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TULSI PRAJNĀ, July-Sept., 1991
mythology and history, and the Jayajaśakarana-rasāyana under narratives. All these literary works, besides being full of the sentiment of renunciation and being instructive, are fully representative of the artistic aspects of literature. A good number of the linguistic and grammatical peculiarities of the Rajasthani language are reflected in this literature.
His lyrical translations of the Prakrit texts like the Bhagavati Sútra, Prajñāpanỗ Sutra, JRấtādharmakathānga Sutra, Uttarādhyayana Sutra, Āyāro, Anuyogadvāra, Niśītha Sutra, etc., set a novel and unique example of his literary excellence along with the translation, at places expository comments in the form of : 'Vārtikas' (Aphoristic propositions have been incorporated. Elaborate exposition of difficult texts has also been made at places on the basis of the original sūtras and their commentaries.
Among the best works of Shrimad Jayacharya can be mentioned his philosophical and logical treatises like the Jhini Carcă, Carcă Ratnamālā, Bhramavidhvammśanam, Praśnottara-Tattyabodha, Jinamukhamandanam, Kumativikhandana, Sandehavişaușadhi, Bhikṣu-Krta Hundi Ki Joda, Siddhāntasāra etc.,
These treatises which embodied his deep metaphysical thought and logical analysis are as valuable as those of the Western thinkers like Hegel and Kant. He was equally adept in the composition of books on Jaina Logic, Sanskrit Grammar, and Sanskrit poetry which found a lucid exposition in his Rajasthani verses. His 'Naya-cakra ki Joda', 'Siddhanta Chandrikā ki Joda' and 'Bharata-Bahubali ki Jodā' are specimeas of his unique poetic art.
In Shrimad Jayacharya, we have a master mind from North India, second to none so far as his contributions to the thought and life and the literary achievements of that area are concerned. Besides being a spiritual mystic, a religious teacher, a seer, a philosopher, a practical constitutionalist, an able administrator, a widely-travelled ascetic and a great religious reformer, he was a folicitous poet, prolific author, and a great litterateur. His was a personality that transcended the finitude of space and time. And this is the reason why his literary contributions inspire us even today after a century of his nirvāna and are bound to remain a perennial source of inspiration for generations to come. What is needed is the dissemination of his thought and writings, critically edited and published, among the public at large, interested in literature and culture.
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