Jain Gurjar Kavio Ek Bahumulo Sandarbh Bhandar

This text is a review or reflection on the monumental work "Jain Gurjar Kavio" (Jain Gurjar Poets) by Kanubhai Jani. The reviewer, writing about a year after the launch of ten volumes of this collection, expresses deep admiration for the project, highlighting its national and international significance.

Here's a breakdown of the key points:

• A Significant Academic Achievement: The reviewer emphasizes that the collection represents an "unforgettable and important event" in the academic field, deserving recognition on national and international stages. They compare it to similar ambitious scholarly endeavors in other languages, particularly mentioning the work of Arne-Thompson and their "Motif Index."

• A Century of Dedication: "Jain Gurjar Kavio" is described as the fruit of a century of continuous effort and dedication by scholars. It's noted as an achievement that Gujarat can be proud of, not just for its duration but for the "unwavering intellectual love and diligent, continuous effort."

• The Collaborative Spirit (Mental Proximity): The reviewer highlights the unique collaboration between scholars, suggesting a "mental proximity" rather than direct physical presence. One scholar's work was seen as fulfilling the vision of a previous one, a feat requiring immense dedication and understanding of predecessors' intentions.

• Overcoming Obstacles: The text touches upon the challenges faced during the project, particularly mentioning the ill health of one of the key figures, Jayantbhai. Despite these adversities, the work persevered, attributed to a combination of his mental fortitude, love for learning, care from loved ones and doctors, and sheer perseverance.

• The Legacy of Mohanlal Dalichand Desai: The review extensively credits Mohanlal Dalichand Desai as the original pioneer of this work. Desai, a highly educated lawyer, dedicated four decades of his life (1885-1945) to this endeavor, working tirelessly without any institutional support or publicity. His significant contributions include a thousand-page "History of Jain Literature" and the original three volumes of "Jain Gurjar Kavio," which cataloged 1228 authors and around 3000 works.

• The Revitalization by Jayantbhai: The review then focuses on Jayantbhai's role in reviving and expanding Desai's work. Recognizing the need for a revised and updated edition, Jayantbhai took on the challenging task, eventually completing ten volumes by 1997. This second edition significantly expanded upon the original, turning three volumes into ten, described as "ten pilgrimage sites."

• Detailed Content of the Ten Volumes: The reviewer provides a glimpse into the content of each volume:

  • Volumes 1-6: Primarily lists of poets and works from various centuries (12th to 19th), described as dense thickets of information in a natural setting, offering "prasadi" (blessed) insights.
  • Volume 7: A comprehensive, classified index of all the material presented in the preceding volumes. It's likened to a "Reader's Guide" or a map for navigating the vast landscape of knowledge.
  • Volume 8: Dedicated to "desis" (folk tunes/melodies) used by poets. It contains a massive compilation of 2328 examples with their origins, making it an invaluable resource for scholars of folklore and folk music, as well as literary historians for dating works. The review elaborates on the historical connection of music with religion and the evolution of "margi" (classical) and "desi" (folk) music.
  • Volume 9: Focuses on Jain religious history, specifically the lineages of gurus (Gacchs) and the political history of Gujarat. It revises and expands upon Desai's earlier work on guru traditions and includes alphabetical lists of names, lineages, and works. It also presents historical information as a documentation of the era.
  • Volume 10: Addresses the early stages of the Gujarati language, providing detailed, step-by-step explanations with examples, making it accessible to general readers. This volume is based on Desai's original work but is enriched with contributions from other scholars and Jayantbhai's own revisions and analysis. It highlights the scarcity of resources for studying Apabhramsa (an older form of Gujarati) and how the work fills this gap by using folk examples and illustrative tales. The reviewer also discusses the study of ancient Gujarati proverbs found in this volume.

• A Call to Action: The reviewer concludes by stating that Jayantbhai has greatly enriched Gujarati language and literature by making these resources readily available. They pose a question about who will take the baton next, implying that the current work is a foundation for future research.

In essence, "Jain Gurjar Kavio" is presented as a massive, scholarly undertaking that meticulously documents the literary contributions of Jain poets in Gujarat over centuries. It's a testament to dedicated scholarship, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the evolution of the Gujarati language and its literary traditions.