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Preface
The Scindia Oriental Institute of Ujjain, well-known repository of manuscripts of works pertaining to Hindu Religion and Philosophy, and to Indian Literature in general, owns a number of manuscripts of Jaina works. Some of the latter are hitherto unpublished and even unknown, and deserve to be made accessible not only to the narrower circle of Jaina specialists, but to indologists in general. A selection of such texts is being published in the present volume. All of them belong to the category of hymnal literature, and are of Svetāmbara origin. Leaving aside their literary merits, some of these texts are of high interest as the creations of renowned authors, which by some unexplained chance, have remained hidden from the light of publicity for centuries. There is a Mahāvīra-stuti from the hand of as old and distinguished an author as Jinapati Sūri (born in V.S. 1210 and died in 1277 ). Another text, 'The Munisuvrata-stavana', so far known from literary references only, is the creation of that renowned and erudite Ācārya Jñānasāgara Sūri, who died in V.S. 1460.
The author of the 'Varakāņa-Pārsvanātha-stavana' is Hemavimala Sūri, known as a Jaina theologian and as an eminent ecclesiastic dignitary, who died in V.S. 1583, and many of whose numerous disciples are, in their turn, famous for their literary achievements. Nayavimala, author of the ‘Sankheśvara-Pārsvanāthastavana', is identical with the celebrated ‘Jñānavimala Sūri', many of whose devotional songs, Rāsas and exegetical works both in Saṁskrta and Gujarati, are well-known.
The 'Munisuvrata-stavana', moreover is of historical interest by its reference to 'Aśvāvabodha' or 'Sakunikā-vihāra', that famous shrine of the Jainas at Broach, which, believed to have been in existence already at the time of the composition of the
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