Jain Scholar S. B. Vasantrajaiah is No More

Bangalore (Karnataka), Nov 17, 2009: A renowned Jain scholar Sri S.B.Vasantharajaiah passed away last night at Bangalore. He was not keeping in good health since the past few days and was hospitalised a couple of times.

Sri Vasantharajaiah, born in 1924 was a B.A. graduate who originated from Saligrama a village in the K.R.Nagar taluk of Mysore district had worked in the accounts department of the Government of Karnataka. He was a renowned Jain scholar and was known for his simplicity. Along with his literary knowledge he was also known for his organising skills and was instrumental in organising many Jain conferences and gatherings. He was instrumental in the formating of Sri Mahavira Mission in Bangalore during the late 60s and early 70s which played a pivotal role in shaping the Digambar Jain Samaj of Bangalore during the period. He was also instrumental in starting the 10 days Dashalakshana Parva discourses on a mass scale in Bangalore in 1976. This paved the way for the Digambar Jain samaj of Karnataka to follow suit and thus resulting in the celebration of Dahsalakshana parva in almost all the nooks and corners of Karnataka.

He was a recipient of the coveted 'Chavundaraya Award' given by the Kannada Sahitya Parishath the highest award given to a Jain scholar in Kannada literature for their life time contribution to Jainism. On his 80th birthday he was felicitaed with two felicitation volumes by the Jain samaj and his well wishers in a grand function held at Karnataka Jain Bhavan, Bangalore under the presence of His Holiness Swasti Sri Bhuvanakeerthi BHattarakha Swamiji of the Kanakagiri Jain Mutt.

Gurus Guru: He was a guru to Her Holiness Ganani Aryika 105 Sri Gyanmathi Mathaji as he had taught her Kannada during her visit to Karnataka.

Below is given a list of some of the works of Sri S.B.Vasantharajaiah:·
Ahimsa Jyothi Mahavira - A sketch on the life of Lord Mahavir based on the historical references of Lord Mahavira in Digambar and SWethambar Literature.·
Koppala Dinda Shravanabelagoladavarege - A book that gives out the details of around 40 to 45 Jain historical places from Koppala (a district in the Northern Karnataka that was once upon a time known a chief Jaina centre) to Shravanabelagola (a Jain town in the southern Karnataka) based on the inscriptional references.
Deergha Tapaswi Mahavira - A work that explains the 12 years long penance of Lord Mahavira with details of Lord Mahavira's vihar, Chaturmas, samavasarana and other important incidents.·
Chandanabala - a drama that explains the story of Chandanabala.·
Karnatakada Digambara Jina Mandiragalu - A book that gives out the details of about 700 Jain temples of Karnataka.·
Ashtapahuda - a translation of the Prakrit work of Acharya Sri Kundakunda in Kannada.· Dwadashanuprekshe - A translation into Kannada.·
NishkamaYogi - A novel describing the life of a middle class Digambar Jain families in the 20th century.· Saligrama Darshana - A book detailing out the details of the Jain temples in Saligrama and about the Jain samaj and other details.