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Institue of Jainology, London and Ahmedabad in conjunction with Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institue, Pune had organized a three day seminar on Manuscriptology from 1st to 3rd August at Vishwakosh Bhavan,  Ahmedabad.

This was a first ever seminar organized in India on Manuscriptology attended by both professionals and students of the subject. Over 230 professionals and students attended the seminar.

Prof. Dipti Tripathi, Director of the National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi inaugurated the seminar with an opening addressed. She started by commending  Mr Nemu Chandaria OBE and Padmashree Dr Kumarpal Desai to have conceived the idea of this seminar at a national level. It was sure to inspire more research work

Dr. Maitreyee Deshpande - Hon. Secretary of Bhandarkar Oriental Lights the Dip whilst Director Prof Tripathi Look on

She emphasized the need for research in manuscriptlogy as we need to understand the rich heritage from our ancestors.

She also expressed concern that there was very little research on ways of conserving the manuscripts.  Modern technology has enabled many conservation methods but no research has been undertaken seriously.

Both the Government and the private institutes have funding available to offer financial assistance and scholarship but sadly the researchers have not come forward to take this opportunity.

She was of the opinion that such seminars would certainly help bring about a deeper understanding of the subject and inspire interest in studying the manuscripts and also undertake research on manuscript conservation.

She concluded with commending the Institute of Jainology once again for the initiative and assured it and other Institutes that if they had proper infrastructure to promote such activities, financial assistance will certainly be available from the Government. In her conclusion she also referred to the work done by the Institute in creating an excellent catalogue of the manuscripts held in the British Library collection and the JAINpedia project to make the rare manuscripts accessible to lay people.

Officials Including Director Prof Tripathi on the Podium

The first session of the seminar was opened by Dr. Sudha Gopalakrishnan the former Director of the National Mission for Manuscripts.  In her talk she suggested that manuscriptology as a subject should be included in the University curriculum and appealed to the professors present in the audience to take this message home.
In the sessions that followed, there were 24 prominent speakers from Departments of History, Languages, and Philosophy from various leading universities. All were very enthusiastic to have had an opportunity to attend such a seminar and expressed their agreement to increase the level of both the studies and research in the subject of manuscriptology.

Several Heads of various departments at universities and institutes agreed to make available to both students and research graduates the photocopies of the MSS for research in Jain Agam, Religion, Art, History, Civilization, Medicine, Sculpture and so on.
It was very pleasing to note that new subjects in Manuscriptology were introduced by three MSS experts in the field, namely Dr. Niranjan Rajyaguru, Dr. Balwant Jani, and Dr. Mohyuddin Bombaywala.  The three new subjects were:
(1) Sant Sahitya: Manuscripts Research and Editing
(2) Charani Sahityani Hastaprato.
(3) Farasi Hastaprato: Sanshodhan and Sampadan

Some of the Audience

Dr. Kumarpal Desai and Shri Nemubhai Chandaria, Trustees of the Institute of Jainology announced the availability of a scholarship for post graduate research in MSS.

They also announced a competition to encourage the students attending the seminar to study and write on what had been discussed and proposed in the seminar.

The Institute can take justifiable pride in having not only pioneered fundamental research in the subject of Manuscriptology by having created the catalogue of British Library collection but also inspired further studies and research in to the rich heritage in India of the ancient manuscripts.

ACHARYASHRI MAHAPRAGYA

(14TH JUNE 1920 – 9TH MAY 2010)

HEAD OF THE JAIN SHVETAMBARA TERAPANTH SANGH

Acharya Mahapragya, the 10th Acharya  (sage) and supreme head of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth community, died following a cardiac arrest at Sardarshahar in Churu district of Rajasthan on Sunday 9, May, 2010. He was 90.

Acharyashri was appointed as the head of the Jain Shvetambara Terapanth Sangh by his guru, Acharya Tulsi on 18th February, 1994 and in a formal ceremony in Delhi on 5th February, 1995 he was pronounced as the tenth Acharya of the Sangh.
A giant personality in his own right, it is impossible to describe him in words.

Acharya Mahapragya was born as son Nath Mal to father Tola Ram Choradia and mother Balu ji in Tamkor, a village in Rajasthan, India, on 14th June, 1920.
Within weeks of his birth, he lost his father and was raised by his mother.
There was no school in the village and Nath Mal did not receive any formal education.

Even at a very young age, Nath Mal was deeply impressed by the personality of Acharya Shri Kalu Ram and on 29th January, 1931 Acharya Shrimad Kalu Ram initiated him as a disciple of Acharya Tulsi at the tender age of ten.  The effectiveness of Guru Shishya parampara in Indian tradition is reflected by the wisdom of Acharya Mahapragya ji in that without any formal schooling he has mastered subjects such as History, Philosophy, Logic, Grammar, Physics, Ayurveda, Politics, Economics, and Social sciences.  He is not only an author but also a poet, and that too in diverse languages such as Hindi, Prakrit and Sanskrit.

