મધ્યકાલીન સાહિત્યનો અમૂલ્ય ખજાનો (Madhyakalin Sahityano Amulya Khajano)
By Abhay Doshi
Summary
Surveying Gujarat’s medieval Jain literature, this essay argues that works produced between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries form a priceless cultural archive. It notes that monks and lay scholars composed prabandhas, caritas, rasas and treatises that blended religious instruction with historical narrative and poetic expression. Chronicles like Prabhavaka-carita and Prabandha-cintamani record temple construction, royal patrons and social customs, while poetic narratives adapt epic themes to local contexts. Didactic works employ allegory to convey ethical teachings. The author emphasises the importance of manuscript preservation, explaining that many texts survive only in fragile palm-leaf or paper copies held in Jain libraries. These documents not only reveal linguistic evolution from Old to Middle Gujarati but also contain marginalia and colophons that shed light on scribes, patrons and socio-economic conditions. By cataloguing genres and providing specific examples, the essay demonstrates that medieval Jain literature preserves history, language, folklore and philosophy. The author calls for systematic cataloguing, digitisation and scholarly study to unlock the rich insights contained in these manuscripts and to ensure their survival for future generations.
Conclusion
The essay concludes that medieval Gujarati Jain literature is not only a religious corpus but also a repository of regional history, linguistics and cultural memory. By urging preservation and study, the author points out that these manuscripts offer unparalleled insight into daily life, literary creativity and the socio-political landscape of medieval Gujarat. Protecting and critically examining these works will deepen our understanding of Gujarati identity and highlight the multifaceted contributions of Jain scholars to Indian literary heritage.