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Adipurana
That our fundamental religious faith and virtuous character should not be harmed by that conduct. A Jain Acharya has very clearly stated this: "Sarv ev hi naanaam pramaan loukiko vidhih | Yatra samyaktvahani n yatra na vrata dusanam ||" That is, all those practices prevalent in the world are acceptable to Jains as proof, which do not harm their samyaktva, i.e., the belief in the fundamental difference between the inert and the conscious, and do not cause corruption in the vows of non-violence, etc. Those customs which appear to be flawed from a religious point of view should be reformed and made suitable. In this way, the Jain Acharyas have presented a great ideal for the followers of Jainism, that they should never compromise on their fundamental principles, and should not keep themselves aloof from general worldly practices. Live with society, but do not lose your intellectual freedom. Simply, we should examine and understand the points of agreement and disagreement with other traditions on this very criterion. There is one more thing. Considering the nature of the varnas, ashramas and samskaras, it appears that their basic structure is based on individual, familial and social customs and practices. Gradually, religious activities were incorporated into them and an attempt was made to give them stability and sanctity. For example, birth or marriage are universal and timeless in all families, and it is natural to celebrate some social festivals and entertainment on these occasions. Religion has taken these well-established festivals into its fold and given them a special color. This work was done by those who celebrated them according to their own beliefs and made them a part of their religion.
It is an important part of the modern editing system to carefully mark the variations in the text of ancient manuscripts. From this point of view, the present edition of the Mahapuraana is very useful. For this, the learned editor has used 12 manuscripts and taken their variations. Some variations are found to be very valuable. For example, in the fifth parva, after the 41st verse, there are four more verses in the Delhi manuscript, which mention the five skandhas, twelve ayatanas, community, impermanence and liberation, which are in accordance with Buddhist principles. These have been included in the printed and translated edition of Pandit Lalaramji Shastri, leaving out the first half verse. But these verses are not found in the oldest available palm leaf manuscript in Kannada script from the Moodbidri Saraswati Bhandar, nor in any other manuscript. This proves that the said verses were probably written in the margin by some reader or commentator and then entered into the original text.
Finally, we are very grateful to Pandit Pannalalji Sahityacharya for presenting this valuable edition of the Mahapuraana and its Hindi translation. The authorities of the Bharatiya Gyanpith are also commendable for publishing this treasure trove of literature with great enthusiasm, thus benefiting the literary scholars and lovers of self-study.
Vikram Samvat 2007
-Heeralal Jain -A. N. Upadhye (Granthamala Editor)