Muni Nath Mal, by his devotion established an incomparable rapport with his Guru, Acharyashri Tulsi and in return was recognised as extraordinary.   Their relationship can be gauged from the following events:

·    In 1955 Acharyashri Tulsi nominated Muni Nath Mal as the Chief Secretary of the Terapanth organisation.

·    On 4th February, 1979 he was appointed successor-designate to Acharya Tulsi and was given the title of Yuvacharya Mahapragya.

·    On 18th February 1994 Achary Tulsi relinquished his post and Yuvacharya Mahapragya became Acharya Mahapragya.  With a holy ceremony in Delhi on 5th February, 1995 he was formally pronounced as the tenth Acharya of the Terapanth Sangh.

Acharya Mahapragya is also the torch bearer of some of the most successful projects initiated by Acharya Tulsi:

·    Anuvrat Movement

Acharya Tulsi launched the Anuvrat Movement in Sardarshahar on March 1, 1949.  In April 1950, it exceeded all expectations when thousands of people of different religious following recited the lesser vows to live a mindful and aware daily life.  The movement is universal and has no relation to any particular sect or religion.  It is a way of life to improve one’s own quality of life as well as to harmonise living with all living beings.  Its relevance to contemporary times can be understood from the small vows to protect the environment and to avoid waste, misuse and pollution of nature.

Since its inception, Acharya Mahapragya ji has made it popular not only in India, but world-wide.  An example is the Golden Jubilee of the movement celebrated in Nepal.  Anuvrat Global Movement [ANUVIBHA] is now a dedicated organisation under the patronage of Acharya Shri Mahapragya and the first vow it administers is AHIMSA.

Preksha Dhyan

Acharya Tulsi initiated the question on the disappearance of meditation in Jainism after the time of Bhagavan Mahavira and assigned the task to investigate this phenomenon to Acharya Shri Mahapragya ji.

Acharya Mahapragya ji spent over 20 years studying the Jain Agams/Scriptures and concluded a system of Meditation which is now popularly known as Preksha Dhyana.

Preksha Dhyan is a non-sectarian system of meditation which has spiritual as well as physical well being as its benefit.  It is complimentary to the Anuvrat movement in that its practice makes the observation of the vows a matter of routine without any special efforts.

For his efforts in this task, Acharya Tulsi gave him the epithet of Jain-Yoga-Punruddharak (Resurrector of Jain Yoga).

Acharya Mahapragya ji’s most recognised contribution to AHIMSA is in the seven year journey he undertook to quell the communal violence which erupted in India between Hindus and Muslims.  Ahimsa Yatra, as it was named, was launched on 5th December, 2001 at Sujangarh in Rajasthan. with the objective to highlight the spiritual aspect of non-violence and spread the message of peace and harmony across the country.

He traversed over 10,000 km on foot, covering 2400 villages, towns and cities and addressed many public meetings during the yatra.

In February, 2002, as if Ahimsa Yatra was destined to be the forerunner of its own mission, communal violence broke out in Gujarat and its ugly aftermath influenced most states of India.

Addressing a gathering at a village in Gujrat Acharya Shri said, “Only that country becomes strong whose citizens know the way to control their emotions. No country can emerge powerful without peaceful coexistence, and it is impossible for a country to ensure peaceful co-existence of its people without restraint and discipline. Some people are educated into communal and caste frenzy. The frenzied state of their minds gives rise to an anti-social environment. The government tries to resist it through its might, but it is the duty of the citizens to see that the hooligans do not convert it into communal frenzy. ………”

Touched and inspired by these efforts of Acharyashri, the President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam met him ignoring all protocol. Similarly, the deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, Congress President and Leader, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, the supreme of RSS, Sh. K.C. Sudarshan travelled to Gujarat and met Acharyashree to discuss the adoption of Ahimsa as a national policy.  The famous Surat Spiritual Declaration of Unity of Minds was signed by 20 leaders from all different faiths of India and presented to Dr Kalam on 15th October, 2003.

Acharyashri moved from state to state, convinced multi-faith congregations to accept four principles in their lives:
1. I will believe in human unity.
2. I will not resort to quarrels and conflicts on the basis of caste and sectarian issues.
3. I will try to follow integrity in my personal life as far as I can.
4. I will try to remain free from drug addiction.

Having contributed in abundance to the elevation of universal Jain principles through his speeches, writings and founding inspirational organisations to teach and spread the word of Lord Mahavir, Acharyashri breathed his last on Sunday, 9th May, 2010 at Sardarshahar, Churu District, Rajasthan, India at 2:50 pm.

Prominent among the awards given to him during his lifetime were the Mother Teresa national award of peace (2005), Union Government’s communal harmony award (2004), Ambassador of Peace Award in London (2003), Lokmaharishi by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (2003) Indira Gandhi National Integration Award (2002) and the Ahimsa Award (2008) by the Institute of Jainology.

