an ideal existence. Thus the spiritual idealist, working through love, finds an adequate place for every necessary and

life-producing activity, and realises lit happiness and satisfaction in and through everything he does.

IN

IN the note which I contribute to the esteemed series of Jain works published at Benares under the title of "ShriYashovijaya-Jaina-Grantha-Mala," I have only been able to give a rough outline of the promoter and director of that collection, Vijaya-Dharma Suri. By his ideas and his works this master appears to be of a personality the most peculiar and the most interesting among the Jain community of the present day. His Holiness Shastra-Visharad Jainacharya Sri VijayaDharma Suri, Pontiff of the Vijaya-sakha of Tapa Gachha, was born in 1868, in the village of Mahuva in Gujrat of a family of Vaishyas belonging to the clan of Shrimalis. His father was Ramchandra and his mother Kamaladevi. He himself received the name of Mulchandra.

In his infancy he learnt only Gujarati and occupied himself with the commercial affairs of his father. But from the beginning his mind and his inclinations led him towards religion. His parents did not put any obstacle to his propensities, and in 1887 with their permission, the young man, then 19 years old, was initiated as a Jain monk of Tapa Gachha at Bhavnagar by a Sadhu of that town, Vriddhichandraji, who had acquired a reputation high and welldeserved on account of his knowledge and moral virtues.

Vijaya Dharma (this was the name which was conferred on him on his entering the monastic life) began the study of the Sanskrit and Prakrit languages. He made a good rapid progress. In three years he acquired a profound knowledge of Jain doctrines and went deeply into the other systems of Indian and Western philosophy.

Now his public religious life commenced. At the close of 1893 his life took a definite turn. He left Bhavnagar and made his first Chaturmas, that is, his first sojourn during the four months of the rainy season (July to October) at Limdi in Kathiawar From this moment he established his rep tation as one of the best recognised Jair Masters of the present day. A large assem bly of hearers, whether adepts in Jainismo not, rushed to his lectures and his sermons and he made several converts, especial; among the learned and distinguished

classes.

During the years which followed, h sojourned at the most important towns o Gujarat and at other places in the Unit Provinces and in Bengal. He traversed the largest part of Northern India. H visited all the places of Jain pilgrimage as much from the point of view of an antiqua rian as of a religious man. Archaeology specially Jain antiquities, interest him a much as the Jain doctrines themselves, and perhaps there will be occasion some day to publish the researches and the observation he has made in this branch of science.

In 1896, in spite of all sorts of difficultie Vijaya Dharma Suri restored the Sanctuar of Kanakpur and in 1897 of Upariyala which became one of the most frequente places of pilgrimage. He moved in th creation of various institutions or assiste in their establishment, specially in th different towns of Gujarat. It was th that in 1901, he established the Librar which bears his name at Biramgaon.

Up to this time, however, he had not su ceeded in the important project which had formed long ago, namely, to esta. *

ome sort of scientific College, here the young Jains could cudy, free from all wordly nxieties, the history of their ommunity, and also devote emselves to the study of induism and Buddhism of hich the doctrines have een discussed with SO uch penetration and knowdge by the Jain authors of ne middle age..

It is by this means that jayadharma Suri has alays thought of restoring o Jainism the lustre it had efore both in literature and

art. His wish is that this eligion should count, within Es fold in the future, broad minded and distinguished epresentatives like Hemhandra, Yashovijaya and ther masters. Intelligent men are not wanting for his task; but it is necessary o mould them, to inculcate he critical methods of modern and Western science, of which latter Vijaya Dharma is a zealous partian and in which he admires he constant efforts made or pure truth. For him the work which is pressing is a vork which consists of eduation, of discipline and esecially of encouragement. This work is in course of accomplishment. After aving overcome difficulties of all kinds, as much moral is natural, Vijaya-Dharma

had the joy, in 1903, of establishng in the sacred and learned city f Benares, the institution which he ad in view. It is Shri Yashovijaya Jaina'athshala, designated after the name and 1 honored memory of the celebrated logicin of Tapagachha, Yashovijaya, who died 11745. S. or 1689 A. D. Vijaya Dharma vas, in this work, assisted by the rich and enerous Jains of Bombay, whose names it fit her to recall: Virchand Dipchand, . I. E. and Seth Manilal Gokulbhai.

ashe vijaya Pathshala is of course a C ge for the Jains. But it is very liberal birit) It accepts and receives not only

Vijayadharma-Suri.

the members of all sects of Jainism but also adepts of other religions without any distinction of caste and creed. A large library bearing the name of the celebrated polyglot Hemchandra: "Suri Hemchandra JnanBhandar," has been annexed to the institu

tion.

Vijaya Dharma himself assisted by the oldest of his disciples, Indravijaya, directs the scientific work. It embraces the study of Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, Modern Hindi dialects, and the principal European langua ges. Side by side with the Jain doctrines, the other systems of Indian Philosophy, the Brahamanical and Buddhistic works, are

also objects of deep and critical research. Students have already been sent to Ceylon; and Tibet and Burma will not be long in receiving them.

