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

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Jaina Grantha Bhandārs in Rajasthan.
(1) ĀMER ŠĀSTRA BHANDĀR
Āmer Šāstra Bhandār was situated previously in the Digamber jain temple of Nemināth of Amer City, the old capital of the former Jaipur State and which is six miles from the Jaipur City. This whole collection has been shifted to Jaipur some time back and has been placed at Mahāvīră Bhawan Previously, this Sastra Bhandar was known by the name of Bhattārak Davendra Kirti Šāstra Bhandar who was the learned as well as most influential Bhattārak of his time (18th Century). There are 25 manuscripts in this Bhandar which were presented to him from time to time by the House holders. He took great interest in enriching the collection. The City of Amer remained a centre of Bhattārakas for sufficient time.
Amer Sastra Bhandăr is one of the oldest Bhandārs in Rājasthān. It was established carlier than the 17th Century but after some time it bacame famous by the name of Devandra Kirti Šāstra Bhandar though now it is called by the name of Āiner Šāstra Bhandār.
Before thirty years, manuscripts of this Bhandār were not accessable to everyone. The Sāstia Bhandār was used to be opened once a year at the time of Sruta Pancamı which comes in the month of Jestha and afterwards used to rómain closed for whole of the year. There are 2605 manuscripts and 150 Guikas in this collection, Earliest manuscript is of UTTARAPURĀNA written by Mahākavi Puspadanta in Apabhramsa language. This manuscript is dated 1334 AD which was copied in Joginipur (Delhi) under the rule of Muhammad Tughluq. Manuscripts copied in 15th, 16th and 17th centuries are in good number The collection of old manuscripts show that this Bhandār was the centre of literary activities in old days. The manuscripts are in Samskrit Präkrit. Apabhraṁsa Hindi and Rajasthāni languages. The Šāstra Bhandát is a great store house for Apabhramsa literature as about 50 works of this language are available here. Works written by Kavi Swayambhū, the first author of the Apabhramsa and Amer Sen Carita composed by Mänikkarãi considered to be latest scholar are in the collection of this Bhandar There are several rare manuscripts uke Sakalvıdhi-nidhan of Nayanandı 11th Century) and Paraswapurān of Padamkirti (10th Century). Such works are not available in other Bhandārs
The Šāstra Bhandar also contains quite a number of valuable manuscripts in Samskrit & Hindi A Samskrit commentary on Kırätārjuniya written by Prakasa Vaşa is a rare manuscript which is not available in other manuscript libraries. Though the Bhandār preserves manuscripts on Jainism but the texts on secular subjects like Ayurveda, Jyotişa. Vyakarana, Mantra Šāstra, etc. are also in good number. Manuscripts of the Samskrit Kāvyas written by Kálidās, Bhārvi and Māgha are included in the collection of the Bhandar. As regards Hindi and Rājasthānı literature,