Institute of Jainology with all its Directors, Patrons, and well-wishers presents their respects to the great soul with sadhuvada and anumodanas.

The end of one era is always the beginning of another.  We welcome the appointment of Yuvacharya Mahashraman as the 11th Acharya of the Sangh and expect no less than all that has been delivered traditionally by the past Acharya.

Om Shanti! Shanti!! Shanti!!!

Many of the temples at Palitana date back to the 11th and 12th centuries Getting up to the mountain is not that easy. It involves climbing up more than 3,000 steps cut into the side of the mountain. The elderly or those who find it too difficult are taken up on special chairs carried by porters. It can take about two hours to get all the way up to the top. Most Jains will do it at least once in their lifetime but the truly devout will do it 99 times.

BBC camera team was recently in Palitana and their team of Sanjoy Majmudar and Bhasker Solanki have created a wonderful and captivating slide show. To view this slide show visit:  Click here

Non-violence and compassion towards every living being is at the core of Jain belief. And this year their spiritual quest in Palitana has manifested itself in a project to help some 29,000 people with disabilities. A group of Jains has set up a vast medical camp in the town to provide mobility accessories and hearing aids to these people. The project was led by Ratna Nidhi Trust of Mumbai and supported by Jains globally. Diginitaries like His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi had attended the camp.

H H The Dalai Lama talking to one of the beneficiaries

Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi talking to another beneficiary

(26.11.1881 – 30.1.1960)

~ by Manish Modi

Can a man’s handwriting change his future? Yes it can. It changed Pandit Nathuram Premi’s future and the history of Hindi language publishing in India. It was Pandit Premiji’s handwriting that took him to Bombay, the city where he was to meet his mentor, Pannalal Bakhliwal, and where he was to start his own publishing firm and the first bookshop in Bombay, Hindi Grantha Ratnākara Kāryālaya and where later, in the memory of Seth Manikchandra, he was to start the Manikacandra Jaina Granthamālā. His contribution to Jain and Hindi literature through his own writings, as well as through his work in translation and publishing remains unsurpassed. A man of firm beliefs and strong principles, he used his editorship of the influential magazines Jain Mitra and Jain Hitaiṣī to advocate social reforms in the Digambara Jain community to which he belonged and the publication of the Digambara Jain scriptures.

Born on 26 November 1881 in Devari, in the district of Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Nathuram Premi was the eldest child of Tundelal Modi, a travelling merchant of modest means, belonging to the Paravār caste of Digambara Jains, hailing from Bundelkhand. Premiji studied in grammar school and was the monitor of his class. He cleared his pre-high school exams in 1898 and became a schoolteacher nearby at Rehli.

Inspired by his guru Syed Amir Ali Mir, Premiji became a budding poet who wrote in Urdu and Braj. Premiji often said that he was not a spontaneous poet. His command of rasa, alaṅkāra and piṅgala gave him the impetus to write poetry, and his mastery of Sanskrit grammar would help him greatly in future as well. Young Nathuram wrote under the nom de plume of “Premi”. His poems were published in the literary magazines of the time, Rasika Mitra, Rasika Vāṭikā and Kāvya Sudhākara, but unfortunately, his poems are no longer available.

In the 1890s, he married Rama Devi, who was from the nearby village of Sarkheda, in the district Sagar. They led a very happy married life. Premiji, a staunch supporter of women’s empowerment, regarded Rama Devi as a close friend and took great interest in educating her.

In 1901, the Digambara Jain Tīrthakṣetra Committee, situated in Bombay, released an advertisement for an office clerk. Premiji sent in an application for the post, and his beautiful handwriting won the job for him. He arrived in Bombay in 1901, and started working for the Digambara Jain Tīrthakṣetra Committee as a clerk. (2) His efficiency and honesty soon ensured that he was running the entire office. From accounts, and
correspondence, to general administration and handling the safe, everything was entrusted to him.

Competence breeds jealousy. The all round competence and hardworking ethics of Premiji made his co-workers insecure. Hence, a false complaint was made against Premiji alleging that he was not completely honest in his bookkeeping. Premiji insisted that his books be audited. When the books and cash where tallied, it was found that there was some cash in excess. This was because Premiji, who had begun taking on translation jobs, would keep his own earnings also in the office safe. Premiji’s name was cleared, but he decided not to work for anyone who would question his honesty. He decided to quit and start out on his own.

The owner of Hirabaug, Seth Manikchandra, had seen Premiji and was impressed by his honesty, diligence and intellect. He asked Premiji to take up rooms at the Hirabaug Dharmashala at the heart of the Bombay market and start his business from there. He accepted the offer and together with Pannalal Bakhliwal started the Jain Grantha Ratnākara Kāryālaya in 1906.

