Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited (often abbreviated MLBD) is an Indian publishing house based in Delhi, specialising in books on Indology, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Indian philosophy, and allied fields of classical and oriental studies. It is among the most established academic publishers in India devoted to the study of Indian religions, languages, and traditional knowledge systems.
Key facts
| Name | Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited |
|---|---|
| Type | Private limited company |
| Industry | Book publishing |
| Specialisation | Sanskrit, Indology, Indian religions and philosophy |
| Headquarters | Delhi, India |
| Country | India |
Background
The firm was founded by Lala Motilal Jain and his son Banarsi Dass Jain, after whom the company is named. It began as a bookselling and publishing concern dealing primarily in works of classical Indian learning, and over time built a catalogue covering primary texts, translations, critical editions, and scholarly monographs in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Tibetan, and other classical languages, alongside English-language secondary literature.
The publishing house has its principal office in Delhi, with additional outlets and distribution arrangements in other Indian cities. It is a family-run enterprise, and successive generations of the Jain family have managed its editorial and business operations.
Publishing profile
Motilal Banarsidass is widely associated with reprints and editions of foundational works in Indology, including writings of Western and Indian scholars from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that had become difficult to access. Its catalogue ranges across a number of subject areas:
- Vedic studies, including the Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads
- Epics and Puranas, including translations of the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and major Puranas
- Sanskrit grammar, lexicography, poetics, and dramaturgy
- Darshana literature on the six classical schools of Hindu philosophy
- Buddhist studies, including Pali canonical texts, Mahayana literature, and Tibetan Buddhism
- Jain studies, including Agamic and post-canonical works
- Tantra, Yoga, and Ayurveda
- Indian art, archaeology, iconography, and history
The firm has published or distributed several long-running series, among them the Sacred Books of the East (originally edited by Max Müller and published by the Clarendon Press, later reissued in India by MLBD), the Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology series of Purana translations, and the Encyclopaedia of Indian Philosophies edited by Karl H. Potter.
Significance
Motilal Banarsidass occupies an important place in the global infrastructure of Indological scholarship. By keeping standard reference works, primary texts, and critical editions in print at relatively accessible prices, it has supported teaching and research in universities and traditional institutions both within India and abroad. Its publications are commonly cited in academic literature on Indian religions, classical languages, and intellectual history, and the firm acts as a regular distributor for several Indian and international scholarly publishers.
Related topics
- Indology
- Sanskrit literature
- Indian philosophy
- Publishing in India
- Sacred Books of the East
- Buddhist studies
- Jain literature
- Delhi
References
- Wikidata entity Q1165861: Motilal Banarsidass.
- Motilal Banarsidash Publishers, official catalogue and corporate information.