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PREFACE
In writing this preface, I am tempted to refer to a few reminiscences of my visit to Baroda in 1909-an incident which has much to do with my undertaking to edit this work for Gaekwad's Oriental Series. I was invited to visit Baroda by H. H. the Gaekwad through H. H. the Mabarajah of Mysore in whose Government I was then serving as Curator, Government Oriental Library, Mysore, and Superintendent of studies in Maharajah’s Samskrit College, Mysore. The invitation was the direct outcome of my presentation to His Highness the Gaekwar of my pamphlets on questions of social reform such as marriage and caste. During my seven weeks' stay at Baroda I discussed, in His Highness' presence, the questions of caste reform with Baroda Pandits and delivered public lectures on the same. I was greatly struck with His Highness' keen personal interest in the subjects discussed and his encouragement in our private talks of free expression of my considered opinions. His appreciation of the value of our ancient learning has since materialised in the addition of the Samskrit Section to the Central Library, which as the result of the labour of my friend Pandit R. Anantakrishna Sastri bids fair to be one of the best collections in India. His Highness' kind remembrance of me was evinced on several subsequent occasions; and when I retired from Mysore Government service in 1916 I was invited by His Highness to take charge of the Samskrit Section of the Library. But as I had, on the invitation of the President of the Theosophical Society, already settled as the Director of the Adyar Library at the Headquarters of the Theosophical Society,