Nathuram Premi
Encyclopedia
Nathuram Premi was a writer, publisher, poet, editor, linguist and an intellectual giant in the field of Jainism
as well as Hindi
literature. A budding poet, he wrote under the nom de plume of "Premi". Although belonging to the Digambara
sect of Jainism
, he adopted a non-sectarian attitude and published and translated many Digambara
as well as Śvetāmbara
works. Working as a clerk in a firm in Mumbai he rose to establish his own publishing house and bookstore Hindi Granth Ratnākar Kāryālay which published works of many of the biggest names in Indian literature, including Munshi Premchand
, Hajariprasad Dvivedi, Jainendrakumar, Yashpal, Sharatchandra Chatterjee and Rabindranath Tagore
. The bookshop and publishing house now called Hindi Granth Karyalay is now being managed by his grandson and great-grandson 100 years after its establishment.
in Bundelkhand
, Madhya Pradesh
, Nāthūrām Premī was the eldest child of Tundelal Modi, a travelling merchant of modest means, belonging to the Paravāra
community of Digambara
Jains hailing from Bundelkhand
. He studied in grammar school and was the monitor of his class. He cleared his pre-high school exams in 1898 and became a schoolteacher nearby at Rehli
. In the late 1890s, he married Rama Devi, who was from the nearby village of Sarkheda, in the district of Sagar.
Nāthūrām Premī excelled in the field of literature as a poet, editor, writer and publisher earning respect and affection of his contemporaries like Munshi Premchand
, Mahaviraprasad Dwivedi, Rahul Sankrityayan, Pandit Sukhlalji
, Muni Jinavijayaji, Ganeshprasadji Varni, Pandit Becharadasji Doshi, Pandit Agarchand Nahata and Dr Dalsukh Malvania. Premiji and Munshi Premchand
were close friends, and he published the first edition of Munshi Premchand's classic novel, Godān. He also published Premchand's short story collections entitled Nava Nidhi and Sapta Saroj.
. The first publication was a Hindi translation of John Stuart Mill's Liberty, titled Svādhīnatā translated by Pandit Mahaviraprasad Dvivedi. He published almost the entire oeuvre of Sharat Chandra Chatterji, the great Bengali writer and some works of Rabindranath Tagore
, such as Ānkh kī Kirkirī, and Naukā Dūbī. Premiji also published Hindi translations of the Gujarati writer KM Munshi, such as Gujarāt ke Nāth and Pātan kā Prabhutva. Other famous woks published include Munshi Premchand
's classic novel, Godān and short story collections titled Nava Nidhi and Sapta Saroj. He also published works of then new writers such as Hajariprasad Dvivedi, Jainendrakumar, Yashpal, Acharya Chatursen, and Pandit Sudarshan. He also published the Bengali plays of Dvijendra Lal Rai for the first time in Hindi.
In memory of Seth Manikchandra, Premiji established the Manikacandra Jain Granthamālā wherein he published Jain scriptures, for the first time systematically edited by philologists. The Manikacandra Jain Granthamālā published over 48 Digambara
Jain texts, mostly written in Prakrit
, Apabhramśa or Sanskrit
. He ran the Manikacandra Jain Granthamālā on an honorary basis between 1915 and the 1950s selling all the books at cost price. When his health began to fail, it was decided to hand over the series to Bhāratīya Jñānapītha in Varanasi
.
scholars. Besides many Digambara scriptures, he published and translated many Śvetāmbara scriptures. He once remarked to Sukhlalji that he wished that the learned Digambara
scholars would give up their sectarian views. During those times there used to be heated debate whether Acarya Umāsvāti (Umāsvāmī) belonged to the Śvetāmbara or the Digambara tradition. Premiji, although a Digambara himself, went against views of Digambara community and opined that he was neither, but belonged to the Yāpanīya
tradition. Pt. Sukhlal Sanghvi
, a Śvetāmbara Jain scholar observed Premiji's non-sectarian attitude:
Premiji had suffered from asthma for a long time and died owing to old age on 30 January, 1960. He left behind his daughter-in-law and two grandsons. His elder grandson, Yashodhar Modi, is continuing his legacy along with his son, Manish Modi.
