Jain Legend Vol 1

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

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c rya r
Many respectful greetings to you, I read the Jain Dharma k Maulika Itih sa and your preface. You have shown rare objectivity in unraveling the Jain history. Your historical text will remain for long an authentic work of history. There is scant possibility of new facts emerging hereinafter. The way you have placed the facts together giving them appropriate place is work akin to that of a well-informed historian. The respect, I had for you, has increased many fold now after reading this work.”
Only a research scholar can rightly value the efforts of another research scholar. Only this can be the ultimate appreciation! What more could be said about c rya r and his immortal historical creation?
By the end of 1975 compilation of material for the third volume of Jain Dharma k Maulika Itih sa had begun. Seven to eight hundred years after the demise of Devardhiga i K am rama a, the tradition of temple dwellers had established its monopoly in different parts of India. Its newer set of beliefs / practices impacted / influenced the Jain community. Monks and female-monks following the pure original tradition of Lord Mah v ra were not only restricted form moving from place to place in the provinces of the North but their very entry into these places was prevented by those in power. As a result, the numbers of monks-femalemonks, and laity of the original tradition could be counted on one's fingers. People had even forgotten the term rama a tradition, what to speak of anyone seeking to be ordained into the same? People began to believe that the newly established Temple dweller (caityav s ) tradition was the original tradition. While the original pure tradition did not meet its death following gradual decline, it certainly became relatively quiescent, or hidden.
In this way, the temple dwellers tradition which made sustained efforts to completely destroy the pure original tradition of Lord Mah v ra for seven to eight hundred years – destroying their sign-boards, wiping out their ancient relics – ultimately vanished without a trace by the 20th century V.N. Despite its presence in different parts of the country for 7-8th century's evidence related to this tradition - texts - pa valis, etc - are not available. Due to this, a lot of labour was expended in tracing out and putting together the missing links, in a systematic order, about the period
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