In the Jaina tradition Maryada Purushottama Rama is recognized as one of the sixty-three shalakapurushas or divine personages. One of his names was Padma. This name has been more in usage in the Jaina puranas and charitkavyas or biographical epics. Jaina epic writers have presented Rama’s life-story under many names like Paumachariya, Paumachariu,Padmapurana, Padmacharit etc. in Prakrit, Sanskrit and Apabhramsha languages. Written by Acharya Jinasena in the 7th century, Padmapurana, is counted among the best biographical epics in Sanskrit. Although a Purana, this work is so marvelous in poetic artistry, psychological analysis, characterization etc. that no other Puranic poetic work is comparable to it. So far as its subject matter is concerned, the poet’s portrayal, along with the main plot, of vidyadharaloka, Anjana-Pavananjaya, Hanumana, Sukoshala etc., in accordance with the context, has made the work so interesting that having once started to read it one does not want to put it down till the end. Edited by Dr. Pannalal Jain with an introduction and appendix, and translated into Hindi by him, this work has been published by the Bharatiya Jnanpith in three parts. Keeping in view the expectations of scholars, researchers and lovers of religious self-study, we hereby present another new edition of the work. This book is in Sanskrit with Hindi Translation.
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