Research Project (Critical editing department)
Many of our ancients scriptures have not been published. And those that have been published, need to be authenticated, edited and corrected. At Shrut Bhavan, we have taken up the enormous task of compiling and editing more than 30,000 scriptures on the basis of the ancient manuscripts. The authentic and supportive content will enormously enrich this compilation. Our future generation will be able to receive the most authentic versions of our scriptures.
This work is being carried out by scholars being trained by Gurudev Pujya Shrutratna Ganivarya Vairagyarati Vijayaji and various Sadhu bhagawants.
This work is done in three stages
- Transliteration : Translate the ancient manuscript into modern script.
- Critical Editing: Correcting the translated script
- Authentication: Determining the most authentic version from among different manuscripts available; and also prepare an appendix of reference material.
Till date, more than 660 scriptures (> 16,000 pages) have been transliterated. More than 270 unpublished scriptures have been made available in 37 collections.
VJRK: Vardhamaana Jina Ratna Kosha
There are approximately more than five hundred Jain bhandars where about 2 million handwritten manuscripts are preserved. By compiling a list of all this treasure and prepare a list of all the Jain manuscripts available, Vardhmaana Jina Ratna Kosha will address the need for the authentic reference. This will enable quick and easy access to authentic manuscripts, speeding up research and editing activities.
Digitization of manuscripts is also done as an affiliate activity of this project. Based on this, a useful index is prepared for the scholars according to the international standard. Under this project, information of more than 7,00,000 (7 lakh) manuscripts of 300 Bhandaras have been collected till date. 1,00,000 manuscripts of 56 Bhandaras have been digitized (55,00,000 pages). A listing of more than 35 Bhandaras have been created.
All this information have been compiled in a software called Matrikaadeepa. This allows to obtain the information of expected manuscripts easily and quickly in minutes.
An estimated 30,000 scriptures have been composed in the twenty six hundred year history of Jinshaasana. A Jain Kriti Kritikar Kosh is being prepared to make their specific information available.
Abhyas Varg Prakalp (Human Resources Department)
Accurate editing and compilation of the vast scriptures requires a large number of people with special skills and aptitude. The number of scholars in this field are decreasing day by day.
Shrut Bhavan has started an unique initiative to address this gap. At Shrut Bhavan, we have been imparting special training in at the basic and advanced level in the useful topics of
(1) The art of handwritten manuscripts,
(2) Editing skills,
(3) Sanskrit Grammar,
(4) Prakrit and Apabhransha grammar,
(5) Jain Philosophy,
(6) Nyaya (Logic), Literature, Philosophy, Linguistics, Grammar, Astrology, Ayurved and other Indic Studies,
(7) Script skills,
(8) Listing and preservation of handwritten manuscripts.
We also conduct special courses for scholar editors.
This project will create scholars with good capabilities in the areas of editing and compilation of scriptures.
Akshar Shrutam (Restoration)
The life of books printed on paper using the current technologies is very short. Therefore, Shrut Bhavan has come up with the idea of using time-tested palm leaves (tadpatra) to keep the legacy of our precious knowledge alive forever. After many tests, it was decided to write scripture on the palm leaves. By making use of latest laser marking, the problem of ink sticking to the palm leaf is also eliminated. The life of a palm leaf is three times more than a handmade paper. The palm leaf is also safe from water.
The scriptures critically edited and revised by Shrut Bhavan will be inscribed on the palm leaves. Their copies will be preserved in ancient Hastalikhit Bhandars (Manuscript preservation centre). Each scripture will contain about 50 pages. At present, 20 such bhandars have been selected which are easily reachable by Sadhu Bhagwant and scholars.
The box of verma teak is prepared to hold 2 to 3 different scriptures depending on the volume of text. Each box will have 6 pothis (a collection of tadpatra set) having 50 pages of tadpatra in each pothi. This pothi will be kept in the bag of Khadi cloth.