Shrut Mahapooja

This document, "Shrut Mahapooja Parichay Pustika," published by the Ramchandrasuri Smrutimandir Anjan Pratishtha Mahotsav Samiti and edited by Acharya Shri Vijay Kirtiyashsurishwarji Maharaj, is a guide and souvenir for a grand event celebrating Shrutgyan (scriptural knowledge) in Jainism.

Here's a comprehensive summary of its content:

1. Purpose and Context: The book is a companion to a "Shrut Mahapooja" (Great Worship of Scriptural Knowledge) organized on the auspicious occasion of the installation and consecration ceremony (Anjan-Shalaka-Pratishtha) of idols at the Shri Vijay Ramchandrasurishwarji Maharaj Smrutimandir. The Mahapooja aims to highlight the immense importance of Shrutgyan, described as the backbone of the Jain faith, and its significance, which is considered even greater than Kevalgyan (omniscience) in its role of transmitting knowledge to others.

2. The Shrut Mahapooja Event: The event itself is described as a grand festival, featuring numerous static and dynamic displays, organized in a vast pavilion. These displays illustrate various aspects of Shrutgyan, including its origin, development, destruction, and preservation. The event also showcases ancient Jain scriptures, writings of previous āchāryas, and the life and literature of the revered Paramgurudev Shri Vijay Ramchandrasurishwarji Maharaj. The popularity of the event is evident from the thousands of devotees visiting daily, spending hours in appreciation and seeking to understand its deeper meaning. There have even been suggestions to establish this Shrutgyan Bhavan permanently.

3. Purpose of the Book: This booklet was created to satisfy the repeated inquiries from visitors and attendees about the content of the displays and written materials presented during the Shrut Mahapooja. It aims to compile and disseminate this information quickly.

4. Content of the Book: The book is structured into various sections, offering a deep dive into Shrutgyan and its history within Jainism. Key themes and sections include:

