Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 1

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 208

SEMINAR OF SCHOLARS
A Seminar of Scholars is held every year at the Institute on Mahāvira's birthday. The first such Seminar was held in 1963 when Shri J. C. Mathur, 1. C. S., Commissioner of Tirhut Division, took the initiative in proposing it, and since then it is being held regularly. In the pages that follow, some of the papers read and lectures delivered on the occasion are being published. Unrecorded lectures or speeches delivered extempore could not be included in the Bulletin.
The first Seminar was held in two sittings on April, 6, 1963, Scholars came from the sister Institutes in the State. Shri J. C. Mathur welcomed the scholars. Dr. Yogendra Mishra, Principal Shri Bhagwan Prasad Sinha of L. N. College, Bhagwanpur, and others participated in the deliberations of the first sitting. Principal Shri Mahendra Pratap of L, S. College, Muzaffarpur, presided over the second sitting at which the Director read a paper on Gthastha Dharma (householder's duties) according to Mahāvīra, Buddha, Manu and Gandhiji, which was discussed at length by the scholars present. Besides the staff and students of the Institute, the local people took a keen interest in the Seminar. The first sitting of the second Seminar was held on
1964, in the presence of Muni Shri Dhanrajji Maharaj, a senior disciple of Acharya-Shri Tulsi. Shri Mahesh Prasad Sinha, a Cabinet Minister in the Government of Bihar, presided over the sitting, the subject of discussion being The Jaina view of Good and Evil Shri J. S. Bali, I. A. S., Commissioner, Tirhut Division, welcomed the scholars and Principal Krishneshwar Jha, Pandit Rupnath Jha, Pandit Kanhaiya Sharma, Pandit Sobhakant Jha and others took part in the discussions. Dr. D. N. Sharma and Shri R. P. Poddar also read papers on the subject. The third Seminar was held on April 14, 1965, and was presided over by the Governor of Bihar, Shri M. Anantasayanam Ayyangar Shri Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Educa. tion Minister of Bihar, sent a good will message expressing his desire that the Seminar should be a permanent feature of the Institute. Shri J. S. Bali and Shri M.P.N. Sharma, Deputy Education Secretary,
a interest in organizing the Seminar. Among the participants in the deliberations were Shri S. V. Sohoni, I.C.S., Shri J.C, Mathur, I.C.S., Dr. P. L. Srivastava, Vice-Chancellor, Bihar University, Professor D. Malvania, Dr. B. P, Sinha, Professor A.L. Thakur, Pandit