Prakrit Proper Names Part 1

This Jain text, Prakrit Proper Names Part 1, compiled by Mohanlal Mehta and K. R. Chandra, and edited by Dalsukh Malvania, is a significant academic work published by the L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, in 1970. It is part of the Lalbhai Dalpatbai Series, No. 28, and represents an Āgamic Index, Volume 1, Part 1.

Key aspects of the book include:

• Objective: The primary goal of this dictionary is to provide a comprehensive index of proper names found in the canonical texts of the Svetāmbara Jain tradition. The authors acknowledge the lack of such a resource, contrasting it with the availability of similar indices for Vedic and Pali works.
• Scope: The dictionary aims to collect and list approximately 8,000 proper names from the canonical literature of the Svetāmbara Jains. The compilation draws not only from the original canonical texts but also from their Prakrit commentaries, such as Niryuktis, Bhāsyas, and Cūrņis. Sanskrit commentaries have been utilized for supplementing information but were not the primary source for selecting names. Geographical names were an exception, where other sources were utilized.
• Methodology: The compilation process began in 1959 with the preparation of reference cards from selected texts and their commentaries by Dr. Hariprasad Shastri, Dr. J. S. Jetly, and Shri K. K. Shastri. The project was later taken over by Dr. Mohanlal Mehta under the supervision of the editors, with Dr. K. R. Chandra assisting in the finalization of the compilation in 1962. Pt. Rupendra Kumar Pagariya assisted in finding references. The revision was completed in 1967, and the book went to press in 1968.
• Content Inclusion: The dictionary includes not only proper names but also certain terms that are not strictly proper names, such as Titthamkara (Tirthankara) and Cakkavatti (Chakravartin), which the authors deem useful for scholars.
• Presentation: The printing follows the pattern of the Dictionary of Pali Proper Names. Information for a particular name is considered complete when consulted alongside names printed in bold type, which indicate separate entries. Sanskrit and Prakrit terms used in the descriptions are in italic types. Numbers in brackets after bolded names refer to the entry number for further consultation.
• Collaboration and Support: The preface highlights the cooperative nature of the work, involving a team of scholars. It also acknowledges the financial assistance from the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for the publication, and the support from Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai, Chairman of the Institute, for undertaking this "exorbitantly expensive project."
• Transliteration and Abbreviations: The book includes a transliteration scheme for Sanskrit and Prakrit alphabets to ensure consistency. It also provides an extensive list of abbreviations for publishers and bibliographical references, indicating the specific editions and sections of various Prakrit and Sanskrit Jaina texts used in the compilation.

In essence, Prakrit Proper Names Part 1 is a foundational lexicographical work for understanding the proper names within the vast corpus of Svetambara Jain canonical literature, offering a systematic and scholarly approach to indexing this crucial aspect of Jain studies. The detailed compilation and the preface by Dalsukh Malvania underscore the effort and importance placed on this dictionary for scholars in the field.