Ancient Jaina Hymns

Author(s): Charlotte Krause
Publisher: Oriental Institute

Page 11

A whole list of such names of ancient places of pil. grimage is contained in the short Caityavandana, and constitutes its interest.
The Vira-stuti is a striking example of onomatopoetic expression, and, at the same time, an indirect, but eloquent testimonial to the important role which music and musical science once played in the Svetāmbara ritual.
The Simandhara-stavana, last but not least, is of linguistic value as another of those not very frequent specimina of late Gaurjara Apabhramsa in its transition to Middle Gujarati. Besides, it is not without poetic charm, an outcome of both the skill and the devotion of the poet, who, incidentally, was one of the great figures of earliest Gujarati Literature, if a conjecture ventured in the discourses is correct.
The introduction is meant to facilitate the understanding of the texts in their hagiographical settings. The subsequent discourses attempt to define the historical and literary background, and, so far as possible, to identify the author, of each individual text.
Thanks are due to my learned colleague at the Scindia Oriental Institute, Ujjain, Pt. Gopikrishna N. Dvivedi, as well as to tl'e erudite Controller of the Institute, Dr. H. R. Diwekar, for going through the Sanskrit texts and suggesting several improvements.
Difficulty I feel in duly expressing the gratitude I owe to His Highness Shrimant Jiwaji Rao Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior, who, during the raging of the Second World War, graciously granted me sanctuary in the quietude of his Oriental Institute. In the