Jinamanjari 1995 09 No 12

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

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Prakrit Seminar Sanskrit University, Delhi, March 23-27, 1995
Sri Kunda Kunda Prakrit Bharati, Delhi organised its Annual on Prakrit Lectures in memory of great Jain Saint Kundakunda who lived in the early current era. The Jainalogy Department of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University was the venue.
The lecture serie was inaugurated by Prof. Venkatachalam, the Chancellor of the University. Addressing assembled scholars, he remarked that the association of this University with these endowment lectures was a historic event. He made a fervent plea for the promotion of Prakrit studies in all universities and seats of learning.
Prof. Vachaspathi Upadhyaya, the Vice-Chancellor, also addressed. He said that these lectures heralded a golden period in the history of the University as their exists a relationship between Sanskrit and Prakrit and therefore he assured that effort would be made to strengthen the Prakrit Department.
Prof. Namavara Singh, a noted linguistic and Professor emeritus, Department of Languages, Jawaharlal Nehru University, referred to the importance of Prakrit study and explained how Pali, Apabhramsha and the modern languages of northern India evolved from Sauraseni Prakrit. He further observed that languages were the intellectual property of the people as a whole and any identification with a particular religion or caste betrayed narrow thinking.
Dr. Lakshminarayana Tiwari, Director, B.L. Institute of Indiological Studies, New Delhi, was the principal speaker on the second day. He delivered two lectures: Nature and importance of Prakrit in the context of cultural, tradition, history and linguistics.
On the second day, Dr. Mandana Mishra, a noted scholar of Indic languages, and Sri Sunil Shastri, son of Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri, were the special guests. Dr. Mishra echoed the sentiments expressed by previous speakers, Sri Sunil Shastri recalled his illustrious father's love of languages and exhorted the University authorities to promote the cause of Prakrit studies.
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