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Vol. XXV, 2002
REVIEW Sambodhi (Vol. XXIV, 2001) - edited by J. B. Shah, L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahinedabad-380 009, 2001, Price Rs. 150/-, Page 160.
This is a trilingual Journal in Enlish, Hindi and Gujarati. It is published by the L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad. The Journal has a quality of its own. In this number, some papers are worth mentioning; these are Tātparva in Bhoja by T. S. Nandi, the Lalitavistara-tīkā of Haribhadrācārya by K. A. Shah and the Gandassa Kahānayanı edited by J. B. Shah. The Gandassa Kahāṇava is for the first time edited from a single manuscript. K. R. Candra's article on the different readings of Agama texts is worth reading and he has collected lots interesting passages from Jaina Agama texts. Although some of his readings might by disputed, on the whole the paper is interesting. The quality of paper and printing is very good and the Journal is worth consulting for research purpose.
Satya Ranjan Banerjee
HISTORY OF JAINISM With Special Reference of Mathura by V. K. Sharma, Bibliography; Index; 25 cm, 2002, xx, 280 p.; 21 col. & b/w Plates,, ISBN 81246-0195-X Price Rs. 850/
As one of the world's major religions, founded on the spiritual principles of ahinisa (non-violence), truth, and righteous conduct, Jainism has today 2,600 years of a splendid living tradition - with a well-defined worldview, metaphysics and code of ethics. A leading scholar, V. K. Sharma here presents an altogether fresh, pan-Indian historical survey of this great religion, spelling out its beginnings, antiquity, doctrines, tīrthamkaras, country-wide spread and, among other aspects, its contribution to India's culture and art heritage – in all its varied manifestations.
In the latter part of the book, the author comes to focus upon Jainism in the specific contexts of Mathurā – one of India's ancient cities, which not only is venerated as the legendary birthplace of Lord Krsna, but is also famed as an eminent centre of Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina art. Thus shows Dr. Sharma how this principal Vaisnava centre today had been a stronghold of Jainism: from second century BC to about eleventh century AD; how it has contributed to Jaina canon, literature and iconography; and how in Mathurā is traceable the centuries-long, unbroken history of Jaina plastic art.
Setting out a panoramic view of Jaina architecture, sculptural art, and socioreligious life over the ages, specially in the sacred city of Mathurā, this study is based on wide-ranging authoritative sources and supplemented by a number of highly representatives illustrations.
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