Collected Research Papers in Prakrit and Jainology Vol 02

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: University of Pune

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The Bombay Government's entire collection of nearly 20,000 Manuscripts, which was transferred to the Institute, was earlier acquired through strenuous tours and wanderings by great Indologists and Professors like George Buhler, R.G.Bhandarkar, P.Peterson, F.Kielhorn, V.S.Ghate and A.V.Kathavate. About 10,000 new Manuscripts have been added to this original stock later through fresh acquisitions by the Institute's workers, and this activity continues to date enriching the total collection.
The Institute feels proud of possessing some old and unique mss. on paper, palm-leaf and birch-bark.
There are 20 volumes of descriptive catalogue in BORI. Volume 17,18 and 19 contains mss. concerned to Jaina Literature and Philosophy. These catalogues are edited by the eminent Jaina scholar H.R.Kapdiya.
Some unique manuscripts from the collection are noted down by (Late)Prof. Laddu and Gokhaley in the Annals of BORI (1996). Among them the following Jaina mss. are noteworthy.
1] Oldest ms. in the collection
fufaha9481911 : 7/1880-81 (Palm-leaf ms.) - Dated Samvat 962, i.e. 906 A.D.
2] Mss. having fine calligraphy
(i) TTIMETGK Ptahl: : 1364/1884-87 - Dated Samvat 1469, i.e. 1413 A.D. - Specimen of excellent Jaina calligraphy
(ii) gold chifaschalraal : 711/1892-95, 713/1892-95, 1169/1887-91 - In beautiful and small hand-writing.
3] Other old Palm-leaf mss
(i) adtaafa : 10/1881-82 - Dated Samvat 1128, i.e. 1072 A.D.
(ii) fa 1919920916412: 57/1880-81 - Dated Samvat 1138, i.e. 1082 A.D.
(iii) fasfermarafof : 36/1880-81, 36 a/1880-81
- Dated Samvat 1145 & 1146, i.e. 1089 & 1090 A.D. respectively Many illustrative mss. of this collection are noteworthy, specially of Kalpasūtra.
Muni Jinavijayaji was one of the founder members of BORI. He played an important role in enriching the manuscript collection of BORI.
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