While he was working for the Digambara Jain Tīrthakṣetra Committee, Premiji also edited Jain Mitra, making it one of the most influential Jain magazines of that era. It became known as a progressive magazine, sound on Jain siddhānta but willing the community to change with the times and give up its orthodoxy. Premiji’s editorials on Jain history were much appreciated. In fact, Jain Mitra became a masthead for all those who wanted the Jain community to move forward and who were known as the sudhāravādī as opposed to the conservatives, the rūḍhivādī. Premiji was at the epicentre of this movement for social freedom, universal progress and modern education. He also began advocating the remarriage of Jain widows. This was unheard of in the conservative Jain community of that time and there was much opposition. But other Jain reformers, such as Kṣullaka Ganeshprasadji Varni of Bundelkhand, publicly backed Premiji. In 1914, Premiji and Varniji both addressed a rally at Sonagiri, a Digambara Jain place of pilgrimage in Bundelkhand, where they publicly declared their support for widow remarriage.

Pandit Premiji was the first Jain scholar of the 20th century to carry out a critical study of Jain history. He was the inspiration for the Śvetāmbara stalwarts Pandit Sukhlal Sanghvi and Muni Jinavijaya who carried out immensely important studies on Jainism. Pandit Sukhlalji and Muni Jinavijayaji, along with Pandit Becharadasji Doshi, Pandit Agarchand Nahata and Dr Dalsukh Malvania acknowledged their debt to Premiji in a festschrift dedicated to him.(4)

Premiji’s festschrift, Premī Abhinandana Grantha, edited by the Vedic scholar Dr Vasudev Sharan Aggarwal, was the first such work in the Jain community. An incident during the formal launch of it provides an insight into Premiji’s character. The 1946 Premī Abhinandana Grantha, with messages written by Indian luminaries such as Sir Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Purushottamdas Tandon and Kaka Kalelkar, was to be formally launched in Calcutta, and a grand luncheon was to mark the occasion. Premiji opposed the idea of a festschrift in his honour and had to be prevailed upon to go to Calcutta. But when he heard of the luncheon, he refused to attend; in that year, Bengal had suffered a famine and Premiji could not accept the invitation for a grand luncheon when there were thousands of people dying of starvation.

While still the editor of the Jain Mitra, Premiji also started editing classics such as the Banārasāvilāsa, Daulatapadasaṅgraha, Jinaśataka, etc. His work on the Ardha Kathānaka was ready in 1912 – 1913, (5) but the book was not printed until 1943 as it was Premiji’s policy to publish other scholars’ works before his own.

Premiji was adept at several languages. One of his mentors, Pannalal Bakhliwal, taught him Bengali, the language of Tagore, and on his own, he studied and mastered Gujarati and Marathi. His Sanskrit background helped him to learn Prakrit and Apabhramśa, also on his own. Premiji, became known for his command of languages as well as grasp of Jain siddhānta, and was flooded with translation work. At the behest of the Ṣrīmad Rājacandra Granthamālā, he translated from Gujarati into Hindi Śrīmad Rājacandra’s Mokṣamālā. This translation was unique in that he translated the prose segments into prose and the poetry into verse form. He also translated Ācārya Amṛtacandra’s Puruṣārthasiddhyupāya from Sanskrit to Hindi.

All along, Premiji unwaveringly continued to edit the Jain Mitra. In 1912, (6) he founded the Jain Hitaiṣī, a Jain magazine with a reformist and questioning approach. Jain Hitaiṣī was known for the forthright views of its editorials and academically sound articles on Jain history, culture and society. Premiji’s scholarly articles on Jain history were trend setters which paved the path for the academic study of Jainism by lay Indian scholars in the 20th century.

His Jain Sāhitya aur Itihās, a collection of articles that he wrote for Jain Mitra and Jain Hitaiṣī, set the benchmark for scholarly research into Jain history. He later re-edited these articles and produced a compilation, first published in 1942, and a second edition in 1956. His grandson Yashodhar’s wife Vijayalakshmi helped him with the second edition. He had taught her Sanskrit, Bengali and Marathi, and she was to help him greatly by proofreading his writings.

Premiji also edited and published Ardha Kathānaka, Banārasīvilāsa and many other Digambara Jain works, including Kundakunda’s Bārasa Aṇuvekkhā.

On 24 September 1912, Premiji founded the publishing house Hindi Grantha Ratnākara Karyālaya (now known as Hindi Grantha Kāryālaya), which was to become the foremost Hindi publishing house in India and also the oldest bookstore in Bombay. The first publication was a Hindi translation of John Stuart Mill’s Liberty, titled Svādhīnatā. The Hindi translation was by Pandit Mahavir Prasad Dvivedi, whose Hindi magazine Sarasvatī was regarded by Premiji as the benchmark for Hindi quarterly publications. Hindi Granth Karyalay became synonymous with the best Indian literature. He published almost the entire oeuvre of Sharatchandra Chattopadhyaya, the great Bengali writer and some works of Rabindranath Tagore, such as Āṃkh kī Kirkirī, and Naukā Dūbī. Apart from publishing Hindi translations of these Bengali classics, Premiji also published Hindi translations of the Gujarati writer KM Munshi, such as Gujarāt ke Nāth and Pātaṇ kā Prabhutva. Premiji and Munshi Premchand were close friends, and he published the first edition of Munshi Premchand’s classic novel, Godān. Apart from Godān, Premiji published Premchand’s short story collections entitled Nava Nidhi and Sapta Saroj.

