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down their heads and accept the aphorisms of knowledge. The three aphorisms of Supreme Being generate unfathomable intellect-energy and so, within 48 minutes (Antarmuhoorta) 2 Ghadis, they orally compose all the twelve unfathomable scriptures. Then the major twelve scriptures are composed. The composition of these twelve scriptures is called Dwadashangi in the famous terminology of Jain language. During the spiritual rule of every Tirthankara such Dwadashangi scriptures are composed since creation to the final deluge as an eternal rule. The strip depicts Bhagawan Mahavira at the centre. This picture is based on the Gathas (anecdots) of Avashyaka Niryukti. The picture signifies the fact that Bhagawan Mahavira, while undergoing spiritual practice went on climbing the tree of knowledge. When he reached the top, he realised Supreme-Enlightenment - Kewalgyan-Trikalgyan. Tirthankaras are exceptionally noble, philanthropic and always tuned to the idea of doing good to the world. It is certain that the world benefits from the path of knowledge. The knowledge which is in tune with all the cosmic elements, which comprehends its arrangement and which can uplift the consciousness of the whole cosmos should be placed before the whole humanity in the world. so, Bhagawan climbed upon the tree of supreme enlightenment and plucked various flowers of various branches of right knowledge and he took these flowers of enlightenment in his hand, with a view to present them to his first eleven Ganadharas disciples. All the eleven Ganadharas stood under the tree of knowledge and took the flowers in their cloth-pouch of intellect. Then those Ganadharas, possessing supreme intellect made 12 garlands of these flowers. These 12 garlands are those twelve scriptures. All these twelve scriptures were composed before 2515 years on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month Vaishakha in the presence of Bhagawan Mahavira and the whole Jain community. At that time there was the tradition to remember scriptures by heart. There was no custom of writing down the scriptures, as, in ancient times people had immense intellect. As time rolled on year by year, memory became short. Scriptures were more and more forgotten. So about a thousand years later, between Vira samvat 987 and 993 a great conference of all great Acharyas was called at Valabhipur. It is said that 500 Acharyas had met at the conference and it was decided for the first time to put in writing all those memorised scriptures and whatever knowledge was sa ved from oblivion was taken down in book-form. From that time thousands of scriptures were being written down. The worthy heritage was thus saved for future generations. Jains' devotion for the Agamas-scriptures is unique. Jains preserve this great heritage of great knowledge through physical, mental and financial sacrifice. The names of these twelve scriptures are written in the strip. All these twelve scriptures are major. They are known as Anga and so the words Dwadasha (twelve)and Anga are joined together as Dwadashanga and the whole group of 12 scriptures is called Dwadashangi. Just as each of the Bhagawans is installed in a small temple, here the strip is made in a bow-shape and the twelve (Angas) Shastras are mentioned in the form of books. Here in the script the original Prakrit names are printed and below, Sanskrit names are also given. They are 1. Achar, 2. Sutrakrit, 3. Sthan, 4. Samavaya, 5. Bhagawati, 6. Gyatadharma, 7. Upasaka, 8. Antagad, 9. Anuttaro, 10. Prashna vyakarana, 11. Vipak shruta, 12. Drashtiwad. Just as Hindus' basic scriptures are four Vedas Jains have these twelve basic scriptures or Angas. Later on sub-scriptures - Upanga, Angopanga etc. are created. It should be particularly noted that Brahmins specialise in knowledge and Vaishyas - Vaniks - merchants specialise in money-matters. Knowledge seems to be hereditary in Brahmin families. This idea is indirectly supported by the fact that all the first eleven disciples of Bhagawan Mahavira who belonged to the Kshatriya family were Brahmins alone and they have written all the twelve scriputres. What a co-incidence!
43. The strip showing the names of 45 Jain Agama Shastras, together with their subordinate types apart from
the twelve basic scriptures This strip shows the 45 Agamas scriptures as fixed by Shramana Sangha together with their names in a vertical sequence. After the composition of this Dwadashangi and after a lapse of time the knowledge contained in this great twelfth work on Drashtiwad was gradually forgotten by the ascetics and with the disappearance of that knowledge, that branch of knowledge was also lost. Then there remained only eleven branches. The preceptors who followed wrote sub-scriptures for these branches. There are twelve such sub-scriptures. Then knowledge was further divided into Payanna i.e. subjects. Then followed six Chhedasootras and then four Moola sootras were written. Two Choolikas were also written. Thus the total number of standard religious books rose to 45. How many are the totalscriptures of Jains at present? The answer is said to be 45. This figure of 45 is also not definite. There may be more scriptures. The information has to be greatly condensed. This strip being about knowledge, may be useful for invitation cards for knowledge or its celebrations.
44. The strip introducing very useful information about names of jewels associated with nine planets, their
colours, specific days and time for wearing them etc. This strip is very useful and worth for collection. The description of the whole strip would fill many pages. However the strip clarifies many points. Mainly the strip shows the sun, the moon, mars, neptune, jupiter, venus, saturn, rahu and ketu. Keeping in view the table the strip indicates the relation of a particular planet with a particular jewel, the colour of the jewel, the day and the time of wearing the jewel, the Japa to relieve the evil effect of a particular planet and the shapes of the jewels. The two figures, together with the names of the planets show the arrangement and the directions for showing the
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