Jain Journal 1998 07

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

Page 36

33
NEWS ON JAINISM AROUND THE WORLD which have been prescribed by our ancient authorities. The modern concepts of mind and cosmology etc., are the product of the recent times and these are dealt with in Indological tradition well over several thousand years back, in the history of human civilization."
Dr (Mrs) Kapila Vatsyayan, the Chief Guest, exhorted the august gathering that all Indian languages from North to South and East to West are integrally related to each other whether it is Vedic or Sanskrit, Pali or Prakrit, Tamil or Telugu, Malayalam or Mārāthī or whatever else.
Though lots of Dravidian elements are available in the Vedas also, Pali and Prakrit have played a very important role in the development of Indian culture, languages, literature and dialects as a whole. If we do not learn the history of the development of our national languages, then we cannot even study mathematics, physics and philosophy etc.
Three crores of manuscripts are lying unused in the Jain Bhāndāras. Whatever the western scholars have said about them, we have been in a way forced to accept and believe. If these mss., are micro-filmed, our Indian scholars can have access to them and these can be studied seriously and sincerely opening new vistas of knowledge of our ancient culture.
Dr. V.M. Kulkarni, the awardee of Ācārya Hemcandrasūri Puraskār, the first Director of the BLII, in his speech of acceptance of the award, briefly stated, how he has been working for well over 60 years in the field of Prakrit and Sanskrit Languages & Literature. The award has come to him only as a token of recognition of his services to ancient Indian languages and literature. The Function was conducted by Dr. V.P. Jain, Director, BLII.
Vimal Prakash Jain