Premiji was always keen on publishing the work of new writers including Hajariprasad Dvivedi, Jainendrakumar, Yashpal, Acharya Chatursen, and Pandit Sudarshan. He also published the Bengali plays of Dvijendra Lal Rai for the first time in Hindi.

In memory of Seth Manikchandra, Premiji established the Manikacandra Jaina Granthamālā wherein he published Jain scriptures, for the first time systematically edited by philologists. The Manikacandra Jaina Granthamāla published over 40 Digambara Jain texts, mostly written in Prakrit, Apabhramśa or Sanskrit. Premiji ran the Manikacandra Jaina Granthamālā on an honorary basis between 1915 and the 1950s. All the books were sold at cost. When his health began to fail, it was decided to hand over the series to Bhāratīya Jñānapīṭha in Varanasi. After that, the series came to a halt. None of its books are available today. Even getting photocopies of all the books is difficult in India. A great treasure has been lost through neglect and modern man’s apathy towards religious knowledge.

Premiji lived his life at the vanguard of the Indian Renaissance Movement which began in Bengal and heralded an unprecedented upsurge in education, in the printing and publishing of classical Indian, medieval and modern literature, health care reforms, and the introduction and acceptance of sweeping social changes that awakened India from a sleepy nation rooted in the middle ages into the rapidly growing industrial and economic power that she is today.

Hindi Granth Ratnākar Kāryālay became India’s No. 1 publishers of Hindi literature. At that time, nationalism and patriotism were peaking and Hindi was not merely a non-local language, it was a symbol of Indian patriotism and defiance in the face of British imperialism. Very appropriately then, the acclaimed Hindi novelist Vishnu Prabhakar called Premiji the “Bhīṣma Pitāmaha” of Hindi publishing.

Premiji lived a long life studded with literary and scholarly achievements. He had suffered from asthma for a long time and passed away owing to old age on 30 January,  1960. He left behind his daughter-in-law and two grandsons. His elder grandson Yashodhar Modi is continuing his legacy along with his son Manish Modi.

In Premiji’s memory, his grandson Yashodhar Modi has started the Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series. This series has published select volumes focusing on subjects as varied as Jainism, philosophy and yoga and published scholars such as Premiji himself, Ludwig Alsdorf, Maurice Bloomfield, Padmanabh Jaini, Nalini Balbir, Willem Bollée, Jaykumar Jalaj and Hermann Kuhn. Original texts by ancient and medieval Jain ascetics such as Kundakunda, Samantabhadra, Umāsvāti, Pūjyapāda, Joindu, Prabhācandra, Bhāskaranandi, Jinabhadragani, Vādirāja and many others have been published in this series.

Hindi Granth Karyalay, http://www.hindibooks.8m.com and http://www.gohgk.com, has also published bound volumes of the International Journal of Jaina Studies.

Notes

1. In 1906, the Committee shifted its offices to the beautiful Hirabaug building owned by the philanthropic family of Seth Manikchandra Panachandra. This is where it remains to this day.
2. Please refer to Section l, “Abhinandana”, Premī Abhinandana Grantha, Pages 1- 62
3. Please refer to “Mudraṇa Kathā”, Ardha Kathānaka, pages 5 – 6.
4. Jain Hitaiṣī ran from 1912 to 1921, when it had to be closed down due to lack of funds.
5. Ardha Kathānaka has been being freshly translated into modern Hindi and English by Rohini Chowdhury. It has been published by Penguin India.

Bibliography

1. Aggarwal, Vasudev Sharan (Ed.). Premī Abhinandana Grantha. Tikamgarh: Premī Abhinandana Grantha Samiti, 1946.
2. Premī, Nāthurām. Jain Sāhitya aur Itihās. Second Edition. Mumbai: Samśodhita Sāhitya Mālā Puṣpa 1, 1942/1956.
3. Banārasīdāsa. Ardha Kathānaka. Ed. with a detailed Preface by Nāthurām Premī. Mumbai: Samśodhita Sāhitya Mālā Puṣpa 2, 1946/1957.
4. Amṛtacandra, Ācārya. Puruṣārthasiddhyupāya. Ed. with an Introduction by Nāthurām Premī. Āgās: Śrīmad Rājacandra Āśrama, 1904.
5. Goyaliya, Ayodhyaprasad. Jain Jāgaraṇa ke Agradūta. Varanasi: Bhāratīya Jñānapīṭha, 1952
6. Śāstrī, Phūlcandra (Ed.). Paravāra Jain Samāj kā Itihās. Jabalpur: Śrī Bhāratavarṣīya Digambara Jain Paravāra Sabhā, 1992.

