Digambar Jain Granth Bhandar Kashi Ka Pratham Gucchak

The text you provided is the first "Gucchaka" (collection or fascicle) of Digambara Jain scriptures published by Pannalal Choudhary from Kashi. The catalog link confirms this as a collection of 19 Sanskrit texts and stotras.

Here's a summary of the provided pages:

Overall Purpose:

This publication is a compilation of significant Sanskrit texts within the Digambara Jain tradition, intended for daily recitation and study. The publisher, Pannalal Choudhary, aims to make these valuable scriptures accessible, especially as earlier editions were out of print.

Key Information from the Pages:

• Title: Digambar Jain Granth Bhandar Kashi Ka Pratham Gucchak (The First Collection of the Digambara Jain Scripture Repository of Kashi).
• Publisher: Pannalal Choudhary, Bhadaini, Kashi.
• Author(s): While the book itself is a compilation, the individual texts within it are attributed to various esteemed Jain Acharyas.
• Content: The collection includes 19 Sanskrit works, primarily consisting of stotras (hymns of praise) and important philosophical treatises.
• Printing: Published by Pannalal Choudhary and printed by Babu Jaykrishnadas Gupta at the Vidya Vilas Press, Banaras.
• Date: The publication is dated V.S. 2451 (Vikram Samvat).

Specific Texts and Their Authors (as mentioned in the introductory pages):

The book includes works by renowned Jain scholars and saints. The publisher specifically mentions that the first 14 texts were previously published in a collection by Nirnaysagar Press (Sanatan Jain Granthmala). This new compilation includes those plus five additional important works:

1. Bṛhat Svayambhū Stotra (Great Svayambhū Stotra) - by Acharya Samantabhadraswami.
2. Ratnakaraṇḍa Śrāvakācāra (The Jewel-Laden Code for Laymen) - by Acharya Samantabhadraswami.
3. Puruṣārtha Siddhyupāya (The Means to the Attainment of the Goal of Human Life) - by Acharya Amṛtachandrasūri.
4. Ātmānuśāsana (Discipline of the Self) - by Swami Guṇabhadra Acharya.
5. Tattvārtha Sūtra (The Principles of Reality) - by Acharya Umāsvāmi.
6. Tattvārtha Sāra (Essence of Tattvartha) - by Acharya Amṛtachandrasūri.
7. Ālāpa Paddhati (Method of Discussion/Dialogue) - by Acharya Devsena Acharya.
8. Samayasāra Kalasha (Verses on the Essence of Time/Self) - by Acharya Amṛtachandrasūri.
9. Parīkṣāmukha Sūtra (The Examination Face Sutras) - by Acharya Māṇikyānandi.
10. Āpta Parīkṣā (Examination of the Omniscient) - by Acharya Vidyānandi (Pātrasūri).
11. Āpta Mīmāṃsā (Inquiry into the Omniscient) - by Acharya Samantabhadraswami.
12. Yuktyanuśāsana (The Rule of Reason) - by Acharya Samantabhadraswami.
13. Naya Vivaraṇa (Explanation of Nayavāda/Perspectives) - Author's name not known.
14. Samādhi Śataka (Hundred Verses on Equanimity) - by Acharya Devnandi (Pūjyapāda) Swami.
15. Pātra Kesari Stotra (Hymn of Pātra Kesari) - by Acharya Vidyānandi (Pātrasūri).
16. Iṣṭopadeśa (Instruction on the Beloved/Desired) - by Acharya Devnandi (Pūjyapāda) Swami.
17. Dvātriṃśatikā (Thirty-two Verses) - by Amitagati Sūri.
18. Sarvajña Stavan (Praise of the Omniscient) - by Shri Jayānanda Sūri (a Śvetāmbara, which is notable in a Digambara collection).
19. Pārśvanātha Stotra (Hymn to Pārśvanātha) - by Shri Padma Prabhadeva.

Publisher's Note (Pannalal Choudhary):

• The publisher expresses gratitude to Pandit Phoolchandji Shastri and Pandit Anandkumarji Shastri for their significant assistance in this publication.
• The aim is for this collection to be as useful for daily recitation as a "Nitya Path Sangrah" (Collection for Daily Recitation). Therefore, only the original texts (mūlagrantha) are included.
• Efforts were made for accuracy, and any remaining errors are listed in a corrigendum at the end.

Introduction to Text Authors:

The preface provides brief biographical details about the authors and the approximate period they lived in, placing them within the context of Vikram Samvat. This highlights the historical depth and scholarly tradition behind these texts.

In essence, "Digambar Jain Granth Bhandar Kashi Ka Pratham Gucchak" is a valuable academic and religious resource for Digambara Jains, presenting a collection of foundational philosophical and devotional Sanskrit works from various prominent Acharyas.