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The present writer has derived help from large number of original works which are extensively quoted in the course of this thesis. His indebtedness to varicus authors in this field is also great. It is not possible to mention all of them here; acknowledgment of their help has been made mostly in the footnotes.
Like all those students who are first introduced to the world of scholarship by their teachers, the author is deeply indebted to his revered teacher Dr. Raj Bali Pandeya, M.A., D.LITT., ex-Principal, College of Indology, Banaras Hindu University, and at present Professor and Head of the Department, Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Jabalpur, M.P., whose valuable guidance and sympathetic attitude have greatly helped him in the preparation and completion of this work, to whom this work is also dedicated. In this connection he also cannot forget his revered teacher the departed savant Dr. A. S. Altekar, M.A., LL.B., D.LITT., who kindly initiated and inspired him for the study and researches in the Indological field, to whom also this work is dedicated.
The author was fortunate enough to receive unbounded favour from the great savant Dr. V. S. Agrawala, M.A., PH.D., D.LITT., of Banaras Hindu University, whose occasional help gave him insight in the subject. His debt of gratitude has immensely increased on account of his crowning this humble work with his learned Foreword.
The author feels much thankful to Dr. Pt. Sukhalalji Sanghavī, Acārya Jinavijaya Muni, the late Pt. Nathuram Premi, Dr. Hiralal Jain and Dr. A. N. Upadhye, the doyens of Jain studies from whose critical editions and learned introductions of Jain texts the author has obtained much help and to whom like other students of Jainology, he looks forward as the beacon-light and perennial source of help and inspiration. Their timely and proper advice at the time of the All India Oriental Conference at Lucknow, curved the line of the author to achieve this present goal and saved him from going astray. As pointed out in the Publishers' Note the thesis was intended to cover the Cultural aspects also of the period but it was abandoned with the view it was too big for a single thesis. The author has keen desire and looks forward to the favourable circumstances for prosecution of his study on the other aspects from Jain Sources left by him.
The author can never forget Pandit Dalsukh Malavania, Director, L. D. Bharatiya Sanskriti Vidya Mandir, Ahmedabad from whom he received constant light and unfailing inspiration and all sorts of assistance during the
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