________________
Arhat Pārsva and Dharanendra Nexus anthropological aspects involved in the investigations would thus largely be taken care
xii
of.
This background, as was then rightly envisaged (and now substantiated), could in part also provide the historical and religious backdrop against which the image of Pārsva configures. However, as complimentary to this sketch, the archaeological facts and finds were needed to be brought in, particularly for filling in the colour and adding some realistic and corporeal dimensions to the overall perspective that would emerge. Keeping in view these twin axes of the approach, eminent Nirgranthologists on one side and the epigraphers and historians, and no less important the iconographers (specializing in Nirgrantha iconography) on the other side were invited to present their research papers at the Seminar. As a result, some papers covering the regionwisesurveys of the epigraphical data and sculptural material relating to Pārsvanatha by specialists in the field were read at the Seminar and now form part of this small volume. Regrettably, the scholars devoted to Nirgranthist studies are far too less in number than those working in the spheres of Brahmanical and Buddhist studies. Luckily, for our purpose, we could count on the cooperation of a small but competent band of some 16 scholars on the issues and subjects contemplated to be discussed in depth. However, seldom has a blueprint been executed without modifications, compromises, and, inevitably, the gaps due to the failings and shortcomings that the prevailing circumstances customarily generate. The publication, for instance, has to go without three important papers, the one on the "Epigraphical data on Parsva images and temples in Western India"; the second on the "Parsva images in Rajasthan", and the third concerning the "Pärsva images in Tamilnadu". Seemingly, the busy schedules (and, as in one case, indifferent health of the scholar concerned) worked against the materialization of these papers. When long waitings (coupled with reminders at intervals by the successive Directors of the BLI) for these vital papers produced no response, it was decided to send the papers on hand to the press even when we were painfully aware of the lacunae that will appear in the published version of the proceedings. One other factor which contributed to tardiness was the ignoring, by some contributors, of the style-sheet for the research papers that was earlier communicated to all scholars invited for the Seminar. Indeed, this eventuality made the task of editing still harder and I had, for want of time, to allow such unconformities and lay the responsibility at the doors of the contributors concerned. (In some papers, even the footnotes and bibliographical references were missing!) Despite these shortcomings, the overall outcome of the Seminar is fairly satisfactory. True, all problems (indicated in the preamble of the Seminar) could not be fully explored, and
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org.
