ଆଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ମହାପ୍ରଜ୍ଞ ଆଠ ଦଶନ୍ଧିର ସୁଦୀର୍ଘ ସଂଯମ ସାଧନାରେ ନିମଗ୍ନ ଥାଇ ଅନେକ ଗୁଡ଼ିଏ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ରହସ୍ୟର ଅନାବରଣ କରିଯାଇଛି । ତାଙ୍କ ଜୀବନର ଏକ ସମାଧାୟକ ସୂତ୍ର ହେଉଛି- ‘ରହୋ ଭୀତର, ଜୀଓ ବାହର ।’ ଜୀବନର ନବମ ଦଶକ ସଂପନ୍ନ ହେବାକୁ ଯାଉଥାଏ, ଦଶମ ଦଶକରେ ପ୍ରବେଶର ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି ଚାଲିଥାଏ । ଏହି ମହାର୍ଘ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତର ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ ପାଇଁ ସମାଜ ବିବିଧ ସ୍ୱପ୍ନ ଦେଖୁଥାଏ । କିନ୍ତୁ ନିୟତି ସାମାଜ୍ୟରେ ଏକ ଭିନ୍ନ ନିୟତି ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ ହୋଇ ସାରିଥାଏ । ଅକସ୍ମାତ ୯ ମେ ୨୦୦୯ ଦିନ ପ୍ରଖର ଦ୍ୱିପହରରେ ସେ ସଂସାରରୁ ପ୍ରୟାଣ କରିଦେଲେ । ତାଙ୍କ ଭୌତିକ ଶରୀର ହଜିଗଲା, ରହିଗଲା ଜ୍ଞାନ ଶରୀର, ଯଶଃ ଶରୀର ଓ ଅନୁଭବ ଶରୀର । ସେ ଆମ ସକାଶେ ଏକ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ ବୈଚାରିକ ଐତିହ୍ୟ ଛାଡ଼ି ଦେଇ ଯାଇଛନ୍ତି । ଆଗାମୀ ଶତାବ୍ଦୀ ଗୁଡ଼ିକ ନିଃସନ୍ଦେହ ଏହା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଲାଭାନ୍ୱିତ ହେବେ । ମହାପ୍ରଜ୍ଞ ଜନ୍ମ ଶତାବ୍ଦୀର ଐତିହାସିକ ଅବସରରେ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ‘ଜୈନଦର୍ଶନ ମନନ ଓ ମୀମାଂସା’ ତାଙ୍କ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଚେତନା ସହିତ ସଂପର୍କର ସଶକ୍ତ ଆଲମ୍ବନ ସାଜିଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି ହୋଇପାରନ୍ତା ।

Jayanta Mahapatra (1928-2023), a bilingual poet from Odisha, India, wrote prolifically both in English and Odia and was internationally acclaimed. His work has been variously interpreted from the perspectives of his experiments with language as well as use of modern techniques in poetry, his rendering of harsh reality including exploitation and injustice inflicted on the downtrodden, his urge for a total identification with his land and others. Keeping aside Mahapatra’s experiments with technique and language, the present book focuses on his relentless self-search alongside his assessment of the outer reality, the nature of his anxieties as revealed in his poems published since 1976, his ethical standpoint and the ongoing conflict between reason and faith suggested through his work. The poet emerges as an eternal traveller searching for truth and love. In the five chapters of the book all these aspects of his poetry have been discussed, with a particular focus on his anxiety that is close to “existentialist angst” and his capacity for immense love that saves him from lapsing into pessimism. Finally, his search for truth has been equated to that of some sages in the Upanishads.