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Literary Contributions of Jain Monks.
Shri S.R. Sharma Prof. History, Willingdon College, Sangli, "The Jain religious preceptors. saints and scholars have rendered remarkable services to the Nation as well as to the world by their lofty character and ennobling literary compositions, As for the proper understanding and appreciation of English language one cannot afford to neglect the master pieces of Shakespeare or Militon in the same way the litterary compositions of the Jain Acharyas can not be ignored due to the fact that their study is indispensable for the knowledge of Kananda and other Languages.
-S. C. Diwakar Nyayathirthe1
"No Indian Vernacular," wrote Mr. Lewis Rice, contains a richer or more varied mine of indigenous literature than Jain works 2" Jains wrote on all subjects3 such as Religiou, Ethics, Grammar, Prosody, Medicine and even on Natural Science: Out of the 280 poets no less than 95 are Jain poets, the Vira-Saiva or Lingayat poets come to next being 90, whereas the Brahmanical writers are only 45 and the rest all included 50.4
1. A Public Holiday on Lord Mahavira's Birthday P. 12 2. Rice, Mysore and Coorg. Vol I Para 398,
3-4. For names of books and their authors consult Jainism and Karanata Culture by Karanataka Historical Research Society DHARWAR. (S. India). Priced Rs. 5/
Catalogues of Jain Literature in various languages from:(a) Digamber Jain Pustkalya, SURAT.
(b) Bhartya Gianpith, 4 Durga-Kund Road Banaras.
(c) Digamber Jain Parishad, Dariba Kala, Delhi.
(d) Jain Mitar Mandal, Dhrampura, Delhi.
(e) World Jain Mission, Aliganj, Eta, U.P.
(f) Manak Chand Jain Grantha Mala, Hirabagh, C.P. Tank, Bombay.
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
