________________
poverty of imagination and scant respect for Ācarya Hemacandra's intelligence if we were to insinuate that he pretended that all the excerpts and extracts which he quoted would pass as his own. The truth is that he regards the masterpieces of his predecessors as the property of the entire world.
It is gratifying that Prof. Upadhyay's approach to Kāvyānuśāsana is markedly free from strong prejudices of the historians mentioned above. His remarkably fine study of Hemacandra's Kavyānušāsana will help restore or set right the balance and lead to a proper evaluation of Ācārya Hemacandra's encyclopaedic compendium. He brings to the study of Kāvyānuśāsana a mind adequately equipped in literature and literary criticism. He has imbibed and assimilated the ideas and critical thought embodied in the wellknown works and research papers of modern Sanskrit scholars and critics and made their judicious use in explaining and elucidating Hemachandra, whose encyclopaedic scholarship and eclectic attitude and lucid exposition has produced this masterly manual of Sanskrit poetics. Prof. Upadhyay's approach is marked by sympathetic attitude and he is fair and just in his praise of Acārya Hemacandra and his Kavyanušāsana. His exposition of the various topics dealt with by the Ācārya is very clear and methodical. The analytical table of contents with which the thesis is prefaced will greatly facilitate readers. His command of language and fascinating style of writing are praiseworthy. It is chiefly on the expository side that the excellence of Prof. Upadhyay's work lies.
We warmly welcome this study as a notable addition to the number of works in English on Sanskrit Poetics (and aesthetics). 5, Suruchi Society, Dixit Road Extension,
V. M, Kulkarni Vile Parle (East), Bombay 400 057
Vi
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org