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Importance of The Jaina Grantha Bhandars.
1203
centres like Amer, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Någaur, Sägwara, Bīkāner, there were arrangement for imparting education to the adults and children. After primary education the students were taught Prakrit and Samskrit. At least for every Jaina child, primary education was socially compulsory and after completing this education, the students used to read Grammar, Koşa, Kavya, Dramas and boooks of Philosophy The books on Grammar, Koşa and Kāvya were not restricted to works written by Jaina authors only, but the famous books on Grammar like Sāraswata, Siddhanta Candrika, Kåtantra Rūpamālā etc were also read. In lexicography, the books like Ainar Koşa and Nāmamālā of Dhananjaya were taught. In the Kavya literature, the Kavyas written by poets like Kālıdāsa, Bhärvi, Haría etc. were often studied.
In this respect the services of Bhattárakas like Subha Candra2 (1393 to 1450 AD), Jina Candra (1450 to 1514 A.D), Prabhā Candra (1514 to 1523 A.D.), Sakal Kirti (15th century), Subha Candra (16th century) Gyāna Bhūsaņa (16th centurv), Devendra Kirti (17th century) etc are remarkable. They were the main propogators of education. Under each of them there were hundreds of students getting cducation. Like Bhațțărakas, Ācāryas also rendered same services towards "enhancement of education. There were hundreds of students under Ācārya Hema Candra receiving the education on various subjects. There was no systematic or classwise education but the students were educated on the basis of books
In the Grantha Bhandars, there are thousands of manuscripts which were presented to the:r Heads, so that they may be used by the students. Som: of them are given below
(1) Candra Prabhă Carita3 of Subha Candra was presented to Ananda
Rama for Bhagwändāsa, the pupil at the Sāstra Bhandar of Lälsot in the 18th century.
(2) Jiwandhar Carita. of Subha Candra was presented to Pandit Padāratha
for his study in the year 1579 A.D. at Sankhana Village by Sekha son of Sah Udā.
1. The History of Rajputana by G. S. Oiha Vol IP 20
2. Bhattāraka Sampradaya by V P. Johrapurkara
3
Amer Sastra Bhandar, Jaipur Prasasti Sangrah p. 8
4. Ibid p. 15