In Premiji's memory, his grandson Yashodhar Modi has started the Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series. This series has published select volumes focusing on subjects as varied as Jainism, philosophy and yoga and published original texts by ancient and medieval Jain ascetics such as Kundakunda
, Samantabhadra, Pūjyapāda
, Joindu, Prabhācandra, Vādirāja, Bhāvadeva and many others, usually accompanied by translation in either Hindi or English.
Also, highly respected modern scholars such as Premiji himself, Prof. Ludwig Alsdorf, Prof. Maurice Bloomfield
, Prof. Willem Bollée and Dr. Jaykumar Jalaj have been and are being published in the Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series.
By Prof Dr Ludwig Alsdorf
English tr. by Bal Patil P
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 1}
Published in 2006
ISBN 978-81-88769-13-1
The Story of Paesi
Prakrit text in Roman and Devanagari
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 2}
Published in 2005
ISBN 978-81-88769-03-2
Ratnakaranda Shravakacara
Sanskrit text by Acarya Samantabhadra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 3}
Published in 2006, 2006
ISBN 978-81-88769-04-9
Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika
Prakrit text in Roman
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 4}
Published in 2006, 2011
ISBN 978-81-88769-70-4
Samadhitantra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 5}
Published in 2006, 2006, 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-06-3
Atthapahuda
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 6}
Published in 2006, 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-15-5
Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Prabhacandra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 7}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-16-2
Yogamrit : Yog Sahaj Jivan Vigyan
By Mahavir Sainik
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 8}
Published in 2006
ISBN 978-81-88769-17-9
Paramatmaprakasha
Apabhramsa text by Acarya Joindu
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 9}
Published in 2007
ISBN 978-81-88769-09-4
Yogasara
Apabhramsa text by Acarya Joindu
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 10}
Published in 2007, 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-12-4
Dhyanastava
Sanskrit text by Acarya Bhaskaranandi
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 11}
Published in 2007
ISBN 978-81-88769-20-9
Dhyanashataka
Prakrit text by Jinabhadragani Kshamashramana
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
Published in 2007, 2009
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 12}
ISBN 978-81-88769-21-6
Barasa Anuvekkha
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Sanskrit tr. & Hindi gloss by Pt. Nathuram Premi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 13}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-22-3
Ishtopadesha
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 14}
Published in 2007, 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-23-0
Life and Stories of the Jain Saviour Parshvanatha
An English tr. of Acarya Bhavadeva's Parsvacaritram
by Prof Dr Maurice Bloomfield
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 15}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-24-7
Tattvasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Devasena
Sanskrit gloss by Muni Ratnabhanuvijay
English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 16}
ISBN 978-81-88769-25-4
The Apabhramsha of Svayambhudeva’s Paumacariu
By Dr Eva de Clercq
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 17}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-28-5
Jainism and the Definition of Religion
By Dr Piotr Balcerowicz
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 18}
Published in 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-29-2
Dravyasamgraha
Prakrit text by Acarya Nemicandra
English tr. by Prof Dr Nalini Balbir
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 19}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-30-8
Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Prabhacandra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj, English tr. by Anish Shah
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 20}
ISBN 978-81-88769-31-5
Rayanasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 21}
ISBN 978-81-88769-32-2.
