Jain Vidya Ke Manishi Professor Alsford

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Jain Vidya ke Manishi Professor Alsford" by Jagdishchandra Jain:

The article is a personal account by the author, Jagdishchandra Jain, detailing his visit to Professor Ludwig Alsdorf in Hamburg, Germany, during a severe winter. Despite the cold, the author was determined to meet Professor Alsdorf, a renowned scholar of Jainology.

The author describes his journey to Hamburg by German train, highlighting their punctuality and orderliness compared to Indian trains. Upon arrival, he found the German people helpful, with the university staff readily providing directions and a city map. He notes the stark contrast between modern German cities with their towering buildings and the solemn memorials to World War II soldiers, a reminder of the war's impact.

The author's arrival at the University of Hamburg and his reception by the Indology department are detailed. He meets Professor Alsdorf, describing him as a well-built, healthy, and energetic individual whose demeanor immediately conveyed his scholarly stature. The author presents a bouquet, which Professor Alsdorf graciously accepts.

The narrative then delves into Professor Alsdorf's deep connection with India and Jainism. Alsdorf had visited India twelve times (fifteen by 1974) and earned his PhD from Hamburg University in 1930, after which his first visit to India took place. He taught German at Allahabad University for nearly two years and took the opportunity to study Sanskrit with a pandit, immersing himself in Vedic texts, classical Sanskrit literature, and other religious scriptures. The author recounts Alsdorf's fond memories of these studies, particularly the challenges and creative solutions for finding Sanskrit equivalents for words like "rubber."

Professor Alsdorf's extensive travels throughout India in search of ancient Jain manuscripts are highlighted. He visited places like Jaisalmer, Patan (which he called "Jainpuri"), Ahmedabad, Kolhapur, and Bombay. He also visited Jain pilgrimage sites like Mount Abu and Palitana, where he sometimes faced initial resistance entering temples. His recitation of Sanskrit verses in such instances would awe the audience and lead to respectful treatment and gifts of books.

The author recounts Alsdorf's meeting with Muni Punyavijayji in Ahmedabad, where he received a copy of the Uttaradhyayana commentary. Alsdorf's visit to the Janmath in Belur and his experience with a precious palm-leaf manuscript, where a drop of sweat fell on the page, are mentioned. Alsdorf's personal library in Hamburg is described as a treasure trove, containing valuable items from India, including a statue of Gommateshwara gifted by Laxmisena Bhattarak in Kolhapur, and a palm-leaf manuscript of Mulachar with original ink.

The text also mentions Professor Alsdorf's intellectual lineage. He was a student of Heinrich Lüders and influenced by Ernst Leumann and Hermann Jacobi, who is credited with establishing Jainism as a distinct religion from Buddhism in European scholarship. Jacobi's inspiration led Alsdorf to undertake the monumental task of editing Pushpadanta's Mahapurana, published in 1936. Alsdorf also presented a significant paper at the Oriental Congress in Rome, arguing that Sanghadāsagaṇi's Vāsudevahindi was a retelling of Guṇāḍhya's Bṛhatkathā. This was considered a significant contribution to Indian studies.

The article praises the Hamburg University library's extensive collection of Indian history and culture books, which survived wartime bombings. It houses a comprehensive collection of Vedic, Puranic, epic, philosophical, Buddhist, and Jain literature, including Jain Agamas, their commentaries, and microfilms of Prakrit Jain texts. The library has also preserved Churni literature.

The author notes the research facilities available to students, with various research projects underway. He mentions Mrs. Adelheid Mette's research on the Piṇḍasaṇā chapter of the Ogha-niryukti and Rajendraprasad Jain from Delhi, who was researching Jain Agama literature under Alsdorf's guidance. The author also mentions a Tibetan Lama who learned German rapidly and the growing popularity of Tibetan language studies in German universities, particularly for its unique Buddhist literature. He recalls a meeting with Professor Bernhard, a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, who was deeply engrossed in his research and expressed admiration for India's rich culture. Sadly, Professor Bernhard passed away in Nepal while on research.

The author describes Professor Alsdorf as a "walking encyclopedia," possessing vast knowledge and the ability to present it in an engaging manner. Alsdorf also discusses the beauty and nuances of English idioms, noting that many Indians wishing to study Indology in Germany lack the essential knowledge of the German language. He emphasizes the need for instructors to teach Indian languages through German.

During the author's visit, a German student studying Tamil surprised them by serving tea and speaking to the author in Hindi. The author expresses regret that his primary purpose for the visit – discussing Vāsudevahindi – was not fully addressed due to time constraints. However, after the students left, Alsdorf provided the author with all his published and unpublished materials related to Vāsudevahindi, including a copy signed by Muni Punyavijayji with Alsdorf's extensive notes. Alsdorf praised Muni Punyavijayji for editing Vāsudevahindi but pointed out some textual inaccuracies in its published form. He also discussed the Majjhimakhanda of Dasaveyāliyasutta with the author, expressing a low opinion of its significance, but later revised his view after reading the author's manuscript on the Jain version of Vāsudevahindi.

The author concludes by expressing his deep respect for Professor Alsdorf, a prominent scholar who continued the legacy of esteemed Jain scholars like Jacobi, Leumann, and Schubing. He acknowledges Alsdorf's tireless efforts in promoting Indian culture. The article mentions that Professor Alsdorf was honored with the title 'Jain Vidya Manishi' by Jain Vishva Bharati on the occasion of the 2100th Nirvana anniversary of Lord Mahavir.

The article ends with a philosophical reflection on "water" being sold at the price of "milk" and how true value is attained through complete immersion or "tanmayata," drawing a parallel to the soul achieving the supreme self through divine love.