संस्थान में महाकवि पुष्पदंत के ग्रन्थों की पाण्डुलिपियां
Summary
The Jain Vidya Institute holds several manuscripts of the great poet Pushpadanta's works. Pushpadanta is considered a major poet after Svayambhu, and his importance is highlighted by the poet Vīra, who included him among three great poets who preceded him. The oldest manuscript in the institute's manuscript survey department is a copy of Pushpadanta's Mahapurana, transcribed in Vikram Samvat 1391. Many manuscripts of his works exist, each with colophons of historical significance. A brief introduction to these manuscripts, including their colophons, follows. Manuscript 1 (Wrapper no. 799) has 398 leaves, size 32 x 10.5, copied by Pandit Chahada in Yoginipura in VS 1391. Its colophon records the reign of Sultan Mahmud in Yoginipura and mentions the scribe's lineage. Manuscript 2 (Wrapper no. 796) has 201 leaves, size 28 x 13, copied by Joshi Lashmana in Ranapur in VS 1594. Its colophon details the monastic lineage and the patron family. Manuscript 3 (Wrapper no. 68) has 257 leaves, size 29.5 x 12.5 cm, copied in Yoginipura in VS 1461, with blank spaces for illustrations and missing pages. Its colophon mentions the reign of Sultan Mahmud and the monastic lineage. Manuscript 4 (Wrapper no. 70) has 217 leaves, 8000 verses, size 32 x 11, with a transcription date of VS 1662, later altered to 1693. It contains two colophons, one partially erased and another from VS 1693 detailing the patron family. Manuscript 5 (Wrapper no. 69) has 307 leaves, size 28 x 11, copied in Ambavati in VS 1663 during the reign of Maharaja Manasimha. Manuscript 6 (Wrapper no. 73) has 219 leaves
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Conclusion
The manuscript collection of Mahakavi Pushpadant’s works at the Jain Vidya Institute reveals significant historical and scholarly outcomes. The oldest manuscript, the Mahapurana, dated Vikram Samvat 1391, establishes a concrete timeline for textual transmission. Multiple copies of each work, accompanied by detailed colophons, provide invaluable data on scribal traditions, patronage networks, and regional history across centuries. These colophons document the involvement of specific families, monastic lineages, and political figures, including references to Sultan Mahmud and Emperor Jahangir, linking religious literature to broader socio-political contexts. The presence of incomplete manuscripts and later additions indicates active, evolving textual communities. This corpus not only affirms Pushpadant’s enduring importance in Apabhramsha literature but also offers a rich resource for studying manuscript culture, historical geography, and the intersection of Jain religious practice with medieval Indian society.