प्रकाशकीय
Summary
This issue of the research journal "Jain Vidya" published by the Jain Vidya Sansthan is released as a special issue dedicated to Acharya Shivarya. Acharya Shivarya, also known as Acharya Shivakoti, is the author of the single available work "Bhagavati Aradhana," also called "Mularadhana." This text, composed in the Prakrit language, is a treatise on conduct and is dated to the second or third century CE. In his work, Acharya Shivarya emphasizes the rarity of human birth and advocates for a life of renunciation, religious meditation, and devotion to make it meaningful. He stresses the necessity of facing death through sallekhana (a vow of fasting unto death) and with equanimity. The text is considered unique and highly important as a comprehensive work on the subject of "Aradhana" (spiritual practice). The editorial team expresses gratitude to all the scholars who contributed articles to this issue, as well as to the editor, members of the editorial board, and the associate editors. The publication is supported by Justice Nagendra Kumar Jain and Prakashchandra Jain, President and Secretary respectively of the Managing Committee of the Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Shri Mahavirji.
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Conclusion
This special issue dedicated to Ācārya Śivārya underscores the enduring significance of his sole extant work, the *Bhagavatī Ārādhanā* (or *Mūlārādhanā*), a foundational text on Jain ascetic conduct. The implications of this volume are twofold: it reaffirms the text’s unique and comprehensive treatment of the arduous path toward a meaningful death through *sallekhanā* and meditative focus, while also highlighting the rarity of human birth as a catalyst for such spiritual discipline. By consolidating scholarly analyses of this second-to-third-century Prakrit work, the publication ensures that its core teachings on renunciation and disciplined practice remain accessible to contemporary researchers and practitioners. The outcome is a renewed academic and devotional focus on Ācārya Śivārya’s legacy, solidifying the *Ārādhanā*’s place as an indispensable guide for those seeking liberation through a