——-

List of Publications in the Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series

Jaina Studies: Their Present State and Future Tasks
By Prof Dr Ludwig Alsdorf, English tr. by Bal Patil
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 1}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-13-1

The Story of Paesi
Prakrit text; English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 2}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-03-2

Ratnakaranda Sravakacara
Sanskrit text by Acarya Samantabhadra, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 3}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-04-9

Vyavahara Bhasya Pithika
Prakrit text, English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 4}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-07-0

Samadhitantra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar  Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 5}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-06-3

Atthapahuda
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 6}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-15-5

Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Prabhacandra, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 7}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-16-2

Yogamrit: Yog Sahaj Jivan Vigyan
By Mahavir Sainik
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 8}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-17-9

Paramatmaprakasa
Apabhramsha text by Acarya Joindu, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 9}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-09-4

Yogasara
Apabhramsha text by Acarya Joindu, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 10}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-12-4

Dhyanastava
Sanskrit text by Acarya Bhaskaranandi, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj {Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 11}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-20-9

Dhyanasataka
Prakrit text by Jinabhadragani Ksamasramana, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 12}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-21-6

Barasa Anuvekkha
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda, Sanskrit and Hindi translations by Pandit Nathuram Premi {Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 13}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-22-3

Istopadesa
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 14}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-23-0

Life and Stories of the Jaina Saviour Parsvanatha
An English translation of Acarya Bhavadeva’s Parsvacaritram by Prof Dr Maurice Bloomfield {Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 15}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-24-7

Samadhitantra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada, with English tr.
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 16}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-25-4

The Apabhramsa of Svayambhudeva’s Paumacariu
By Dr Eva de Clercq
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 17}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-28-5

Jainism and the Definition of Religion
By Dr Piotr Balcerowicz
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 18}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-29-2

Dravyasamgraha : Compendium of Substances
Prakrit text by Acarya Nemicandra, English tr. by Prof Dr Nalini Balbir {Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 19}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-30-8

Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Prabhacandra, English tr. by Anish Shah
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 20}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-31-5

Rayanasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 21}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-32-2

Jainism: An Eternal Pilgrimage
By Bal Patil
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 23}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-34-6

Dravyasamgraha
Prakrit text by Acarya Nemicandra, Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 24}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-37-7

Parsvanathacaritram
Sanskrit text by Acarya Vadiraja
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 25}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-27-8

Parsvacaritram: The Life of Parsva
Sanskrit text by Acarya Gunabhadra, English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 26}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-35-3

Jain Sahitya aur Itihas
By Pandit Nathuram Premi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 27}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-02-5

Tales of Atonement: Stories from Malayagiri’s Commentary on the Vyavahara Bhasya. English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 28}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-38-4

Yogasastra: A Handbook on the Three Jewels of Jainism
Sanskrit text by Acarya Hemacandra, English tr. by Prof Dr Olle Qvarnstroem
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 29}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-40-7

Istopadesa
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 30}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-45-2

Dhyanabattisi : 32 Steps of Self-Realisation
Braj text by Banarasidasa, English tr. by Jerome Petit
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 31}.
ISBN 978-81-88769-48-3

Other books on Jainism that we have published:

International Journal of Jaina Studies, Vol. 1- 3
Ed. Dr Peter Fluegel
ISBN 978-81-88769-36-0

Christianity and Jainism: An Interfaith Dialogue
By Prof Dr Padmanabh S. Jaini.
ISBN 978-81-88769-42-1

The Basic Thought of Bhagavan Mahavir
By Dr Jaykumar Jalaj.
ISBN 978-81-88769-41-4

Rebirth of the Karma Doctrine
By Dr Subhash C Jain.
ISBN 978-81-88769-44-5

All these books are available at:

HINDI GRANTH KARYALAY
Publishers Since 1912
9 Hirabaug C P Tank
Mumbai 400004
INDIA
Phone: + 91.22.2382.6739
Email: manishymodi@gmail.com

The special cover depicts colourful Gajrath alongwith the images of 11 feet high idol of Bhagwan Shantinath situated in the Satna Digamber Jain Mandir and Pujya Acharya Vidhyasagar Ji Maharaj. Special cancellation depicts image of Bhagwan Parshwanath.

This special cover was released in the grand function of Dhvajarohan and Inauguration Ceremony of Panchkalyanak on 16th January 2010 morning by famous Industrialist of Rajsthan Shri Ashok Patni in the auspisious presence of Pujya Acharya Vidhyasagar Ji Maharaj. Shri A. K. Jain, Asstt. superintendent of Postoffices, Rewa Division and office bearers of Central India Philatelic Society were also present on this occasion. Central India Philatelic Society was instrumental in issuance of this Special Cover and Special Cancellation. Cost of this Special Cover is Rs. 15/- plus postage.

This information courtesy: Sudhir Jain,  Secretary, Central India Philatelic Society,   email: centralindphil@yahoo.com

Both the stamps and the covers have beautiful and attractive designs and have attracted lot of interest from stamp collectors.

