________________
FOREWORD
the tales from the
revealing. His efforts to
The L.D. Institute of Indology has great pleasure in publishing Dr. Rajendra Nanavati's thesis entitled “Secondary Tales of the Two Great Epics: A Study of their Form, Content and Function." The first chapter discusses folk literature, folk-talecollections and the meaning of the term 'secondary'. The next two chapters are devoted to the study of the tales from the two Epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. His searching analysis of each story is revealing. His efforts to trace a story to its source are fruitful. He has tried to seek the help from various allied branches of learning viz. Sapskrit Poetics, Natyašāstra, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistics and History to make the study comprehensive.
I am most thankful to Dr. Nanavati for agreeing to the publication of his thesis, the present work, which earned him the Ph. D. Degree of the South Gujarat University. I hop: the work will be welcomed by students of Literature and Mythology:
lied branches
L.D. Iastitute of Indology Ahmedabad-380009 15th October 1982.
Nagin J. Shah Director
Jain Education International
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