Buddhistic And Jaina Versions Of The Story Of Rama

**Summary of Buddhistic and Jaina Versions of the Story of Rama** In Jaina tradition, Rishabha, the founder of Jainism, belonged to the Puru or Ikshvaku tribe and was the first emperor of Bharatavarsha. His sons, including Bharata (who gave his name to the land), ruled over five great royal houses: Ikshvaku, Kuru, Hari, Ugra, and Natha. These houses produced all twenty-four Jaina Tirthankaras, with Mahavira from the Natha lineage and Parsva from the Ugra lineage. Neminatha, the twenty-second Tirthankara, was a cousin of Krishna, who belonged to the Hari-vamsa. When Rishabha renounced his throne, the territory was divided among these royal houses, with Bharata as overlord. Two princes, Nami and Vinami, sons of Kacha and Mahakacha, were denied a share and established their kingdom in the Vindhya region, becoming the Vidyadharas—known for their psychic powers, scholarly achievements, and use of vimanas. The Vidyadharas, including Ravana, formed political and marital alliances with the five royal houses, earning them equal status. The Kishkinda branch of Vidyadharas, symbolized by a monkey banner, included heroes like Vali, Sugriva, and Hanuman. In the Jaina account of Rama, Dasaratha, a descendant of the Ikshvaku line, ruled Ayodhya after the Sagara dynasty's extinction. His sons, Rama and Lakshmana, assisted King Janaka of Mithila (Hari-vamsa) in

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