Below is a composite sheet issued by the Philatelic Advisory Committee to the Indian Government.  Their details are included on the card. Please not it is not a Government Agency but a private organisation.

An Inaugural Function is organized on 20th December 2009 under the aegis of Prof. Vachaspati Upadahyaya, Vice-Chancellor, Lal Bahadur Shastri Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi . On this occasion Prof. Radha Vallabh Tripathi, Vice-Chancellor, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi , will deliver key note address from the Chair of Chief Guest. Mrs. Aditi Mehta, Joint Secretary, IGNCA will also be present. More than 35 participants are coming from all over India to participate in it.

The salient features of this workshop is participants will be benefited from the deliberations and lectures of the Faculties viz. Prof. G. C. Tripathi, Prof. Satkari Mukhopadhyaya, Dr. K. K. Chakrtaborty, Prof. S. P. Narang, Dr. J. B. Shah, Prof. Shri Prakash Pandey, Dr. V. S. Shukla, Dr. Balaji Ganorkar, Dr. A. K. Singh, Dr. Preetiben Pancholi, Dr. Uttam Singh etc. The Prakrit Manuscripts will be focused in this workshop. The method of conservation and preservation, transliteration, collation, preparation of critical edition and editing as well as cataloguing of the manuscripts etc will be taught here for the 21 days. The participants of this workshop are mostly highly educated young persons holding good academic background on this subject. This is the first attempt in which the Manuscripts of Prakrit Language will be taken for the theme.

The Valedictory Function is organized on 10th January 2010 when Noted Indologist Prof. Gayacharan Tripathi, Ex-Head, Kala Kosha, IGNCA will deliver his valedictory address to the participants.

For further information contact:
Dr Balaji Ganorkar
Director B. L. Institute of Indology
Tele Fax : 91-11-27202065/27206630 EPBX
http://www.blinstitute.org Email: balaji@blinstitute.org

Information Courtesy:  Mahavir Sanglikar

This Rs 5/- stamp depicts his portrait and photo of first World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Brochure of this stamp also bears Namokar Mantra.

Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi was born on 25 August 1864 at Mahua in Gujarat and died at the young age of 37 on 7 August 1901. His short life was dedicated to the cause of Jainism and service to mankind. Besides mastering as many as fourteen languages, his religious knowledge was not restricted to Jainism alone. He was a student also of Buddhism, Vedanta Philosophy, Christianity and Western Philosophy. He was appointed the honorary Secretary of the Jain Association of India at the very young age of 21. He was instrumental in getting the slaughter house at the sacred Hills of Sammetshikarji closed down and in getting the poll tax that was levied on Jain pilgrims at Shatrunjaya Tirth by the Thakore Saheb of Palitana abolished.

He was a true patriot. When India was facing a devastating famine in 1897 he was responsible for sending Rs. 40,000/- towards famine relief and a shipload of grains to India from U.S.A. for famine relief. He represented the Jain religion in the first ever held parliament of World Religions at Chicago in 1893. He spoke on various Indian Philosophical systems. He defended Indian culture setting right several areas of misinformation. He delivered about 535 speeches on Jainism, other religions and cultural and social life in India. He founded several institutions and societies in the west. He wrote books on Jain philosophy, yoga philosophy, the concept of Karma and the six systems of Indian philosophy. He also translated a French book “An Unknown Life of Jesus Christ”. Courtesy:- Sudhir Jain, Universal Cables Ltd., Satna (M.P.) E-Mail : mrsudhirjain@yahoo.com  /Ahimsa Times(November 2009)

It also highlights the fact that Mughal Emperor Akbar had banned animal slaughter in Palitana during Paryushan and Mahavir Jayanti and that he had given up hunting and become a vegetarian.

Times of India 24th November 2009

If you have any interesting facts about Emperor Akbar’s actions in Ahemdabad or elsewhere in connection with Jainism and would like to share with our visitors please let us know.

Beacon light to future generations

Pujya Muniraj Shri Jambuvijayji Maharaj

-  Dr. Kumarpal Desai

In the untimely death of Muniraj Shri Jambuvijayji Maharaj, the nation has lost a polyglot, who was well-versed in Sanskrit, Prakrit, French, German, Japanese, Sinhalese and Tibeti, a researcher par excellence and one who was committed to restoration and preservation of priceless manuscripts of ancient scriptures. The world of Indian literature and culture is poorer today and the loss is almost irreparable. A staunch votary of Indian culture and values, his was a sensitive heart that bled for the poor. At the ripe age of 87, his zeal for research was phenomenal. He delved deep into the ancient scriptures, pored over them with a view to unravelling the treasures buried in them. His father Shravak Shri Bhogilalbhai became Muni Bhuvanvijayji and mother became Sadhviji Shri Manoharshriji. Muniraj Shri Jambuvijayji was eternally grateful to his parents and the Supreme Being who had blessed him to no end. 

