Jain Ramayana: A Unique Combination of Universal Philosophy & Jain Culture

The Jain pantheon states that Lord Munisuvrat Svami, a Tirthankara, was born more than 11,75,000 years ago. Suvrata Muni, the spiritual teacher and master of Sri Rama, was a descendent of Munisuvrat Svami. King Anaranya, the grand father of rama, was born during his regime. The average life span of a man at that time was Lord Mahavira Svami learnt about Ramayana with his Kevalagyan and narrated it to his disciple Ganadhara Gautama, who compiled it in the form of sutras. It reached Sri Vimalasuri through the oral tradition. Abot 1996 years ago, he compiled the Ramayana in Magadhi language. This epic was called Paumacariyam. Most of the people who follow other faiths, and to a certain extent even jain children and youths are ignored of the fact that there exists a jain version of Ramayana. The hectic pace of modern life makes the pursuit of Sanskrta and Magadhi an impossible  contingency. The chances of their learning and mastering these nearly extict languages and then studying the original Ramayana are very remote. I therefore felt that ramayan a should be presented to them in Hindi, English and gujarati. What’s more, it should also be translated in languages like Marathi, kannada, Tamil, telgu etc to acquaint the people of other faiths with this epic. Jain Ramayana attracts and enchants the readers of any age group. The message of renouncement that this book preaches eloquently appeals the serious readers. After having experienced the bitter and sweet lessons from life, and after seeing many of the near and dear ones willingly or unwillingly embrace the death, they too are shattered like Rama. When Rama was in a state of delirium because of Laksmana’s death, diety Krtantavadana and diety Jatayu opened his eyes. They acquainted him to the harsh and yet essential reality that Laksmana was dead and Rama too was going to follow him one day.