Tattvarthadhigamsutram Part 1

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Jivanchandra Sakarchandra

Page 39

During my leisure-hours I read this book and experienced mingled feelings of pleasure and pain-pleasure in coming across such a valuable . commentary and pain to see that the book was not within the reach of even those who deserved and desired to read it.
I, therefore, thought it necessary to select a publisher who might undertake to publish the complete commentary and thus supply the longstanding demand for it. It was a great pleasure to me to come in contact with Mr. Jivanchand Sakerchand Javeri (one of the secretaries of Sheth Devchand Lalbhai Jain Pustkoddhār Fund), who willingly agreed to publish it and sell it at half the cost price according to the regulations of the trust.
He suggested to me that I should edit this work. I was rather reluctant to do so as I was aware of the fact that there were some difficult passages which I had not properly grasped and that there were quotations from the sacred books of the Jainas written in their typical language. I, however, undertook this work, when the publisher assured me that I would get the necessary help from Āgamoddhāraka Jaināchārya Śrī Anandasāgarasūri.
On the publisher's supplying me with a manuscript belonging to Sri Vijayasiddhisüri I commenced to prepare the press-copy, as I too, had procured by that time a manuscript from the Mohanlalji Jain Central Library (Bombay), through Pratāpamuniji (a learned disciple of Jayasūriji). Side by side, I made use of the book lent to me by Jayasūrijā and also of the work published by the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. I have designated the manuscripts and the works here referred to as ka, kha, ga and gha respectively.
When the press-copy was about to be completed, it struck me that I should add marginal notes indicating the subjects treated in th tary, render a Sanskrit translation of the Māgadhi quotations and supply the names of the works referred to by the commentator.
I must admit that I would have hardly succeeded in this attempt had it not been for the willing co-operation of Anandasagarasuriji, who rendered me valuable assistance by going through the press-copy and furnishing me with information I much needed. To his further credit I must mention that he used to correct the galley-proofs, a copy of which I used to correct and send to the press before I received the second copy from him, as the publisher desired to expedite the work owing to the demand of the public. However, before I sent the final proof to the press