________________ PREFACE Among the treasures housed at the Jain Vishva Bharati University, Ladnun, is a Siddhacalapata (shelfmark: Aa 97). This is a unique scroll dating back to the beginning of the 19th century. It has a long text in Gujarati and bright paintings of each of the 24 Tirthankars. Its purpose is to celebrate the sacred place of Siddhacala, also known as Shatrunjaya (Gujarat), where so many persons have attained and will attain moksa. It does so by giving particulars of each of the 24 Tirthankars as well as by narrating many stories which show the power of Siddhacala, undoubtedly the most loved tirtha of the Jains. We are grateful to Dr. Kalpana K. Sheth and Prof. Dr. Nalini Balbir for having spent time and energy to prepare the present book which brings to light this important document in a scholarly way, both in Hindi and in English. The readers will be able to admire the paintings and read the original text through the photographs reproduced in this volume. They will also be able to read the original text in Devanagari and in transliteration. All tools necessary for the understanding of the text and of the numerous narratives it contains have also been provided (in Hindi and in English, in different ways) by the two active and competent editors of this book, which we are proud and happy to publish today. Samani Mangalprajna Vice-Chancellor
