Jain Siddhant Bhavan Granthavali Part 01

Author(s): Rushabhchand Jain
Publisher: Jain Siddhant Bhavan Aara

Page 9

Foreword
Bihar has played a great role in the history of Jainism. Last Tirthankar, Mahavira, who gave a great fillip to the Jain religion, was born here and spread his massage of peace and ahımsa. It is from the land oi Bihar that the fountain of Jainism spread its influence to the different parts of India 10 ancient period. And in the modern age the Jain Siddhanta Bhavan at Arrah in Bhojpur district has kept the torch of of Jainism burning. It occupies a unique place among the modern Jain institutions of culture. This institution was established to promote historical research and advancement of knowledge particulaily Jain learning
There is a collection of thousands of manuscripts, rare books, pictures and palm-leaf manuscripts, in Shri Devakumar Jain Oriental Library Arrah attached to the said institution Some or the manuscripts contain are Jain paintings These manuscripts are very valuable for the study of the ciecd as well as the socio-economic life of ancient India
The present work "Sri Jain Siddhanta Bhavan Granthavalı" being the Catalogue of Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apibhramsa and Hindi Manuscripts is being prepared in six volumes Each volume contains two parts First paits consists of the list of manuscr ipts preserved in the institution with some basic informations such as accession number, title of the work, name of the author, scripts, language, size, date etc Part second which is named as Parisista (Appendix) contains more details about the manuscripts recorded in the first part.
The author has taken great pains in preparing the present Catologue and deserves congratulitions for the commendable job, This work will no doubt remain for long time a ready book of reference to scholars of ancient Indian Culture particularly Jainism
February 29, 1988 Vikas Bhavan, Patna
(Naseem Akhtar) Director, Museums
Bihar Paina.