Letter

Author(s): A N Upadhye
Publisher: A N Upadhye

Page 2

[2]
and carefully study the Mss. and prepare authentic editions of them for the benefit of generations of scholars. The late lamented Dr. V. S. Sukthankar, who is wellknown as the great editor of the Mahabharata, once wrote to me: "Only a sound and critical text can serve as a foundation of further research in literature. In the absence of such texts, all subsequent research is sheer waste of good time and energy, as has proved to be the case in so many notable instances of operating with a corrupt or defective text. Half the controversies in the world would never have been begun if we had better texts". That only shows how important it is to edit ancient texts in a proper manner. In this respect, the ancient Bhandaras of Gujarat, worthy monks like Muni Shri Punyavijayaji and patron institutions like the Atmananda Sabha have all together rendered valuable service to the cause of the publication of Jaina works. The late lamented Pt. Nathuramaji Premi once told me that he was inspired by the Granthamala published by this Sabha in starting the Manikachandra D. J. Granthamala which too has done useful work by bringing to light many unpublished texts. You know, after the sad demise of Pt. Premiji, both Dr. Hiralal Jain, Jabalpur and myself are trying to rejuvinate it under the patronage of the Bharatiya Jnanapitha.
Right from the beginning, I am interested in the edition of the Dvadasaranay acakra. This text, I was aware, presented peculiar problems for a critical editor; and I have been closely watching how different attempts were made in this direction by different institutions and individuals. Naturally, there is pleasure, even satisfaction, in associating oneself with the publication of an important work like this.
Then I feel special regard for Muni Shri Jambuvijayaji. Years back. his father Guru and himself came to Kolhapur and halted there for one Caturmasa The distance between the Upasraya and my residence was just a few minutes walk, He often came to my place in the evening; and we discussed canons of textual criticism In which I have been very much interested and about which he was keen to know more and more. In fact, I visited the Upasraya now and then to pay my respects to the Father and son, the Guru and Sisya. I felt a bit surprised and also a little pride that this young man relinquished the world and got himself wedded to the cause of learning and piety life long! Later, I received from him off-prints of his articles; and through common friends, I heard about the work he was doing. The last that I called on him was in Ahmedabad along with my friend Pt. Dalasukhabhai Malavania. I found him much changed in physical appearance. He looked lean and ematiated; but, behind that frail body, I could see from whatever I discussed with him that there was a burning zeal not only for devotion to learning but also for advancement of learning. He showed us photographic copies of Tibetan Mss. He was making striking progress in the study of Tibetan and other languages. Today we are all here to express our respectful felicitations to Muni Shri Jambuvijayaji on his finishing the first part of the Dvadasara-nayacakra.