Sahitya Samrakshan - Book Summary

This Jain text, "Sahitya Samrakshan" (Preservation of Literature) by Punyavijayji, highlights the Jain community's profound and long-standing dedication to preserving their vast literary heritage. The author emphasizes that this commitment has earned praise from scholars across the East and West.

The text details the historical methods employed by Jains for literature preservation, which began centuries ago with inscriptions on stone and copper plates, and symbolic paintings. This was followed by the extensive use of palm leaves and parchment for writing manuscripts. Jain scholars further advanced preservation by transcribing scriptures onto cloth and thick paper, thus expanding literary works to hundreds. These precious texts were then safeguarded in secure containers called dabdab and bhandar (storehouses), protected from fire, water, and insects, ensuring their longevity. The existence of extensive collections hidden in secret vaults, underground chambers, and pillars serves as evidence of these practices.

The author notes that, based on surviving materials, it is evident that centuries ago, influential ascetics and monks, along with kings, ministers, and wealthy laypeople, were motivated by spiritual occasions (like the conclusion of ascetic practices or listening to Jain scriptures), the welfare of themselves or departed loved ones, or simply their passion for literature, to establish large knowledge repositories. They achieved this by commissioning new manuscripts or acquiring old ones, thereby propagating knowledge. The text also stresses that even ordinary individuals contributed significantly to these endeavors when prompted by auspicious circumstances.

Specific examples are provided:

Palm leaf manuscripts: Some irregular writings on palm leaves are noted from the era of ascetics, particularly in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Manuscripts on cloth: The Patan Sangh bhandar houses two books written on cloth. One, dated 1418 VS, is 92 pages long and measures 25.45 inches. It was written on two pieces of common khadi cloth using a rice-based ink and then polished with agate. Other items like monsoon advisories, annual forgiveness requests, diagrams from karmic texts, and sequences are also found written on single pieces of cloth.

The text then elaborates on the establishment of vast knowledge repositories by prominent figures:

Maharaja Siddharaj Jaisingh: He is mentioned for gathering three hundred scribes to write texts from all philosophical schools and establishing a royal library. The "Prabhavaka Charitra" and "Kumarpalaprabandha" mention him commissioning hundreds of copies of Acharya Hemachandra's grammar text (comprising 125,000 verses) and distributing them to scholars worldwide.
Maharaja Kumarpal: He is credited with establishing twenty-one knowledge repositories and commissioning Jain Agam texts, along with Acharya Hemachandra's "Yogashastra" and "Vitaragastavani" manuscripts in gold ink for his royal library.
Ministers:
- Vastupal-Tejpala: These ministers, inspired by Acharya Vijayasen and Udayaprabh Suri of the Nagendra Gachchha, established knowledge repositories, as documented in Jinharsh Gani's "Vastupal Charitra" and "Upadesh Tarangini."
- Minister Pethad Shah of Mandavgadh: After hearing Bhagavati Sutra from Acharya Dharmaghosh Suri of the Tapagachchha, he performed a ritual with gold coins for the names of Veer and Gautam. The collected funds were used to write books and establish repositories in seven places, including Bharuch.
Laypeople: Under the guidance of Acharya Jinvahra of the Kharatargachchha, Dharanu Shah, and with the advice of Mahopadhyaya Shri Mahisumudragani, Kalu (grandson of Sam. Bhima from Nandurbar), and Pethadshah, Mandalik, and Parvat-Kanha (guided by Acharya Shri Saty Suri, Jayanand Suri, and Vivekratan Suri of the Agamgachchha), new books were written, and knowledge repositories were established.

The author laments that despite the establishment of hundreds of such repositories, many have deteriorated or been lost due to time's corruption, political upheavals, or the Jain community's ignorance. Some have been destroyed by termites or have perished due to possessiveness or lack of knowledge. Furthermore, many texts have been lost in rivers, oceans, or discarded as waste due to water damage, mold, insect infestation, disorganization during times of turmoil, or simply being thrown away. The text highlights the crucial role of discerning monks who have rediscovered countless rare and invaluable texts from such discarded collections, suggesting that many more precious texts awaiting destruction might still be found.

The text also draws a parallel between the Jain community's foresight in protecting idols during Mughal invasions by creating secret underground chambers, and the preservation methods employed in the Jaisalmer fort's library, demonstrating how their repositories were kept secure. An anecdote about Acharya Siddhasen extracting useful mantra texts from a secret pillar, which then disappeared into the ground, illustrates the potential for hidden and lost magical literature within such structures.

Finally, the text discusses the practical aspects of preserving handwritten manuscripts:

Storage: Books are kept in boxes, chests, or cupboards elevated from the ground to prevent damage from dust, termites, or rodents.
Humidity Control: Libraries are located in dry, airy places, away from monsoon water seepage. To prevent ink from sticking together due to gum content in the ink when humidity rises, libraries are kept in places with moderate humidity and good ventilation. Books are also tied securely.
Handling Damaged Books:
- For paper manuscripts where ink has stuck pages together (resembling rotis), the text advises placing them in a dry pot or a pot that has been used for water but is now dry, allowing the moist air to loosen the pages. This process should be done slowly. Applying gulal (colored powder) to pages that have been stuck can prevent future sticking.
- For palm-leaf manuscripts where pages have stuck, wrapping them in a damp cloth and gently separating them as they loosen is recommended. The robust ink on palm leaves is not expected to smudge or fade with this method.
Autumnal Practices: The text explains that the dry, sunny weather of autumn in Kartik month is ideal for airing out the dampness that enters libraries during the monsoon. This season is associated with "Gyanpanchami" (Knowledge Fifth), emphasizing the importance of knowledge devotion. The author urges readers to understand the true spirit of this festival by inspecting libraries, cleaning them, exposing books to sunlight, repairing damaged ones, and replacing insect repellent packets. He contrasts this with the current practice of merely establishing and worshipping a few available books as a show of reverence, urging knowledge seekers and preservers to embrace the true meaning of knowledge devotion for its immense benefits.