Padmapurana by Ravishen acharya
Padmapurana is a Jain Ramayana. It was composed by Acharya Ravishena (Ravisena) in Sanskrit in the 7th century CE. In Jain tradition it is treated as a major narrative about Padma (Rama), one of the 63 Shalaka Purushas, and it presents Rama as a virtuous, non-violent hero who ultimately renounces worldly life and attains moksha. The work is a celebrated Digambara retelling and is often read alongside other Jain Ramayana narratives, such as Paumacariya (Prakrit) and Hemachandra’s Rama sections in the Śvetāmbara tradition. The Padma Purana emphasizes dharma, renunciation, and spiritual progress in line with Jain ethics, and it weaves in rich mythological and psychoanalytic portrayals of its characters.
Key points:
- Authored by Acharya Ravishena (Ravisena), 7th century CE.
- Language: Sanskrit; part of the Digambara Jain literary tradition.
- Rama is Padma; Lakshmana and other figures appear in Jain-ethical settings; Ravana’s killing is depicted within Jain morality, and Rama is later shown as a muni who attains liberation.
- The Rama cycle also appears in Śvetāmbara works (e.g., Hemachandra’s Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charitra), though with different narrative emphasis and details.