complained about this to her brothers Khara and Dusana who were killed by Rama on their quest for revenge. Surpanakha then goes to her brother Ravana.[19]
Harisena's KathaKosa
[edit]In Harisena's Kathakosa, there is an incident where Rama asks Sita to give the famousAgnipariksha.When Sita steps into the fire, the whole area turns into a lake. A Jain nun appears and Sita and others around her become Jain ascetics.[20]
Gunabhadra's Version
[edit]In the story of Gunabhadra, Dasharatha lived in Varanasi. His queen Subala gave birth to Rama and Kaikeyi gave birth to Lakshmana.[21]Sita was born of Ravana and Mandodari. She was subsequently abandoned by Ravana in a place where Janaka was ploughing the field.[20]
Pushpadanta's Mahapurana
[edit]Pushpadanta gives elaborate description of the marriage between Rama and Sita.[22]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^abPillai, Pooja."No exaggerations: The truth behind what happened in the Ramayana".No. 8 November 2015. The Indian Express.Retrieved8 November2015.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 60.
- ^abJain 2000,p. 5.
- ^Iyengar 2005,pp. 58–59.
- ^Natubhai Shah 2004,pp. 21–23.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 61.
- ^Jacobi 2005,pp. 4–5.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 67.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 81.
- ^Ramanujan 1991,p. 35.
- ^Ramanujan 1991,p. 34.
- ^abcDas 2005,p. 122.
- ^Padma Puran
- ^Dundas 2002,p. 239.
- ^abcdDas 2005,p. 123.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 66.
- ^abIyengar 2005,pp. 63–64.
- ^abcIyengar 2005,p. 64.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 65.
- ^abDas 2005,p. 124.
- ^Iyengar 2005,p. 71.
- ^Das 2005,p. 125.
Sources
[edit]- Das, Sisir Kumar (2005),A History of Indian Literature, 500-1399: From the Courtly to the Popular,Sahitya Akademi,ISBN978-81-260-2171-0
- Dundas, Paul(2002) [1992],The Jains(Second ed.), London and New York:Routledge,ISBN978-0-415-26605-5
- Iyengar, Kodaganallur Ramaswami Srinivasa (2005).Asian Variations In Ramayana.Sahitya Akademi.ISBN978-81-260-1809-3.
- Jacobi, Herman (2005).Vimalsuri's Paumachariyam(2nd ed.). Ahemdabad: Prakrit Text Society.
- Jain, Pannalal (2000). Hiralal Jain, A.N. Upadhaye (ed.).Ravishenacharya's Padmapurana(in Hindi) (8th ed.). New Delhi: Bhartiya Jnanpith.ISBN81-263-0508-8.
- Johnson, Helen M. (1931),Jain Ramayana of Hemchandra
- Ramanujan, A.K. (1991). "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation".In Paula Richman (ed.).Many Rāmāyaṇas: The Diversity of a Narrative Tradition in South Asia.University of California Press.ISBN978-0-520-07589-4.
- Shah, Natubhai (2004) [First published in 1998],Jainism: The World of Conquerors,vol. I,Motilal Banarsidass,ISBN81-208-1938-1
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