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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
xlix
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
"It may perhaps be asked if the Library is worth the labour spent on it. I can answer unhesitatingly that it is. It is now a recognised fact that nearly all Sanskrit works of importance exist in different recensions. The Tanjore Library is unrivalled in this respect; it contains several good manuscripts of all the most important ones known as yet, including a few that are new............ The Tanjore Library, however, contains additional manuscripts of most of the works which I had discovered elsewhere, and this is a matter of great importance.
I believe that this Library must sooner or later, eschest to the Government. The preparation of this catalogue will therefore protect property of enormous value. Sanskrit Manuscripts have long been very dear and the cost of making proper transcripts is now very heavy. As far as can judge, it would not be possible to form a Collection like that at Tanjore at a less cost than £50,000 but many manuscripts are unquestionably unique."
The Tanjore Mahārāja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal library is now a public library in the full sense of that term, the Govern. ment of Madras, through the treasurer of Charitable Endowments, being responsible for its administration. The collection belonged to the reigning princes of Tanjore-the Mahratha Mahārājas. When the last of them died leaving no direct male heir and after the death of the last surviving Rápi this collection together with the other properties formed the subject of litigation in civil courts. There was a rumour a few years ago that the collection had attracted the attention of some wealthy patrons of learning from Overseas. And it would appear that arrangements were very nearly ready to sell the whole collection outright at an assessed value, when public attention was focussed on certain remarks of Dr. Burnell to the effect that "it would not be possible to form & collection like that at Tanjore at a less cost than £50,000". The parties concerned had perforce to wake up and the deal was not immediately concluded. The public of Tanjore also began to interest themselves in the affair adequately. It was rightly con. sidered as a question of national pride. The parties in O. 8. No. 26 of 1912 on the file of the Subordinate Judge of Tanjore agreed that it was eminently fit that the Library should be preserved and
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