Well-known philosopher Shri Siddhasen Divakarsuri had authored a volume ‘Sanmatiprakaran’ and Pandit Bechardas Doshi and Pandit Sukhlalji edited it with exhaustive commentary – a labour of love of seven years. When young sadhu Jambuvijayji drew their attention to some of the inaccurasies in the volume, both the scholars were taken aback. Later Pandit Sukhlalji entrusted the task of editing ‘Dwadshar Nayachakra’ to Muniraj Jambuvijayji. 

Jainacharya Mallavadi Kshamashraman, born in the fourth century, had endeavoured to pinpoint the salient factures and inherent weaknesses of twelve types of philosophical postulates, and at the end of it he had discussed the philosophy of anekant, which encompasses all the diverse and disparate points of views. The original manuscript of the volume was not available but based on the various commentaries extant, Muniraj Jambuvijayji produced a rare and priceless volume which proved to be a goldmine for the scholars of religion and philosophy. He singlehandedly laboured for twenty years with infinite patience and for the purpose of his research he studied ancient Tibetian language ‘Bhoti’ and its script. He would study a language required for his research and in the process he learnt French, English, German, Japanese, Sinhalee, Pali and Tibeti. He was constantly in pursuit of knowledge and therefore he preferred to spend his ‘chaturmas’ (four month of rainy season staying at one place) in a small village so that he could carry on his work undisturbed and live a life of a true recluse. He was always surrounded by old manuscripts and would talk about ‘Shrutgyan’ with devotees who througed him wherever he went. He was not an ‘ivory-tower’ sadhu and the common weal was always at his heart. Compassion for all was at the core of his teaching. 

Scholars and researchers from Japan, England and Germany visited him very often and learnt a great deal about Indian scriptures from his illuminating discussions and discourses. His piety and profound scholarship touched them all. For any one who wanted to study or do research in Jain or Buddha religion or know more about Sanskrit or Pali language, Muniraj Jambuvijayji was the proper guide. 

Mitchell from Italy studied in a German University and two years ago she met Jambuvijayji in a small village in Kutch and took lesson from him. Everyday she recited Navkar Mantra and gave up meat-eating. Similarly, Hiroko from Japan’s Hiroshima University studied Jain and Buddha religions and Sanskrit from the Muni. She also undertook a pilgrimage to Shetrunjay alongwith her parents from Japan. For scholars from Australia, America, Italy, Japan and South Africa, Muniraj Shri Jambuvijayji was an ever willing guide and a becon light. 

Preservation of Jain store-houses of knowledge was his prime consideration, following the traditions established by Munishri Kantivijayji, Muni Shri Chatur Vijayj and Muni Shri Punyavijayji Maharaj.Shri Punyavijayaji had gifted valuable volumes of agam (canonical literature) through intensive research and the same tradition was carried forward to its pinnacle by Muniraj Shri Jambuvijayji. ‘Anuyogdwar’ a volume which was a key to the understanding of agam (canonical literature) , was his monumental work and later he also edited Haribhadrasuri’s work Dharmabindu. 

He presented modern versions of Kanad’s vaisheshik sutras against the ancient versions. He had an uncanny insignt to capture the essence of the original volumes, besides the researcher’s unflagging zeal and patience. The famed disciples of Hemchandracharya were Pujya Ramchandrasuriji and Pujya Gunchandrasuriji who had made significant contribution in the fields of dramatics and philosophy. It was Jambuvijayji who offered commentary by way of producing Dravyalankar. Similarly, he edited Yogshastra which was the last work of Kalikalsarvagna Hemchandracharya’s life. All his works were published by Shri Manavir Jain Vidhyalay of Mumbai and Shri Bhogilal Laherchand Institute of Delhi. His edited works of ancient volumes comprise staggering 25000 pages. 

Munishri was an indefatigable researcher who spared no pains for the preservation of the treasure trove of Jainology. The treasure of knowledge of Jaisalmer needed to be restored properly and Munishri spent days in scorching heat on the burning sands of Rajasthan. Similarly, he endeavoured to preserve the manuscripts in Limbadi, Cambay, Patan and Pune with the help of micro-filming and xeroxing. 

When the Institute of Jainology catalogued the 1500 valuable manuscripts lying in British Library, the leaders of all sects of Jain religion in one voice opined that the foreward be written by Muniraj Shri Jambuvijayji. He, unhesitatingly, did the job.

Status and fame were alien to his nature and would sign simply as Jain Muni Jambuvijayji and steadfastly refused the title of Upadhyay or Acharya. He has been a source of inspiration to one and all and his works are the priceless legacy left behing by him. Nine times he undertook pilgrimage to Sametshikar on foot, covering a distance of two thousand kms. His Jinabhakti was an object lesson for his devotees when he got completely immersed in the bhakti rasa. Such a soul, not born very often, will continue to inspire and hold a becon light to future generations.

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