Descriptive Catalogue Of Manuscripts Vol 18 Part 01

SR No.: 018124
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hiralal Rasikdas Kapadia
Publisher: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute
Publication Year: 1952
Total Pages: 540
Language: English
Classification: Catalogue & Catalogue
File Size: 31 MB

Page 14

PREFACE
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The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute invited me in 1930 to prepare a descriptive catalogue of Jaina manuscripts. As no definite plan was then chalked out for the grouping of manuscripts and their presentation, I went on describing manuscripts by selecting works in the alphabetical order. After a couple of years it was decided that the canonical literature of the Jainas was to be assigned a place as Volume XVII, and a portion of the non-canonical literature dealing with Jaina philosophy in a wider sense as Vol. XVIII. Consequently some of the manuscripts dealt with in this part were handled by me as far back as 1930. I could complete the entire work allotted to me in 1936. In the course of the last fifteen years hardly half the portion has been published.
The printing of Vol. XVIII was undertaken in 1938. But it was discontinued from 1944 to 1948, and even when it was resumed in 1949 the progress was very slow. Thus the printing of this part I of Vol. XVIII has taken thirteen years. Even so, it is a matter of pleasure that this part gets published.
In 1948 when part IV of Vol. XVII was about to be published it was decided on the following considerations that part V (Appendices) of Vol. XVII should be published as forming one whole with a portion of Vol. XVIII that got printed by the time part V was completed:
:--
(1) Part V comprising only appendices of Vol. XVII will be too small to be published separately.
(2) A portion of Vol. XVIII remains unpublished though printed long ago. It had to wait till the number of its pages could make it a Volume of normal size. This meant an additional delay of about five years, since its printing could not be expedited sufficiently when full attention had to be paid to part V of Vol. XVII.
(3) A portion of Vol. XVIII and part V of Vol. XVII are not disparate. They all form part of the Catalogue of Jaina Mss., and there is sufficient homogeneity of material to warrant their publication as one whole.