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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
VI
GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE
“ COLLECTIONS" IN THE LIBRARY.
The Tanjore Mahiraja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mabal Library which is described by Dr. Barnell "to be perhaps the largest and most important in the world" and which Dr. Bühler says "contaios a great many useful and a number of very rare or nearly adique books rany of wbich are quite opknown or proonrable only with great trouble and expense" was till recently the private property of the Råjas of Tsojore.
The earliest system a tic beginnings of the Library must have been about the end of the 16th century when Tanjore was under the rule of Teluga Nayaks who collected Sanskrit Manuseripts written in Teluga character. In the 18th century the Mahrathas conquered the country and since that date the Library has been increasing. By far the greater portion of the collection was made by Serfoji during a visit to Benares during 1820--1830. Sivaji his successor added a few. There has practically been no addition of any value till very recent times. A good number of Sanskrit manuscripts including rare and valuable manuscripts representing the collection of generations of a family of scholars, known as the "Jambunitha Bhat Landagai Collection” was added to the Library in 1921.
In 1922, the Library received other valuable collections of rare interest, known as the 'Kigalkar" and the "Patanga AT&. dhūta" collections. The former is about 160 and the latter, about 100 years old. The collection made by the Kågalkar Family of learned Sanskrit Scholars of Tanjore especially versed in 8406. krit Grammar (891805) contains the autograph copies made by some of them of the works composed by themselves and others. Its prominent feature is the collection of works on Sanskrit Gram. mar. The collection made by Patangåvadbæta wbone descendants settled at Tiravadararadūr in Tanjore District contains a large number of works on Vodánta (ares) and Bhakti (98€). Both
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