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FOREWORD
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example of such a development is no. 1556, which is of a bilingual character, employing Gujarati declensional endings (e.g. 42ulfa) and Gujarati words like
ta and acid though the inscription is composed in Sanskrit. Two more inscriptions (nos. 1477 and 1527) also came to my notice which, though written in Sanskrit, use the Gujarati genitive inflexion it with the words of the Acaryas, as in पं० जिनविजयगणिनी पादुका and श्रीमन्नेमसागरनी पादुका . The former case, may be a little open to doubt, as it could be just a minor error of decipherment of what could have been forai but the case of the latter admits of no escape. The earliest inscription in this collection, fully in Gujarati (no. 1474) is dated Sam. 1888, i.e.. 1831 A.D. (B) VALUE OF THESE INSCRIPTIONS FOR SOCIOLOGICAL,
GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH:
The collection provides rich raw material for sociological and other related historical and geographical studies of the region during the many centuries during which the images were made and installed. The extensive Indices provided at the end will certainly prove to be an asset for those who wish to take up such studies. I would like to call attention here to another possible study of this type which can be important for a study of the religious beliefs of the people. The motivation of the persons in making the idols is invariably expressed in the inscriptions and though there is much in common, there is diversity too. The spiritual benefit or beatitude (śreyas) of departed ancestors, near and far, is the most common purpose mentioned in the inscriptions. But there are interesting exceptions, indicating a higher level of spiritual enlightenment on the part of the persons making and offering the images for public worship. No.1184 mentions 4879 and no. 1527 speaks of pure Tyf as the motive. But the most exalted of these is the person who declares that he was doing it for the spiritual uplift of those who inflicted pain (on him or on others in general). TRT( ?): ontsfaitsi alfa qen stelsef (no. 120). What can be more soul-elevating than such a noble motive of making a votive offering in the name of customary offenders and enemies!!
It now remains for me to place on record my thankfulness on behalf of the Institute to all those, who contributed in different ways to this publication. The Institute is deeply grateful to Pandit Lakshman Bhai Bhojak, the learned Compiler-Editor who devoted his time and energy in preparing the text of these Inscriptions and for the meticulous care in its execution. The Institute owes an apology to him for the delay in the final publication of his work.
