Book Review: Jaina Community – A Social Survey; Vardhaman Jivan Kos
Summary
This section of Jain Journal reviews two recently published works. The first is Vilas Adinath Sangave’s *Jaina Community: A Social Survey* (2nd revised edition, Popular Prakashan, Bombay 1980), a comprehensive demographic and sociological study of the Jains. The reviewer notes that although the book is substantial (xxii + 455 pages), it is essentially a reprint of Sangave’s 1959 survey and fails to incorporate the significant social and economic changes experienced by the Jain community over the past three decades. Jains have increased their mobility, migrated abroad and, as a predominantly business community, have become more affluent; they have also modified habits of food, dress and ritual. Yet the revised edition does not add a postscript or new data, and it relies heavily on census reports and responses to a 1946 questionnaire. The reviewer nevertheless appreciates the wealth of statistical information and suggests that scholars could use the raw data to analyse contemporary trends. The second work under review is *Vardhaman Jivan Kos* (Vardhaman Life Encyclopaedia), a multivolume project edited by Śrīchand Chorāriā. Intended as an encyclopaedic biography of Mahāvīra, it compiles narratives from canonical texts, commentaries and later biographies. The reviewer praises the compilation of materials but points out that the volumes simply reproduce traditional stories—such as the twelve‑year ascetic practices of Mahāvīra—without critical evaluation. Early sources like the *Kalpa Sūtra* themselves blend myth and history; reproducing them verbatim does not yield a nuanced biography. The encyclopaedia includes glossaries and plates, and is useful for reference, but its lack of critical analysis and its slow publication schedule limit its value. The reviewer concludes that both books are significant resources but calls for updated, analytical studies of Jain demography and history.
AI-assisted summary, not yet checked. Consult the original PDF before citing.
Conclusion
The reviewer commends Sangave’s survey and Chorāriā’s encyclopaedia for compiling extensive data on the Jain community and Mahāvīra’s life, yet criticises them for failing to integrate recent developments or to question their sources. A modern social survey should address the rapid changes in the Jain diaspora, and a historical encyclopaedia should critically assess canonical narratives. These books remain valuable foundations but highlight the need for more up‑to‑date and analytical scholarship.