Jain Journal 1976 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 6

JAIN JOURNAL
However, as ill-luck would have it the climatic conditions of Santi Niketan did not suit Muniji, and he had to leave Santi Niketan, when hardly 3 years had passed.
After Muniji left Santi Niketan, he was approached by late Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi to join the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan at Bombay, where he could also look after the work of Singhi Jain Series. Muniji had accepted this offer, but the Quit India Movement of 1942 had started creating conditions in which it was not possible to work out the scheme. The intervening period was therefore utilised by Muniji in working on the works treasured in the Jnan Bhandaras of Jaisalmer. During his 5 months stay at Jaisalmer, Muniji had been able to have copies made of nearly 200 important works. This experience of Jaisalmer greatly helped Muniji in the research work, which he undertook later. After returning from Jaisalmer, he remained fully engrossed in the work of compilation, editing and publication of a number of valuable works under the Singhi Jain Series.
After the attainment of Swarajya, Muniji decided to go back to a village and become self-sufficient for his living. With this end in view he established a Sarvodaya Sadhana Ashram in a village called Chanderi near Chittorgarh, but meanwhile the new State of Rajasthan was born and the first Chief Minister of the said new State late Hiralal Shastri requested Muniji to organise the work of collection, protection and publication of the ancient manuscripts which were known to be scattered all over Rajasthan. With his deep interest in research and compilation work in the field of Oriental learning, Muniji agreed to take up the work and as a matter of fact he became the first Honorary Director of the Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, and worked there upto 1967. During this very period, he was elected in 1952 as an Honorary Member of the world-renowned Oriental Society of Germany (Deutsche Morgenlundische Cesellschaft). This was an honour which had previously been given to very few Indians. As the Honorary Director of the Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Muniji had also been awarded Padmashri by the Government of India in 1961. During the period when Muniji was the Director of the said Institute, quite a number of important works in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsa and old Rajasthani were published. It was the result of his sustained efforts that this Institution reached the enviable position it now holds.
: Owing to old age and impaired health with progressively declining eyesight, Muniji had taken complete retirement in 1967 from all activities