Science and Art of Calligraphy and Painting

Author(s): S Andhare
Publisher: Indian National Science Academy

Page 34

Shri Mahavir lain Aradhana Kendra
15 supplementarily literature which resulted in a substantial increase in the written material. Though some of the monks specialised in writing and composing their own works themselves, a community of professional scribes (Laiyas) sprang up which primarily catered to the Jain shresthis in copying down the manuscripts and illustrating them also.
Between the 12th and the 14th centuries, Jaininsm received substanial patronage from the kings, queens and ministers of state and the Jain shresthis. These generous endowments enabled the community to build temples and raise monastic establishments. At this point of time the Jain tradition of Shastra-dan. gained momentom and it was regarded as an act of religious merit to gain wisdom. The reverance for learning acted as the main inspiration in creating Shastra-Bhandaras equiped with illustrated and un-illustrated manuscripts. Right from the time of Acharya Bhadrabahu (ca. 16th century) to Hemachandra, a number of great Jain monks not only filled the Shastra-Bhandaras with their own works, but preached the inporance of writing down the munuscripts to the masses. The Ms. of Upadeshatarangini', mentions that Kumarapala of Gujarat, (1143-1174 A.D.) had established twentyone ShastraBhandaras and presented each one with a copy of Kalpasutra(Jain canonical literature) written in gold letters. As a
Fig 25 Detail from a golden Ms
1.
Kumarapala Pratibodha Gaekwad Oriental Series Borada vol 14. P. 9697. Also see, Upadeshatangini. P. 140.