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 17

206
JAIN JOURNAL
making a new catalogue of the library and several of its rare works are being copied. The Seth, in whose possession it is, has expressed and proved his willingness to allow the books to be used for copying or collating in Pathan."20
Since the keeper of the Hemacandra Bhandar was away from Patan Bühler returned to Surat. In May 1874 both the Sir Suba and Bühler's agent in Patan wrote him saying the keeper not only had returned to Patan but also agreed to show him the famous library. Bühler rushed to Patan, enduring along the way sand storms and thunder storms. The uncooperative and difficult weather predicted what he would experience in Patan. The keeper once again changed his mind and refused to show the collection to him. When Bühler pressed his case the keeper showed him a "bagful of dilapidated paper manuscripts."21 Bühler continued to press his case and six more bags appeared containing between 600 and 700 manuscripts, but nothing of such quality to justify the great fame of the collection. The keeper adamantly refused to show anything more and Buhler returned to Surat disappointed.
The matter did not stop there, however, for sympathetic members of the Panch as well as his agent continued to pressure the keeper. Eventually the keeper changed his mind and wrote to Bühler expressing his willingness to show him the entire library. As a gesture of good faith the keeper showed the collection to Bühler's agent. The agent reported seeing 40 boxes filled with manuscripts. Bühler immediately dispatched a Sastri to Patan to begin work on a catalog of the collection. Bühler, though, had just been delegated by the Government of India to make a 10 month search trip in Kashmir, so he was unable to go to Patan. The opportunity lost was never repeated and none of the subsequent writings of Bühler give any indication he ever entered the famous Patan library.
The Kashmir trip, from July 1875 to April 1876, once again gave Bühler the opportunity to visit libraries in Rajputana both on the way to as well as on his return from Srinagar. While in Delhi he met with Jain officials. Although he acquired only six manuscripts in Delhi, his discussions with Jains answered many questions he had about the religion. His report of the trip says he acquired 838 manuscripts for the Bombay Sanskrit Collection, of which 227 were Jain manuscripts.
20 Ibid., p. 128. 21 Ibid., p. 128.