Holy Abu

SR No.: 023259
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jayantvijay
Publisher: Yashovijay Jain Granthmala
Publication Year: 1954
Total Pages: 380
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 60

Introduction]
xxvii:
The late Muni has rendered another valuable service to all visitors to the shrines. While describing the various relief scenes in this book, he has given them numbers, such as (Bhava) 1, (Bhava) 2 and so on. Same numbers are incised on the original stones in the shrines, by the Managing Jaina Peḍhi, at the suggestion of Muni Shri Jayantavijayji. This has made it convenient for any visitor to make a study of the shrines with the help of this guide-book.
This work is primarily a guide-book for pilgrims and tourists and not a scientific text-book on the art and architecture of the shrines etc. on Mt. Abu. However, Muni Shri Jayantavijayaji's labours have been rewarded with greater success in as much as, besides being mere guide books, his five volumes on Abu and the surrounding sites have made it easier for a student to carry on further exploration and research. The Muniji has collected almost all possible information on his subject and has tried his best to interpret the various reliefs carvings or to assign correct dates to various shrines. He has exploited all known inscriptional evidence and his Ābu, Vol. II, entitled Shri Arbuda-Prächīna-Jaina-Lekhasamdoha, is indispensable to students of the subject.
The value of inscriptions at Ābu cannot be over-emphasised for reconstruction of cultural and political history of Gujarat. Besides supplying information about kings and ministers, the inscriptions, like prashastis of Jaina manuscripts, give a mine of information about different castes, linguistic and other data in the form of interspersed old Gujarati prose,1 place-names, names of men and women of different positions and their professions, and so on. A critical eye would also collect some numismatic data and
For example, see, inscription no.. 463, Abu, Vol. II.
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