Jaina Granth Bhandars in Rajasthan

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

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Jaina Grantha Bhandars in Rajasthan.
NUMBER OF THE MANUSCRIPTS
The total number of the manuscripts and the Gutkas in the Bhandar is 2257 and 308 respectively. Out of these manuscripts more than 450 manuscripts relate purely to Vedic literature. All the manuscripts are on paper except the two, Bhaktamar Stotra, and Tatwärtha Sutra, which are on palm leaves. There are some maps of Jambu Dwipa, Adhãi Dwipa and of some Yantras which are on cloth. Some maps are fully illustrated.
EARLIEST & LATEST MANUSCRIPTS,
The earliest manuscript available in the Bhandar is Jasahara Carıya of Puşpadanta. an Apabhramśa work of 10th Century. This manuscript was copied in 1407 (1350 A.D.) in the fort of Candrapur. The latest manuscript of Padmanandipancavinśati was copied in Samwat 1950 (1893 A.D.). This shows that there are manuscripts written from the year 1350 to 1893 A.D. Most of the manuscripts were written in the 15th, to 18th centuries. A few of these were written in the 19th
century.
SUBJECTS DEAL WITH
The manuscripts in the Sastra Bhandar deal with a variety of subjects like Purana, Carita, Kavya, Grammer and various aspects of Jaina religion. The languages used are Prakrit, Apabhramśa, Samskrit, Hindi, and Rajasthānī. Pūjā and stotra works form a substantial part of the collection. There are more than 450 small manuscripts, the matter of which have been taken from Samhitas, Bhagwat Mahāpurāṇa and other purāns. Apart from these there are good Hindi works written by Jaina as well as non-jaina authors The following are the further main features of the Sastra Bhandar.
(1) There is a good collection of Samskrit works on Ayurveda & Jyotisa
(2) The collection of Gutakas containing small texts is also remarkable Among rare works of Hindi, one is JINADUTTA CARITA, a work of 1297 A.D. This was composed by Kavi Ralha. This is perhaps one of the earliest manuscript of Hindi ever found in a Digambai Jain Śăstra Bhandar.
The condition of the Grantha Bhandar is satisfactory. All the manuscripts are placed in serial number and therefore manuscript may be taken out without any difficulty. The complete catalogue of the Bhandar has recently been prepared and published.'
J Rajasthan ke Sastra Bhandaron ki Grantha Suci Part IV