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of Jaina scholars. Some of the rarest non-Jaina works which were formerly known only through references or not known at all were discovered from thesc libraries. One of the most notalle works on Sanskrit rhetoric like the Kävyamimarisi of Rājaśckhara; plays of Vatsarāja published in the collection Rripakagaykam representing some of the rarc forms of onc-act plays like Samavakara, Thūmrga and Dima; the only available work of Lokāyata philosophy like the Tattvopaplava of Jayarūsi ; one of the most valuabic Buddhist pliilosophical works like the Tattvasaugrahia by Santaraksita and his pupil Kamalasila, both of whom were Professors at tlic University of Niilandi-are some instances to the point. Pramūnavärtika of the great Buridhist sicholar Dharmakirti, though known from Tilctan sources, was available in India only in the librarics. Two new commentarics on the Süüklıya Satras, quite independent of the Mathara Vrili, have been recently discovered at Jaisalmer. There is not the Icast exaggeration in stating that the carliest manuscripts of all thc Sanskrit Classics-Kivyns, Natakas etc.
mand also of works on poctics and pliilosophy are available in tlie Jaina librarics. It was on account of this wealth of material that the Government of thic former Baroda State started the Gackwad's Oricntal Scrics on the basis of the reports about the libraries at Patan and Jaisalmer submitted by the late Mr. C. D), Dalal, the first General Editor of the Scrics and a profound scholar of Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apablirarnka and also of Gujarati. A study of the organisation, maintenance and upkeep of these ancient libraries will be a fascinating work for any scrious stucient of Ancient Indian Culture or Jainn Studies or cvcn of Library Science. There was a similar system of libraries among the Digambaras, but pcrliaps it was not so developed.
The need in modern times is to utilise this ancient heritage and make it available to the world of scholarship. Only in Tichyruary last Yati Sri Hemachandraji, the leading pontiff of thic Loriku Gaccha of the Sthanakavāsi scct of the Svettimbaras. lias given a gift of scven thousand manuscripts to the Oriental