Jainism : An Eternal Pilgrimage
By Bal Patil
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 23}
Published in 2008, 2011
ISBN 978-81-88769-54-4
Dravyasamgraha
Prakrit text by Acarya Nemicandra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 24}
Published in 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-37-7
Parshvanathacaritram
Sanskrit text by Acarya Vadiraja
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 25}
ISBN 978-81-88769-27-8
Parshvacaritram : The Life of Parshva
Sanskrit text by Acarya Gunabhadra
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 26}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-35-3
Jain Sahitya aur Itihas
By Pt. Nathuram Premi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 27}
Published in 1942, 1956, 2012
ISBN 978-81-88769-02-5
Tales of Atonement
Stories from Malayagiri's Commentary on the Vyavahara Bhashya
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 28}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-38-4
Yogashastra : A Handbook on the Three Jewels of Jainism
Sanskrit text by Acarya Hemacandra
English tr. by Prof Dr Olle Qvarnström
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 29}
ISBN 978-81-88769-40-7
Samayasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Hindi translation by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 30}
2012
ISBN 978-81-88769-45-2
Dhyanabattisi
Braj text by Banarasidasa
English tr. by Jerome Petit
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 31}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-48-3
Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Umasvati
English tr. by Prof Dr Duli Chandra Jain
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 32}
ISBN 978-81-88769-50-6
Svarupa Sambodhana
Right Instruction on the Nature of the Soul
Sanskrit text by Acarya Akalanka
English tr., notes and introduction by Nagin J. Shah
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 33}
Published in 2011
ISBN 978-81-88769-51-3
Shastrasarasamuccaya
Sanskrit text by Acarya Maghanandi
English tr. by Shreyans Sukhani
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 34}
ISBN 978-81-88769-52-0
Three Prakrit Grammars
By Saartje Verbeke
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 35}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-55-1
Ishtopadesha
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
Gujarati tr. by Pravina Mehta, English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 36}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-56-8
Bhaktamara Stotra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Manatunga
Hindi poetic tr. and gloss by Pt Nathuram Premi, English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 37}
ISBN 978-81-88769-57-5
Mrityu Mahotsava
Sanskrit text by an Unknown Writer
Hindi tr. by Shreyans Sukhani, Gujarati tr. by Dr Shilpa Vasani, English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 38}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-58-2
Aradhanasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Devasena
English tr. by Prof Dr Nalini Balbir
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 39}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-62-9
Tattvarthasutra : That Which Is
Sanskrit text by Acarya Umasvati
English tr. by Nathmal Tantia
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 40}
ISBN 978-81-88769-64-3
Ratnakarandaka Shravakacara
Sanskrit text by Acarya Samantabhadra
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 41}
2012
ISBN 978-81-88769-66-7
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
as well as Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
literature. A budding poet, he wrote under the nom de plume of "Premi". Although belonging to the Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
sect of Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, he adopted a non-sectarian attitude and published and translated many Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
as well as Śvetāmbara
Svetambara
The Śvētāmbara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being the Digambar. Śvētāmbara "white-clad" is a term describing its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara "sky-clad" Jainas, whose ascetic practitioners go naked...
works. Working as a clerk in a firm in Mumbai he rose to establish his own publishing house and bookstore Hindi Granth Ratnākar Kāryālay which published works of many of the biggest names in Indian literature, including Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand , was a famous writer of modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is generally recognized in India as the foremost Hindi-Urdu writer of the early twentieth century...
, Hajariprasad Dvivedi, Jainendrakumar, Yashpal, Sharatchandra Chatterjee and Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
. The bookshop and publishing house now called Hindi Granth Karyalay is now being managed by his grandson and great-grandson 100 years after its establishment.
Early life
Born on 26 November, 1881 in Deori, in the district of SagarSagar District
Sagar District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The town of Sagar serves as its administrative center.The district has an area of 10,252 km², and a population of 2,021,783 , a 23% increase from its 1991 population of 1,646,198...
in Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Nāthūrām Premī was the eldest child of Tundelal Modi, a travelling merchant of modest means, belonging to the Paravāra
Parwar
Parwar may refer to:*Parwar, Pakistan - town in Pakistan*Parwar - a Jain community...
community of Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
Jains hailing from Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
. He studied in grammar school and was the monitor of his class. He cleared his pre-high school exams in 1898 and became a schoolteacher nearby at Rehli
Rehli
Rehli is a city and a municipality in Sagar district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.-Geography:Rehli is located at . It has an average elevation of 390 metres .-Demographics:...
. In the late 1890s, he married Rama Devi, who was from the nearby village of Sarkheda, in the district of Sagar.
Arrival in Mumbai
Career in Hindi and Jain literature
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand , was a famous writer of modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is generally recognized in India as the foremost Hindi-Urdu writer of the early twentieth century...
, Mahaviraprasad Dwivedi, Rahul Sankrityayan, Pandit Sukhlalji
Sukhlal Sanghvi
Sukhlal Sanghvi also known as Pandit Sukhlalji was a Jain Scholar and Philosopher. He belonged to the Sthanakvasi sect of Jainism. Pandit Sukhlal lost his eyesight at the age of sixteen on account of small-pox. However, he overcame this handicap and became profoundly versed in Jain logic and rose...