The collection called "Shri Yashovijaya Jaina grantha-mala" manifests scientific activity of which the source is "Yashovijaya Pathshala." Vijaya-Dharma Suri intended to bring to light and publish Jain works which have been neglected or buried in oblivion. The series which commenced in 1904 counted 16 volumes at the close of 1909. At this time it was transformed into a monthly periodical which appears regularly. From time to time, however, other treatises were edited in addition to the monthly publication. It is thus that in 1910 and in 1911 appeared the Upadesh-tarangini of Ratnamandra Gani and Nyayasamgraha Hemhansa Gani, with a commentary by

Dr. A. Guerinot.

the author himself. In reality the Yashovij aya Jaina-Granthamala comprises two series; the one is periodical and the has been favourably received, as it deserves. other non-periodical. This publication principal libraries of Europe. It has been It has now found its way into the warmly appreciated by the Indians, to whom it offers established texts with review. It has besides been printed with every desirable care and even with elegance by the Dharmabhyudaya Press, especial. ly erected by Vijaya-Dharma Suri to meet the requirements of his institutions and directed by a clever Manager, Harakhchand Bhurabhai.

Vijaya-Dharma Suri does not confine himself to Yashovijaya Pathshala. He is an assiduous propagator and when he so wishes a formidable polemic. In the

course of his tour in Bengal in 1907 he had enthusiastic audi tors. His lectures in Calcutta specially stirred the wealthy among whom he acquired new disciples. In 1908 his merit, let us say his renown, received their official recognition in the enviable title of Shastra-Visharad Jain Acharya, which was unanimously conferred upon him by the Pandits of India, under the presidency of His Highness Maharaja Sir Prabhu Narayan Singh Bahadur, G. C. S. I.

Vijaya Dharma naturally enjoys a high authority among the Jains. In 1909, he was selected to represent his community in the first Congress of Religions in India which was held at Calcutta. He read on this occasion his Jaintattwa-dig-darshana in Hindi, which was shortly after published and which extended his reputation still further. This year also he was again deputed to the second Congress at Aaha bad, where he read another sy the Jain-siksa-dig-darshan loves these rapid exhibitions which he brings precise netl and great clearness. It st that in these latter month he again published all in Hir Ahimsa-dig-darshana, Jurt arth-dig-darshana in add tion those aforementioned. Al t

a n

f

I

ed from a common father but different mothers.

The Kurmis of Manbhum call themselves Mahato, which epithet in the Kolarian system of village organisation denotes a headman corresponding to the majhi of the Santals and the Sardar of the Bhumij. It is believed that in days gone by the Kurmis were entrusted by the Santals with the collection of revenue or Mathut and thus they came to acquire their present title.

a

The traditional cradle of the caste is Sikharbhum, an easterly parghana (fiscal division) of Manbhum. But the intelligent and educated men among the Kurmis appear to have succeeded in discovering their connection with the Kurmis of Behar. They say that the ancestors of the Manbhum-Kurmis lived in the districts of Patna and Gaya in Behar, and were one race with the Behar-Kurmis. Once upon a time, according to the last tradition. Mahomedan general attempted to dishonour their women. The Kurmis in a body took to flight hotly pursued by the Mahomedan army. They then reached Sikharbhum at a time when the Santals were preparing to sacrifice pigs to their favourite god Dharmadeva. The Kurmis in their extremity joined these Santals, and in their turn prepared for sacrificing pigs to the Santal deity. The Mahomedan general, who hated the very sight of a pig, became annoyed; and gave up his pursuit. Thus it is that the Kurmis lived among the Santals, and imitated their manners and customs in all things. The Kurmis of Manbhum, according to this tradition, became in this way detached from the main body of their caste and have ever since lived in this exile treating their benefactors, the Santals as younger brothers. Gradually from Sikharbhum the various branches of this caste scattered themselves over different parts of the districts of Manbhum, Singhbhum, Bankura and Midnapur.

That the Kurmis are a late recruit to Hinduism will be amply apparent from the fact that they do not need the service of a priest at marriage. The essential part of a Kurmi marriage consists of Sindurdan or painting the forehead of the bride with vermilion paste, placing an iron bangle on the forearm of the bride, and the music of the females. A paste is prepared of vermilion with oil or clarified butter (ghee) on a

leaf of Sal tree. The bridegroom is made to touch the paste with his foot. A widowed woman of the caste then takes the paste and with it annoints the forehead of the bride. The men of the caste present on the occasion cry 'Hari bol'. This completes the Sindurdan. With this formality solemnly gone through the pair become man and wife.

Like the women of other Kolarian tribes the Kurmi women are exceedingly fond of music. On a nuptial occasion they sing their simple songs with such solemnity and earnestness that they seem to forget themselves in the glee of their heart. The songs which they sing from sunrise to sunset and from sunset to the next sunrise are often a few simple words joined together with no great grammatical skill, conveying little sense and far less poetry. A few specimens of these songs may be given here.

(1) Hārdī hārdī púrā Pátnā
Agúrú chāndāná

Meaning: The town of Patna is full turmeric and sandalwood.