Books Received
By V. G. Nair, A Chakravarti Nayanar
Summary
The Books Received section of the July 1970 issue of Jain Journal enumerates new publications related to Jainism across multiple languages. The editorial team notes that Ramchandra Adhikari’s Bengali work “Jaina Sasanaer Digdarsan” introduces Jaina tenets and describes the significance of the religion for general readers. Other biographies include “Adars Sravak Sri Sagarmalji Baid” by Man Singh Baid, a Hindi volume tracing the life of the philanthropist Sagarmal Baid and presenting him as an exemplary Jaina householder. Banarasidas Caturvedi’s Hindi text “Ek Yug: Ek Purus” documents the contributions of a Jain scholar to language preservation and education. Scholarly research texts receive equal space: Premamaya Dasgupta’s “Bimbisara‑Kharavela Kramanupani o Hati‑gumpha Slalipi tathyer Jaina‑vyakhya” (Bengali) analyses inscriptions in the Hathi‑gumpha cave at Udayagiri and situates them within Jain historical chronology. Niraj Jain’s “Khajuraho‑ke Jain Mandir” (Hindi) presents a comprehensive survey of the Jain temples at Khajuraho, with architectural descriptions and photographic plates. V.G. Nair contributes two English works — “Jainism and Terapanthism” and “Research in Religion: Rule and Reform” — which contextualise the origins of the Terapanthi sect and analyse its monastic rules. D. Puttaswamy’s booklets “Karkal” and “Moodabidri” are travel guides to two historic Jain centres in Karnataka, while M. K. Jain’s “Jaina Dharm ka Rup aur Vikas” (Hindi) summarises Jain doctrine from antiquity to the modern era. The section also lists A. Chakravarti’s “Jaina Satipathika”, an edited Prakrit text on mendicant conduct; tributes such as “Mahavira Aur Unka Dharma” by Divakar Sharma; and Dr. Pravinchandra’s comprehensive survey of Jain philosophical systems. By offering descriptive synopses, the Books Received column functions as a bibliographic bulletin that not only alerts scholars to newly available resources but also reflects the geographical and linguistic diversity of contemporary Jain studies. It underscores the vitality of Jain scholarship in regional languages and the growing interest in topics such as temple architecture, inscriptional studies, biographies and sectarian histories.
Conclusion
The Books Received section demonstrates the vitality of Jain publishing in 1970 and the breadth of topics being explored. From biographies of exemplary laymen and edited Prakrit texts to inscriptional studies and temple surveys, the list spans disciplines and languages, illustrating how scholars and devotees are preserving both historical heritage and contemporary practice. Its concise annotations help readers identify works relevant to their interests and reflect the journal’s role as a clearing house for information on new scholarship. The section also hints at the growing cross‑regional dialogue in Jain studies by highlighting books in Bengali, Hindi and English.