Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik

Many Jain scholars have retold the Ramayana epic. Here, Ram is addressed as Padma and is considered a Baladeva, one of the 63 types of great men who live in a single human era. Vimalasuri wrote the Paumachariya in Maharashtri Prakrit language about 1,900 years ago; Ravisena wrote the Padmapurana in Sanskrit about 1,300 years ago; Swayambhudeva wrote the Paumacariu in Apabrahmsa about 1,000 years ago. What is interesting in these Jain retellings is that the characters often encounter Jain ascetics who enlighten them about the Jain way of life. Often, there are tales on the past lives of many key characters. And, many a time, the characters eventually adopt the Jain way of life.