Jaina Granth Bhandars in Rajasthan

SR No.: 011017
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kasturchand Kasliwal
Publisher: Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Mandir
Publication Year: 1967
Total Pages: 394
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

Page 120

100
Jaina Grantha Bhandars in Rajasthan
There are Historical works on the life of Bhattarakas in Hindi which give new account of them. Such works are not casily available. There are the songs written in praise of the Bhattārkas. The names of such songs are as follows:
(1) Nemicandra Gita.
(2)
Viśälkirti Gita.
(3) Sahasra Kirti Gita.
(4) Éri Bhūşana Gita.
(5) Jaskirti Gita.
(6) Dharmakitti Gita.
(7) Gunacand Gita.
The Prasastis written at the end of the manuscripts are also an important onc. These Prasastis are of two kinds. Praśastis which are witten by the authors themsciver giving their full description, date of composition, Ruler's name, place where composed, and the circumstances under which the work was written. The Prasastis written by the copyists give full account of the family of the persons by whom the manuscript was got written in such Prasastis the Ruler's name and the name of the place is also given. Such Prasasti serve it good purpose for historical and social surveys
The Grantha Bhandal has not been searched out thoroughly, a catalogue giving the names of the manuscripts, author's name, Bhāșa, Date of compoSition, Date of copying etc. have been prepared recently by Sri Satīsa Candra and Yatindra Kumar Sastri. A list of manuscripts copied in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries are given in the Appendix 11
JAINA GRANTHA BHANDĀRS-JAISALMER
The Jäina Grantha Bhandars of Jaisalmer have long been famous throughout India Those Bhandārs are called most valuable manuscript collections preserved in India They drew attention to their importance of not Indian Scholars but also of Western Scholars As a matter of fact Western Scholars realised their importance for the first time very recently. Among the Western Scholars Colonel James Tod was the first scholar who drew attention to their importance, in his book "TRAVELS IN WESTERN INDIA" (1829) a delightful work which deals largely with the sacred places of the Jainas.