Vinay Sutra

Author(s): Gunprabh Bhadant, Rahul Sankrutyayan
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 8

GENERAL EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION
The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has so far published 53 volumes in the Singhi Jain Series. When the late Muni Jinavijayaji had been to Santiniketan in December 1931 he had started the Singhi Jain Granthamala with the very liberal financial assistance of late Shri Bahadursimhaji Singhi*. When the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was started in 1938, Shri Muniji joined the Bhavan at the special invitation of Kulapati Munshiji and entrusted the Singhi Jain Series to the Bhavan. Since then, the Bhavan has brought out this series with meticulous care and this prestigious series has received respect of scholars and international recognition. Shri Muniji remained its General Editor till his death, which took place on June 3, 1976.
II
Muniji was born on January 27, 1888, at Rupaheli in Mewar in Rajasthan. His parents were Vriddhisimhaji and Rajkumari. They were Rajput farmers and Muniji's orginal name was Kisan Singh. At a young age, he joined the sect of a Baba, then a Marwari Jain monk, and then ultimately was initiated by Muni Sundervijayaji, and given the name "Jinavijayaji.” With keenness and industry, he devoted himself entirely to exploring Bhandaras for manuscripts and to reading, editing and making research. He went to Jaisalmer, Baroda, Bombay and Poona. Gandhiji invited him to the Gujarat Vidyapith at Ahmedabad. He gave up the costume of a monk to pursue more vigorously his research plans. In 1928, he went to Germany at the invitation of Dr. Jacobi. Coming back to India he joined the Dandi March in 1932 at Gandhiji's call. Thereafter he joined Santiniketan at Gurudev Tagore's invitation and it was here, as stated above, in 1931 that this Singhi Jain Series was started
After Muniji joined Bhavan, this series has become a very prestigious and integral part of the Bhavan. Even though he went to Jaipur as Director to serve his native place the Singhi Jain Series was purposely and continously kept entrusted to the Bhavan by Muniji. In Jaipur, he established a Research Institute-Rajasthan Puratatva Mandir-and started another series. He then went to Chanderia near Chittor and started a Sarvodaya Sadhana Ashrama. At Udaipur, he laid the foun
*Regarding Muniji's life, see his Sanskrit Prasasti in Kumarapalacharitra Sangraha and other Volumes of this series, as also the article by Pandit Sukhlalji in Darsan and Chintan, pp. 94 ff.