Jain Journal 1992 04

SR No.: 520106
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1992
Total Pages: 70
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 4 MB

Page 16

APRIL, 1992
205
collection. Before he had completed his first week's work in the Parisnath Library he wrote an extensive account to the Indian Antiquary which was published in its March 1874 issue.16 The scholarly world thus learned of his initial impressions even before he completed his trip to Rajasthan. A similar communication to the Berlin Academy was not only printed in its journal but the Indian Antiquary published a translation of it in 1875.17 The Bilhaņa manuscript he and Dr. Jacobi personally copied was published as number 14 of the Bombay Sanskrit Series in 1875. Clearly the Parisnath Library was a focal collection for Jain scholarship and-Bühler wanted the scholarly world to recognize its importance. Unfortunately the scholarly world was not to benefit as much as it might have from Bühler's discoveries. Of the 28 manuscripts he asked to have copied only 4 were ever done for him. During the rest of his career in India his correspondence is punctuated with letters relating to the 24 missing items but there is no record that he ever received them.
There remained the challenge of seeing the other prominent Jain temple library, the Hemacandra Bhandar at Patan. Bühler began his quest to see it in November 1873 while on his way to Rajputana. Since he was in Patan for only a day and a half, there was insufficient time to complete all the formalities. He returned in March 1874 with a second letter of introduction from Sir Lewis Pelly, British Resident to the Baroda Court, to the Suba of the Uttar Mahals. As luck would have it the Suba was away from Patan when Bübler arrived. "After endless conferences with the Nagar-Seth and the Panch, under whose control all the libraries are, (the Sir Faujdar) prevailed upon them to admit me to some of the Bhaņdārs."18 Bühler managed to see the Pophliapandao Bhandăr, the Bhabhanapadano Bhandăr, and the Sanghavinapadano Bhandar. Of these the Sanghavina padano Bhandar had the most important collection containing "three boxes with near five hundred manuscripts, all of which are written on palm-leaves."19 Knowledge that a catalog of the library existed raised hopes that more extensive work could be done with the collection. But "its catalogue is, unfortunately, not accurate. A trained Sastri is now engaged in
16 Georg Bühler, (Miscellanea and Correspondence) "Jesalmir, 29th January 1874",
Indian Antiquary 3 (1874), pp. 89-90. 17 "Dr. Bühler on the Celebrated Bhandār of Sanskrit MSS. at Jessalmir, translated
from the T. ansactions of the Berlin Academy, March 1874, by Shankar Pandurang
Pandit", Indian Antiquary 4 (1875), pp. 81-83. 18 Ceorg Bühler, "Report on the Search for Sanskrit Manuscripts during the Year
1874.75" in Gough, op. cit., p. 127. 19 Ibid., p. 128.