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The Jaina Antiquary
[Vol. XVII
Recounting the importance of literature in human progress and its dreadful fate, one is unable to judge the high altitude of such persons who bestowed their life and all the resources at their des. posal upon research, collection and preservence of literature, without any prejudice to some caste, creed or religion, and managed suitably to make it available for general observance. If literature is the best friend of a person, prophet of a community, leader of a nation, and benefactor of the Universe, a library-builder is one and all in the same personality. His service can do more good to mankind than what hundreds of writers, thinkers and leaders can do together. He is the medium to bring the thinkers of all the ages face to face with the general mass of the present world and maintain the best of the present for future generation. He is the builder of a nation and his library is the nucleus of human progress and prosperity. He promotes the very motive of literature. And so was Shree Dev Kumar Jain, the founder of the Central Jain Oriental Library of Arrah, locally famous as The Saraswati Bhawan.
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Running through the din and bustle of vehicles and hawkers on a dusty rugged narrow road in the heart of town, you suddenly stop only to have a glance at the charming exhibit of architecture, placed on the upper story of a spetacular building. Seated on a milky goose, the image of Saraswati, with a guiter in two hands, a book in the third and a lotus flower in the fourth, prompts you to stop into the small iron fencing and ascend over a few marble stairs, guarded by lofty palm trees on both the sides. You reach a spacious verandah and cannot check yourself from peeping into the front door leading to a big marble-floored hall.
You are at a fix to see the big portrait of a young person with serenity, grandeur and deep meditation. A long ray of small desks below, scatterred with the news of the day, invites you to take seat for a while on the white sheeted floor. You survey arround yourself with a feeling of curiosity mixed with awe and lo! a long chain of furnished almirahs are staring at you with eagerness to place before you a number of Socrateses, Kalidasas, Chanakyas, Paninis and several other thinkers of the past and present, they have in store for you. A person, sitting before a table, behind the two big marble pillar pairs, is anxious to serve you at your com
