________________
Pustak Bhandara, Sardarshahar, Terapantha Sabha, Sardarshahar, Punamchand Buddhamal Dudhoriya, Chhapar, Ghewar Pustakalaya, Sujangarh, Jain Vishva Bharti, Ladnun and Jaisalmer Bhandāra, in addition to Order's Bhandāra. The text of Nandi revised by Muni Punyavijayaji was also made available to us. All this provei a valuable assistance to us.
An important stage of the publication of the revised text of 32 āgamas, which began under the able stewardship of Ācārya Si Tulsi as Vācanā-pramukha, is completing today. For the first time the revised and authorised version of the 32 āgamas is being made available to the scholars. It is a matter of ineffable joy for us.
The work of the editing of agamas first started in V.S. 2012 at Ujjain. In that year the word indexes of almost all the 32 agamas had been prepared. Several monks and nuns were actively engaged in it. Groups, each containing three or four monks or nuns, were formed and they finished the assignment without any loss of time. On the one hand the aged monks like Muni Chauthmalji, Muni Sohanlalji (Churu) etc. were actively engaged in it while on the other hand the younger monks too devoted themselves wholeheartedly to this job, which was like a campaign and every participant was full of the awakening of a new spirit. The text was unrevised so far, so it could not be utilised fully weli. Word-indexes had got to be prepared anew, but whatever line of action was chalked out, was quite commendable. One special and worth-mentioning characteristic of this editing is that everything was done by the monks themselves and no external help from any scholar-householder was required. The whole credit goes to the leadership of Acărya Sri as also to the Terapanth Religious Order.
I cannot afford to forget on this occasion the services rendered by the late Madanchandji Gothi who had a very sound knowledge of agamas and was exceedingly helpful in revising the text of agamas. Had he been alive, he would have felt satisfied on the publication of this volume.
The Managing Director of the Agama series, Sri Srichand Rampuria (Vice-Chancellor, Jain Vishva Bharti) has been taking interest in this work since its inception. He is ever devoted to the task of popularising the Agamic lore. After retiring completely from his well-established profession, he has been devot. ing a major part of his time to the service of Agama literature. Sri Khemchand Sethia and Sri Srichand Bengani, the President and the Secretary respectively of Jain Vishva Bhart i have cooperated a lot towards the successful completion of this task. The English rendering of 'Editorial' and 'Introduction' has been made by Dr. Nathmal Tatia.
The mention of the cooperation of the co-workers in a common enterprise is only a formality. In fact it was a sacred duty of all of us and that we have fulfilled. Anuvrata Bhawan, Delhi.
Yuvācārya Mahaprajña 22nd Oct., 1987.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org