, Muni Jinavijayaji, Ganeshprasadji Varni, Pandit Becharadasji Doshi, Pandit Agarchand Nahata and Dr Dalsukh Malvania. Premiji and Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand , was a famous writer of modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is generally recognized in India as the foremost Hindi-Urdu writer of the early twentieth century...
were close friends, and he published the first edition of Munshi Premchand's classic novel, Godān. He also published Premchand's short story collections entitled Nava Nidhi and Sapta Saroj.
A budding poet
Under the inspiration of his guru Syed Amir Ali Mir, Nathuram became a budding poet, writing in Urdu and Braj under the nom de plume of "Premi". Since then he was affectionately called Premiji by his friends and contemporaries. His poems were published in the literary magazines of the time, Rasika Mitra, Rasika Vātikā and Kāvya Sudhākara.Editor and writer
Establishment of Hindi Granth Karyalay
On 24 September, 1912 Premiji founded the publishing house Hindi Granth Ratnākar Kāryālay (now known as Hindi Granth Karyalay) at C.P. Tank, Mumbai. It was to become the foremost Hindi publishing house in India and is also the oldest bookstore of MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The first publication was a Hindi translation of John Stuart Mill's Liberty, titled Svādhīnatā translated by Pandit Mahaviraprasad Dvivedi. He published almost the entire oeuvre of Sharat Chandra Chatterji, the great Bengali writer and some works of Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
, such as Ānkh kī Kirkirī, and Naukā Dūbī. Premiji also published Hindi translations of the Gujarati writer KM Munshi, such as Gujarāt ke Nāth and Pātan kā Prabhutva. Other famous woks published include Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand , was a famous writer of modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is generally recognized in India as the foremost Hindi-Urdu writer of the early twentieth century...
's classic novel, Godān and short story collections titled Nava Nidhi and Sapta Saroj. He also published works of then new writers such as Hajariprasad Dvivedi, Jainendrakumar, Yashpal, Acharya Chatursen, and Pandit Sudarshan. He also published the Bengali plays of Dvijendra Lal Rai for the first time in Hindi.
In memory of Seth Manikchandra, Premiji established the Manikacandra Jain Granthamālā wherein he published Jain scriptures, for the first time systematically edited by philologists. The Manikacandra Jain Granthamālā published over 48 Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
Jain texts, mostly written in Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
, Apabhramśa or Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. He ran the Manikacandra Jain Granthamālā on an honorary basis between 1915 and the 1950s selling all the books at cost price. When his health began to fail, it was decided to hand over the series to Bhāratīya Jñānapītha in Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
.
A non-sectarian Jain scholar
Premiji was non-sectarian in his attitude and shared a good rapport with many SvetambaraSvetambara
The Śvētāmbara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being the Digambar. Śvētāmbara "white-clad" is a term describing its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara "sky-clad" Jainas, whose ascetic practitioners go naked...
scholars. Besides many Digambara scriptures, he published and translated many Śvetāmbara scriptures. He once remarked to Sukhlalji that he wished that the learned Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
scholars would give up their sectarian views. During those times there used to be heated debate whether Acarya Umāsvāti (Umāsvāmī) belonged to the Śvetāmbara or the Digambara tradition. Premiji, although a Digambara himself, went against views of Digambara community and opined that he was neither, but belonged to the Yāpanīya
Yapaniya
Yapaniya was a Jain order in western Karnataka which is now extinct.The first inscription that mentions them by Mrigesavarman a Kadamba king of Palasika who donated for a Jain temple, and made a grant to the sects of Yapaniyas, Nirgranthas , and the Kurchakas .The last inscription which mentioned...
tradition. Pt. Sukhlal Sanghvi
Sukhlal Sanghvi
Sukhlal Sanghvi also known as Pandit Sukhlalji was a Jain Scholar and Philosopher. He belonged to the Sthanakvasi sect of Jainism. Pandit Sukhlal lost his eyesight at the age of sixteen on account of small-pox. However, he overcame this handicap and became profoundly versed in Jain logic and rose...
