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 48

Introduction,
[ 27
Thus in the past several attempts were made to investigate these Bhandars and their catalogues have also been published. But as a matter of fact all the Bhandārs situated throughout India are too numerous to be examined by a small band of scholars. A list of the Jaina Grantha Bhandārs situated in the main cities of India other than those of Rajasthan is given in Appendix. I
But the Jaina Bhandārs of Rajasthan where their number is quite large have not yet been surveyed by any scholar. No other province of India contains as many Bhandărs as Rajasthan does. They have survived because they were under the protection of Rajput rulers and their territories were rarely invaded by the Muslims. Even when invasion took place the resistance was very stiff and the invaders did not generally succeed in committing acts of destruction. In the following pages the first attempt has been made in this direction to survey the Grantha Bhandars of Rajasthan.
IMPORTANT BHANDĀRS OF INDIA
A short description of some of the important Bhandárs which possess valuable collections of manuscripts is as follows -
(1) SĀSTRA BHANDĀRS OF DELHI
Since its foundation Delhi remained capital of India. In the manuscripts written in the 14th and 15th Century, the city is called Yoginipur and in this respect the manuscript of Pancāsti Kāya' is the first manuscript in which Delhi had been named as 'Yoginipur'. It was copied in Delhi in Sawat 1329 i.e. 1272 A.D when Gayāsuddin Balbana was the emperor of India.
Inspite of constant changes in the kingdoms, Delhi remained the centre of learning and literature. In most of the Grantha Bhandārs of Rajasthān, there are some manuscripts which were copied at Delhi and placed in these Bhandārs Most of the books of Apabhraíśa were first copied in Delhi and then sent to other Bhandārs of India. The Jainas not only dominated in the Hindu period but in the Muslim rule also the city remained the centre of Jaina activity. In the time of Anangpal Natal Sāh was his minister On his request Sridhara? composed Parswanātha Carita in Apabhramsa language in saṁwat 1189 (1132 AD).
1
Rajasthån ke Jain Śästra Bhandaron ki Suci. Part II.
2
Prasasti Sangrah of Amer Sastra Bhandal, Jaipur p 129