Moti Sanshodhak Prerakta Dharavta Matbar Suchigrantho - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Moti Sanshodhak-Prerakta Dharavta Matbar Suchigrantho" by Raman Soni:

This article, titled "Substantial Bibliographies with Great Research Potential," written by Raman Soni, celebrates and analyzes the monumental work of two scholars, Mohanlal Desai and Jayant Kothari, in compiling extensive bibliographies of Jain poets and their works. The author emphasizes the rarity and significance of having two researchers dedicate themselves to such a vast undertaking, particularly when it involves a comprehensive descriptive manuscript catalog.

Mohanlal Desai's Contribution:

Vast Scope: Mohanlal Desai's work, spanning approximately 4200 pages, meticulously catalogs over 5,000 works by more than 1,400 Jain poets (along with some non-Jain poets).
Extensive Research: To achieve this, he consulted around 400 manuscript collections and other resources.
Detailed Indices: He created indexes for over 8,000 personal names, 1,700 place names, and 3,000 "desis" (likely referring to a type of poetic meter or classification).
Historical Introduction: The first volume includes a detailed introduction of over 300 pages on the history of old Gujarati language.
Challenging Undertaking: Soni highlights that this was a difficult and painstaking task requiring immense patience and insight. Desai traveled to numerous manuscript repositories, collected useful materials, and organized the vast documentary evidence in a scientific manner.
Proactive Scholarship: Desai recognized the importance of Narmad's "Narmakatha-kosh" (Encyclopedia of Narmad's Stories) and lamented the absence of a similar comprehensive Jain story encyclopedia from Jain scholars or institutions. In response, he included a Jain Katha-namkosh (Encyclopedia of Jain Story Names) with over 500 entries in the second part of his "Jain Gurjar Poets" series.
Dedication: Desai dedicated over half of his life, a full 33 years, to this academic pursuit. His work was highly respected by scholars of his time, with prominent figures like Narsinhrao admitting its overwhelming scope.
Broader Scholarly Output: Beyond the bibliographical work, Desai also authored a "Concise History of Jain Literature," edited over ten books, and managed two journals ("Jain Yug" and "Jain Shwetambar Conference Herald"). He contributed over 900 research-based, literary, historical, and biographical articles. Soni agrees with Jayant Kothari's assessment of Desai as possessing "rare scholarly brilliance."

Jayant Kothari's Contribution:

Building on Legacy: Jayant Kothari's work is presented as a continuation and refinement of Desai's foundational research. Kothari, a highly respected researcher and editor, developed his expertise through his work as an editor for the Gujarati Sahitya Kosh (Gujarati Literary Encyclopedia).
Identifying Gaps and Corrections: While working on the Sahitya Kosh, Kothari frequently encountered inaccuracies and areas for improvement in existing reference works, including the highly influential "Jain Gurjar Poets."
Revised Edition: Recognizing the immense utility of Desai's work, Kothari embarked on a project to create a revised and enriched edition rather than just a reprint. His aim was to make it even more useful and guiding for future scholars, historians, lexicographers, and researchers of medieval literature.
Years of Diligence: Kothari dedicated 12 years of his retirement to this task, treating it as a period of intense academic discipline. This extensive effort was necessary for purification, augmentation, and a more scholarly and useful restructuring of the material.
Incorporating New Research: His revised edition benefited from research and editorial work conducted over the preceding fifty years, as well as the knowledge and compilation skills gained from the Sahitya Kosh projects.
Expanded Volume: The new edition of "Jain Gurjar Poets" grew from the original four thousand pages to approximately five thousand pages. This expansion includes additions to author and work entries, and particularly in the last three volumes, significant enhancements to the supplementary material, with notable growth in the bibliographical index (Volume 7).
Comprehensive Indexing: Volume 7, the largest and most labor-intensive part of the work (nearly 900 pages), provides comprehensive indexes from various perspectives: authors, works, subject categories, chronological order (Samvat), and personal, lineage, and place names. This makes the vast amount of information accessible to researchers.
"Key to the Kingdom": Kothari aptly describes bibliographies as having "a thousand eyes" that illuminate the vast world of reference literature. His work is considered a model in this regard.
Potential for Future Research: Kothari noted in the preface to Volume 7 that the "Jain Gurjar Poets" alone could serve as the basis for a hundred PhD theses. While acknowledging the drive for PhDs, he also provides research guidance for potential candidates.
Validation of Desai's Effort: The second edition, published half a century later and with such scholarly rigor, validated the immense effort of Mohanlal Desai and made his work even more significant.

Relevance and Inspiration:

Challenging the Current Academic Climate: Soni raises the question of the relevance of such meticulous and labor-intensive work in today's academic environment, which is often perceived as less inclined towards classical studies like prosody and medieval literature and culture, influenced by materialism and fast-paced media.
Sustaining the Flow of Knowledge: He argues against despair, suggesting that such profound academic endeavors can indeed open up new avenues and attract those with an interest in classical studies. The utility of such large-scale academic works, though perhaps in limited circles, is significant.
Guiding Future Scholars: The primary value of these works lies in their ability to guide the few individuals who choose the path of scholarship.
Inspiration for Refinement: The work also serves as inspiration for refining and expanding upon other significant scholarly projects by scholars like Chimanlal Dalal, Muni Punyavijayji, Jinavijayji, and Manjulal Majmudar.
Model for Research Methodology: Soni highlights another crucial aspect: the prevailing academic research culture often prioritizes rapid degree attainment over systematic planning, accuracy, and scholarly methodology. Many supervisors and students lack models for diligent, curious, and methodologically sound research. The "Jain Gurjar Poets" (all ten volumes) and especially the detailed bibliographical index (Volume 7) are presented as exemplary models. By examining these works, aspiring researchers can understand the meticulousness, accuracy, effort, and methodological insight required for academic research, potentially slowing down hasty approaches and fostering a sense of dedicated concentration.
Kothari's Unique Methodology: Soni identifies Kothari's greatest strength as a researcher in his development of a distinct and practically useful research methodology, evident in the work of researchers he has guided.

Institutional Support:

Vast Investment: The article acknowledges that such large-scale, valuable works require significant capital investment.
Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya: The undertaking of the revised edition of "Jain Gurjar Poets" was made possible by the financial support of institutions like Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya, recommended by scholar of the medieval period, Ramanlal Chimanlal Shah.
Spiritual Guidance: The contribution of Acharya Shilachandrasuri and Acharya Pradyumnasuri, who provided inspiration and guidance, is also acknowledged.

In conclusion, the article celebrates the profound and enduring value of the bibliographical work of Mohanlal Desai and Jayant Kothari, highlighting its meticulous scholarship, extensive scope, and its critical role as an inspiration and guide for future generations of Jain and literary researchers, particularly in establishing rigorous research methodologies.