Book Title: Comtemporary Jain Legends
Author(s): Atmanandji Maharaj
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

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Page 114
________________ Maharaj and others. He spent monsoons from 1913 to 1916 at Palanpur, Mahesana and Vadodara. He stayed with Mahatma Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram and gained much experience. Beginning of Literary Activities: Panditji had devoted his life to religion and religious literature. He was wrote and edited more than 30 books on Nyaya, Karmvad, Jain Siddhanta, Achar, YogDarshan, AdhyatmaVad, Indian Philosophy, History and so on. These books were published and many of them were translated into Hindi and English. The books are respected as authentic and quoted as references. Sukhlalji started his literary activities by translation. First of all he took up Karm Granths and translated them into Hindi. There is no book in Hindi or Gujarati, which can stand to these translations. The books have been indispensable for those who want to study Jain literature. He took translation as not merely translation but included his comments and supporting quotations from other books. There are comparative comments on important issues. The books include several maps and appendices. In 1920 he started writing the most important and immortal book of his life-Sanmati Tark. Mahatma Gandhi established Gujarat Vidyapith at Ahmedabad and Shri Jin Vijayaji was appointed as the head of archaeological department. He then, started calling up learned personalities and Pandit Sukhlalji was one of them. Pandit Sukhlalji joined the Vidyapith in 1922. He edited the commentary of Vad Maharnava-a part of his Sanmati Tark with the co-operation of Pandit Bechardasji. This work proved itself to be unparalleled with any other work in the Indian Spiritual Literature. He collected 24 hand written notes for making their reference that were available in writing, in print of otherwise from all corners in support of his discussion on the issue. Pandit Sukhlalji made his name permanent in the world of learned personalities. Even though this immortal work is said to be on Jainism, it includes all the spiritual subjects and every scholar of comparative studies in various scriptures get everything in this one and the same book. Dr. Harman Jakobi and many other foreign scholars have extensively praised this book. This work was carried on continuously and it took nine years to complete it. The work is in five parts and it includes many appendices. The part six covers elaborate preface, translation of the original and substance in Gujarati. Pandit Sukhlalji was appointed as a professor in Jain scriptures at Benaras University in 1933. Before joining at Benaras, his book partly written during the holidays at Gujarat Vidyapith was completed andit was printed in 1930. This book was Tattvarth Sootra Vivechan. The book is useful not only to an ordinary Jain but also other learned persons. This book is as good as a textbook for the study of Jainism and it has been very much popular. He worked as Professor of Jain scriptures and Jainism at Benaras University from 1933 to 1944 but alongwith his teaching activities he himself studied more and more. He went on creating new literature also. He edited "Praman Mimansa", the most out stand work of Acharya Hemchandraji with the co-operation of Pandit Mahendrakumar and Pandit Dalsukhbhai. It was published in 1939 AD. The comments and preface of this book have been translated into English and the same is published in 1961 AD under the name: Advanced studies in Indian Logic and Metaphysics. After this, he took up editing "Jain Tark Bhasha" of Yashovijayaji. It was published with exhaustive comments and introduction. After this, he took up Gnan Bindu Bharatiya Darshan and published it in 1942 with detailed comments on Gnan Mimansa and also introduction into it. The only book of Charvak Darshan-Charvak philosophy-Tattvopaplavasinh in Gaikwar Series in 1940 and 1949 AD respectively alongwith-detailed comments views references and quotations. Pandit Sukhlalji became very much famous in foreign countries with the publication of these two series. Pandit Sukhlalji retired in 1944 even though Dr. Radhakrishnan, the chancellor of Benaras University pressed him to continue and stayed with Acharya Jin Vijayaji at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai. He was, however, not well at Mumbai and came to Ahmedabad. He took up permanent post of Honorary 114

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