Jaina Granth Bhandars in Rajasthan

Author(s): Kasturchand Kasliwal
Publisher: Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Mandir

Page 35

introduction
found in the KUMĀRPĀL PRABANDH that once the King Kumārpal went to visit the library, Seeing that the books were being written on paper he enquired the reasons for this and he was told that due to the shortage of palm leaves the papers were used.
The manuscripts written on palm leaves are frequently available in the Bhandārs of South India in a good number and in the Bhandārs of Pattan, Cambay. Dhalaka, Karnavati, Vijapur, Candawati, Jaisalmer, and Prahladanpur. The pālın leaves manuscripts are also of various kinds such as written in ordinary ink, and in golden ink and illustrated one.
All the palm leaves manuscupts have either one hole in the middle os with two holes on the left and the right in case of long manuscripts. The manuscripts are generally placed between two wooden plates
MANUSCRIPTS WRITTEN ON CLOTH
(loth was a material used by Jaina Scholars for the manuscripts and specially the Citra Patās. Yantra Patās, small Stotrās (prayers) and other such material used to be written on cloth the earliest manuscript written on cloth and found in lain. Sāstra Bhandar of Parian is of 1361 AD This manuscript consists of 92 leaves measuring 25x5" The manuscript is well preserved and the letters are very clear The other manuscript is of 1396 A D. and is Sangrahanı Tippankam preserved in the same Bhandār. There is another manuscript Pratistha Patha in the Grantha Bhandār of Pårswanātha Jaina Temple of Jaipur This manuscript was written in the 17th Century. Some inanuscripts are illustrated with coloured pictures which represent the Tirthankars There is a painting on cloth in a Grantha Bhandar Påțodi Jain temple, Jaipur in which the idea how the Rajpūta Rulers became dependent on the British, is shown The map of three worlds, Jambu Dwipa, Videha Ksetra, Adha Dwipa and other places according to the Jaina Geography are available in abundance in the Grantha Bhandars.
MANUSCRIPTS ON PAPER
In most of the Grantha Bhandārs in Northern India, manuscripts are generally found written on paper But there is no such manuscript written before
१. एकदा प्रातगुरून मर्वसाधू श्च वन्दित्वा लेखकशालाविलोकनाय गन । लेखकाः
कागदपत्राणि लिखन्तो दष्टाः । ततःगुरुपार्वे पृच्छा । गुरुभिरूचे श्रीचौलुक्यदेव ! rafar fare un perfet praatt. 97 Fit #inafafari
-Kumarpal Prabandh P. 16