, a Śvetāmbara Jain scholar observed Premiji's non-sectarian attitude:
- "He was considered to be a Pandit - a scholar of Jain tradition. To me it was a surprise! How could his writings be so impartial and audacious? I had come in contact with many Jain friends and scholars, but until then, excepting a few, I had not come across any scholar who was as non-sectarian or fearless as Premiji. So I had developed the perception that it was impossible to find a Jain scholar who was non-sectarian as well as fearless. Premiji's writings gradually made me realize that I had the wrong notion. This was the foremost reason for me to be attracted towards him.
- [...]
- We had an excellent understanding of traditions of one another but we had no sectarian complicities."
Contribution to other Indian languages
Social reformer
Premiji’s legacy
Under his tutelage, Hindi Granth Ratnākar Kāryālay became India's No. 1 publishers of Hindi literature. In recognition of his contributions to Indian literature, the acclaimed Hindi novelist Vishnu Prabhakar called Premiji the "Bhīsma Pitāmaha" of Hindi publishing.In Premiji's memory, his grandson Yashodhar Modi has started the Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series. This series has published select volumes focusing on subjects as varied as Jainism, philosophy and yoga and published original texts by ancient and medieval Jain ascetics such as Kundakunda
Kundakunda
Kundakunda is a celebrated Jain Acharya, Jain scholar monk, 2nd century CE, composer of spiritual classics such as: Samayasara, Niyamasara, Pancastikayasara, Pravacanasara, Atthapahuda and Barasanuvekkha. He occupies the highest place in the tradition of the Jain acharyas.He belonged to the Mula...
, Samantabhadra, Pūjyapāda
Pujyapada
Ācārya Pūjyapāda who lived in the 5th century of the Common Era was a renowned grammarian and saint belonging to the Digambara tradition of Jains. Before initiation as a Jain ascetic, he was known as Devanandi. Since it was believed that he was worshiped by demigods on account of his vast...
, Joindu, Prabhācandra, Vādirāja, Bhāvadeva and many others, usually accompanied by translation in either Hindi or English.
Also, highly respected modern scholars such as Premiji himself, Prof. Ludwig Alsdorf, Prof. Maurice Bloomfield
Maurice Bloomfield
Maurice Bloomfield, Ph. D., LL.D. was an American philologist and Sanskrit scholar.-Biography:Bloomfield was born in Bielitz , in what was at that time Austrian Silesia...
, Prof. Willem Bollée and Dr. Jaykumar Jalaj have been and are being published in the Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series.
Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series
Jain Studies : Their Present State and Future TasksBy Prof Dr Ludwig Alsdorf
English tr. by Bal Patil P
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 1}
Published in 2006
ISBN 978-81-88769-13-1
The Story of Paesi
Prakrit text in Roman and Devanagari
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 2}
Published in 2005
ISBN 978-81-88769-03-2
Ratnakaranda Shravakacara
Sanskrit text by Acarya Samantabhadra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 3}
Published in 2006, 2006
ISBN 978-81-88769-04-9
Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika
Prakrit text in Roman
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 4}
Published in 2006, 2011
ISBN 978-81-88769-70-4
Samadhitantra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 5}
Published in 2006, 2006, 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-06-3
Atthapahuda
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 6}
Published in 2006, 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-15-5
Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Prabhacandra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 7}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-16-2
Yogamrit : Yog Sahaj Jivan Vigyan
By Mahavir Sainik
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 8}
Published in 2006
ISBN 978-81-88769-17-9
Paramatmaprakasha
Apabhramsa text by Acarya Joindu
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 9}
Published in 2007
ISBN 978-81-88769-09-4
Yogasara
Apabhramsa text by Acarya Joindu
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 10}
Published in 2007, 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-12-4
Dhyanastava
Sanskrit text by Acarya Bhaskaranandi
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 11}
Published in 2007
ISBN 978-81-88769-20-9
Dhyanashataka
Prakrit text by Jinabhadragani Kshamashramana
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
Published in 2007, 2009
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 12}
ISBN 978-81-88769-21-6
Barasa Anuvekkha
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Sanskrit tr. & Hindi gloss by Pt. Nathuram Premi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 13}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-22-3
Ishtopadesha
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 14}
Published in 2007, 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-23-0
Life and Stories of the Jain Saviour Parshvanatha
An English tr. of Acarya Bhavadeva's Parsvacaritram
by Prof Dr Maurice Bloomfield
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 15}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-24-7
Tattvasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Devasena
Sanskrit gloss by Muni Ratnabhanuvijay
English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 16}
ISBN 978-81-88769-25-4
The Apabhramsha of Svayambhudeva’s Paumacariu
By Dr Eva de Clercq
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 17}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-28-5
Jainism and the Definition of Religion
By Dr Piotr Balcerowicz
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 18}
Published in 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-29-2
Dravyasamgraha
Prakrit text by Acarya Nemicandra
English tr. by Prof Dr Nalini Balbir
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 19}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-30-8
Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Prabhacandra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj, English tr. by Anish Shah
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 20}
ISBN 978-81-88769-31-5
Rayanasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 21}
ISBN 978-81-88769-32-2.