• The Majesty of Shrutgyan: Emphasizes that the Jain faith originates and sustains itself through Shrutgyan. It's presented as more crucial than Kevalgyan for disseminating spiritual truths to the masses.
• Historical Journey of Shrutgyan: Traces the lineage of Shrutgyan from its divine origin through the Ganadharas to its preservation and transmission over centuries. It covers the challenges faced, such as destruction due to the influence of time, and the efforts made for its protection by great souls.
• "Big Creations" (Moti Rachana): These appear to be significant visual or conceptual displays within the Mahapooja, highlighting:
  • Dvadashangi (Twelve Limbs of Scripture): Specifically mentioning Drishtivada, the twelfth limb, and the immense volume of knowledge contained within the fourteen Purvas.
  • The Structure of the Universe: Describing the fourteen Rajlokas (realms of existence) and the spiritual journey within them.
  • Saraswati Devi: The presiding deity of Shrutgyan, reverenced by numerous great āchāryas.
  • Symbolism of Lamps: Representing different parts of the scripture (Angas, Upangas, etc.) through the number of flames.
  • Samavsaran: The divine assembly where Mahavir Swami delivered his teachings, symbolizing the establishment of Shrutgyan and the Jain order.
  • Nandisutra: Visualizing the 45 Agamas as a unified cosmic being.
• Chronological Sections (Khand): The book is divided into eight historical segments, covering the evolution of Jain Shrutgyan from:
  • The time of the Tirthankaras up to Vikram Samvat 470.
  • Vikram Samvat 7th century.
  • Vikram Samvat 7th to 11th centuries.
  • Vikram Samvat 11th to 13th centuries.
  • Vikram Samvat 13th century.
  • Vikram Samvat 13th to 14th centuries.
  • Vikram Samvat 14th to 17th centuries.
  • Vikram Samvat 17th to 18th centuries.
  • Vikram Samvat 18th to 20th centuries. Each section lists revered āchāryas and their significant contributions through literature.
• Key Works of Revered Acharyas: Detailed descriptions and summaries of numerous important Jain texts, including:
  • The 11 Angas, 12 Upangas, 10 Payannas, 7 Cheda Sutras, 4 Mul Sutras, and 2 Chulika Sutras (collectively the 45 Agamas).
  • Works of prominent āchāryas like Bhadrabahuswami, Sthulibhadra, Umāsvati, Āryarakshit, Siddhisen Diwakar, Haribhadrasuri, Hemchandrasuri, Yashovijayji, and Shri Vijay Ramchandra Surishwarji Maharaj. The book highlights specific stories and achievements related to these figures and their literary contributions.
• Qualities of Shrutgyan: Described through various metaphors like the sun (dispelling darkness), ocean (vast knowledge), moon (increasing spiritual prowess), mirror (revealing faults), peacock feather (removing karmic dust), conch (invincibility to attachment), pillar (support for the path to liberation), vajra (destroying enemies of passion), and lion (dispelling base desires).
• What Shrutgyan Achieves: It transforms the passionate into detached, the engrossed into yogis, the hateful into non-hateful, the worshipper into the worshipped, the ignorant into omniscient, the temporary into eternal, the soul into the supreme soul, the deluded into the unattached, the wicked into the great, the worldly into the transcendent, the external-self into the internal-self, the grateful into the ungrateful, the angry into the peaceful, the divine into the supreme divine, the arrogant into the humble, the human into the super-human, the deceitful into the simple, the intelligent into the wise, the greedy into the content, the uncivilized into the civilized, the lustful into the desireless, the artful into the invincible, the violent into the non-violent, the sinful into the virtuous, the detached into the attached, the thief into the wealthy, the embodied into the disembodied, the rich into the charitable, the unstable into the stable, the poor into the king, the incomplete into the complete, the wicked into the good, the infamous into the famous, and the worldly into the liberated.
• Tools for Knowledge: Mentions materials used for writing scriptures like palm leaves, paper, cloth, wooden boards, birch leaves, stone, metal plates, etc.
• Types of Books: Categorizes books based on their format and binding.
• The Nature of Nihavas (Deceptive Doctrines): Lists individuals and their heretical views that contradict Jain principles.
• Eighteen Scripts (Lipis): Lists various ancient scripts.
• Names and Counts of the Fourteen Purvas: Details the vastness of knowledge within the Purvas.
• Recensions of Shrutgyan for Protection: Lists important recensions or compilations of scriptures over a millennium after the Tirthankara's nirvana.
• The Devotion of Great Souls through Memorization: Highlights individuals who memorized vast amounts of scripture.
• Literature and Contributions of Jain Acharyas: A comprehensive list of subjects covered by Jain scholars, from Agamas and commentaries to mathematics, astrology, arts, grammar, and more.
• Jain Mathematics: Explains the Jain system of measuring quantities and distances using a hierarchical system of units.
• Jain Concepts of Time: Details the cyclical nature of time in Jainism, including periods like Utsarpini and Avsarpini.
• Various Perspectives on Knowledge: Categorizes knowledge based on its source, nature, and function.
• Multiple Meanings in Jain Literature: Highlights works with rich, layered meanings.
• Glimpses of Great Works by Great Souls: Briefly touches upon the immense literary output of revered figures.
• Guidance on Reading: Suggests which texts to read based on specific spiritual interests.
• The Principle of Following the Guru: Emphasizes the importance of one's own inclination, the Guru's command, and devotion to the Shasan (Jain teachings).
• Languages of Jain Scriptures: Lists the languages in which Jain scriptures are written.
• Brief Introduction to 45 Agamas: Provides a concise overview of each of the 45 canonical Jain scriptures.
• Brief Introduction to Great Works by Previous Acharyas: Highlights important texts composed by ancient Jain scholars.
• Brief Introduction to Books Written by Pujya Acharya Shri Vijay Ramchandra Surishwarji Maharaj: Lists specific books authored by the revered Acharya.
• Understanding Words Related to Agamas: Explains technical terms used in Jain scriptures.
• Glimpses of Supreme Shrut in Major Jain Scriptures: Briefly mentions profound insights found in major Jain texts.
• The Fruit of Worshipping Shrutgyan: Ennumerates the spiritual and practical benefits of studying and practicing Shrutgyan.
• The Nature of Violating Knowledge: Details actions that constitute disrespect or misuse of knowledge and scriptures.
• Call to Action: Encourages readers to make the worship of Shrutgyan a life goal and to contribute to its propagation and preservation.
• Apology for Errors: Acknowledges potential errors due to the rapid compilation and welcomes feedback for future publications.

5. Key Themes:

• The Paramount Importance of Shrutgyan: The central theme is the divine and essential role of scriptural knowledge in the Jain path to liberation.
• The Legacy of Acharyas: The book celebrates the immense contributions of Jain āchāryas throughout history in preserving, interpreting, and propagating Shrutgyan.
• The Event's Significance: It serves as a testament to the enduring relevance and vibrancy of Jain traditions and the devotional fervor of its followers.
• Spiritual Guidance: The book offers practical guidance on how to cultivate devotion to Shrutgyan and integrate its teachings into daily life.

In essence, this "Shrut Mahapooja Parichay Pustika" is a comprehensive and reverent tribute to the vast ocean of Jain scriptural knowledge, its historical journey, and its profound impact on the spiritual lives of Jains. It serves as both an informative guide and an inspiration for devotion to Shrutgyan.