Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 633

ELEVENTH CHAPTER
Value of the Bhs from the literary, historical and philosophical points of view.
FIRST SECTION Literary value of the work
Literature is to be judged by its value to humanity. An estimation of it is determined by the principles to what extent does it contribute to the progress of mankind by enabling it to live with more happiness. more intensity. more profoundness more wisdom and more freedom in the mundane world. Next comes up the question of technique used in the work for proper criticism which distinguishes its subject-matter, guiding one to a finer appreciation of writing and making him realize more clearly and completely what the author has meant there.
Literature is the reflection of human life, thoughts, ideas and activities and Nature, and the representation of education, learning and culture of a developed civilized society. It carries the message of knowledge and cultural heritage of a people or of a country from the distant past up to the present and preserves the treasure of different branches of learning of to-day for the future human generations through the successive stages of the social evolution.
So a fully developed literature touches upon all aspects of individual and social life, such as, family, social, political and economic conditions, education, all branches of knowledge arts and sciences, technology, religion, history and philosophy with all phenomenal and noumenal aspects of Nature. All beings and non-beings and peoples of all walks of life with their different roles in the larger society appear on the stage of a true literature endowed with the richness of developed human thoughts and ideas about the self and not-self. It vitalizes and