Jainism : An Eternal Pilgrimage
By Bal Patil
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 23}
Published in 2008, 2011
ISBN 978-81-88769-54-4
Dravyasamgraha
Prakrit text by Acarya Nemicandra
Hindi tr. by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 24}
Published in 2009
ISBN 978-81-88769-37-7
Parshvanathacaritram
Sanskrit text by Acarya Vadiraja
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 25}
ISBN 978-81-88769-27-8
Parshvacaritram : The Life of Parshva
Sanskrit text by Acarya Gunabhadra
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 26}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-35-3
Jain Sahitya aur Itihas
By Pt. Nathuram Premi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 27}
Published in 1942, 1956, 2012
ISBN 978-81-88769-02-5
Tales of Atonement
Stories from Malayagiri's Commentary on the Vyavahara Bhashya
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 28}
Published in 2008
ISBN 978-81-88769-38-4
Yogashastra : A Handbook on the Three Jewels of Jainism
Sanskrit text by Acarya Hemacandra
English tr. by Prof Dr Olle Qvarnström
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 29}
ISBN 978-81-88769-40-7
Samayasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Kundakunda
Hindi translation by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 30}
2012
ISBN 978-81-88769-45-2
Dhyanabattisi
Braj text by Banarasidasa
English tr. by Jerome Petit
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 31}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-48-3
Tattvarthasutra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Umasvati
English tr. by Prof Dr Duli Chandra Jain
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 32}
ISBN 978-81-88769-50-6
Svarupa Sambodhana
Right Instruction on the Nature of the Soul
Sanskrit text by Acarya Akalanka
English tr., notes and introduction by Nagin J. Shah
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 33}
Published in 2011
ISBN 978-81-88769-51-3
Shastrasarasamuccaya
Sanskrit text by Acarya Maghanandi
English tr. by Shreyans Sukhani
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 34}
ISBN 978-81-88769-52-0
Three Prakrit Grammars
By Saartje Verbeke
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 35}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-55-1
Ishtopadesha
Sanskrit text by Acarya Pujyapada
Gujarati tr. by Pravina Mehta, English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 36}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-56-8
Bhaktamara Stotra
Sanskrit text by Acarya Manatunga
Hindi poetic tr. and gloss by Pt Nathuram Premi, English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 37}
ISBN 978-81-88769-57-5
Mrityu Mahotsava
Sanskrit text by an Unknown Writer
Hindi tr. by Shreyans Sukhani, Gujarati tr. by Dr Shilpa Vasani, English tr. by Manish Modi
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 38}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-58-2
Aradhanasara
Prakrit text by Acarya Devasena
English tr. by Prof Dr Nalini Balbir
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 39}
Published in 2010
ISBN 978-81-88769-62-9
Tattvarthasutra : That Which Is
Sanskrit text by Acarya Umasvati
English tr. by Nathmal Tantia
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 40}
ISBN 978-81-88769-64-3
Ratnakarandaka Shravakacara
Sanskrit text by Acarya Samantabhadra
English tr. by Prof Dr Willem Bollée
{Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 41}
2012
ISBN 978-81-88769-66-7
External links
- http://www.gohgk.com
- http://www.hindibooks.8m.com
- http://www.jainstudy.org
- http://www.bombaysamachar.com/frmStoryShow.aspx?sNo=21964